Cotentin

Cotentin (kôtäNtăN`), region of N France, in Normandy, roughly coinciding with the peninsula formed by Manche dept. and extending into the English Channel. Cherbourg is the chief port, and there are numerous fishing ports. The lambs of the Cotentin breed of sheep are highly esteemed for their meat. Cattle are also raised in the region. Much of the land is divided by hedgerows into small fields and apple orchards. An old Norman county, Cotentin takes its name from its historic capital, Coutances.

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Cotentin 

a peninsula in Normandy in northwestern France, bounded by the Bay of the Seine, the Gulf of St.-Malo, and the English Channel. The coasts are mainly low and weakly broken; they are rocky in places in the western part of the peninsula. The Cotentin Peninsula is principally composed of sandstone, granite, and shale. The surface consists of a hilly plain with heights up to 191 m, dissected by river valleys and ravines. There are meadows and heaths in the area. Livestock raising and horticulture are important occupations. The port of Cherbourg is located in the northern part of the Cotentin Peninsula.