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BESANÇON and the DOUBS
A beautiful escape in Franche-Comté near the Jura mountains.
The location of the Hotel Vauban is the ideal starting point for visiting the architectural treasures of Besançon, a town classified as a place of Art and History.
A must-see site to discover (resistance museum, comtois museum, aquarium, insectarium, chapel, zoo) from the heights of the city, the majestic Citadelle built by Vauban more than 300 years ago with its 600 m long and 5 m high ramparts. At the foot of the Citadelle, a stone's throw from the Cathédrale Saint-Jean and its astronomical clock with 57 dials, is the birthplace of Victor Hugo.
Take time to lose yourself in the old town. Admire the beautiful 16th-century facades, the Gallo-Roman remains in the Castan square, the Granvelle Renaissance palace, which houses the Time Museum, and the majestic Porte Noire, which towers 16 metres above the town. With almost 200 m² of green space per inhabitant, the town is nestled in a bosky bower and boasts numerous parks, squares and riverbanks where you can enjoy pleasant moments of relaxation.
Near Besançon, don't miss a visit to the 18th-century Arcs-et-Senans Royal Saltworks, a former salt factory, or the Joux Castle, a fortress set in an exceptional natural site, the 70-metre-deep Poudrey chasm, the maisons comtoise museum or the 'Saut du Doubs'...
Besançon is also an essential stop-off point in the Franche-Comté region for exploring the Jura mountains, the Doubs Regional Park, the Loue valley and the Swiss Alps. You'll be spoilt for choice, and we'll be delighted to advise you as you explore our beautiful region.
Visit the monuments and architecture of Besançon
The tourist office offers various guided tours throughout Besançon: visit the Observatory, the Moncley Castle, the Chaudanne Fort…
Citadelle
Vauban's masterpiece, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a remarkable example of 17th-century military architecture extending over almost 12 hectares, the Besançon Citadelle is considered to be one of the most beautiful in France
Fine Arts Museum
Founded in 1694, almost a century before the Louvre, it is the oldest museum in France.
The Time Museum
A history and watchmaking museum housed in one of the city's most beautiful palaces, the Granvelle Palace.
Victor Hugo's birthplace
Unlike the other houses in which he lived, Victor Hugo's birthplace is neither a museum nor a place of remembrance. Its contemporary scenography, with its emphasis on multimedia, showcases the struggles of this committed man.
St John's Cathedral and the astronomical clock
Simultaneously a church, basilica and Carolingian cathedral built in the IIIᵉ century, housing the astronomical clock considered a masterpiece of its kind, and built by Auguste-Lucien Vérité in the 19th century.
Boat trip on the Doubs
Besançon can also be discovered by water. A river tour of the Franc-Comtois capital is the ideal way to appreciate the beauty of the natural site and the city's heritage.
Royal Salt Works
Former salt factory, commissioned by Louis XV between 1775 and 1779 and built by the visionary architect Claude-Nicolas Ledoux.
The Comtois Houses Museum
An open-air ecomuseum featuring some thirty rural buildings typical of the Franche-Comté region.
Poudrey chasm
Journey to the centre of the earth, where nature has created strange and sumptuous ornaments.
Osselle caves
Europe's largest cave bear necropolis, the cave sparkles with stalactites and stalagmites of a strange changing colour
The Loue Valley
Between authenticity and heritage, the Loue Valley is full of breathtaking sites and monuments.