48 hours in Besançon

Burgundy-Franche-Comté/2022

Besançon is a beautiful city, with a long history, successful development and a natural environment of forests, lakes and hills. A remarkable stopover.

Some people know Besançon for its Vauban fortress, others for the birthplace of Victor Hugo, and still others, no doubt more numerous, for the birthplace of the made-in-France watchmaking industry... Hardly any timepieces are made here any more, but the charm of the town center, set in a narrow meander of the Doubs, is intact... and quiet! You'll immediately be struck by the absence of noise. The vast pedestrian zone is motor-free, but seems to confer a Zen-like serenity on the people of Bisont. There's little or no shouting in the streets, no aggressive scooters, no free-flowing two-wheelers, and very few bicycles: Besançon is just about the only prefecture in France where you can stroll around with your nose in the air, admiring the mansions and old houses with their wrought-iron balconies. You'll stroll easily from Place Pasteur to Place de la Révolution, passing through the indispensable pedestrian streets: Rue des Granges, Rue Bersot and, of course, the Grande-Rue, which runs through the whole town. The stroll then extends to two old quarters: the Battant district, on the other side of the bridge of the same name, is home to the beautiful neoclassical church of Sainte-Madeleine, built in the 18th century and extended by two towers in 1830, and boasting a rich collection of religious paintings. Then climb up rue des Frères-Mercier, rue du Grand-Charmont and rue Richebourg to reach Fort Griffon and dominate the town. Descending via the crèche, you'll come to the emblematic rue du Battant, a village atmosphere and life away from the city. Another must-see is the citadel and Rivotte district at the foot of the citadel, on the banks of the Doubs. The easiest way to reach the citadel is to follow Grande-Rue, then rue de la Convention and rue du Chapitre. The tough climb can be made via rue des Fusillés-de-la-Résistance, until you reach Vauban's fortified work, a majestic complex that towers 118 m above the town and is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with three museums and a zoological garden. Taking the same route back down, don't miss a visit to Saint-Jean Cathedral and its astronomical clock, before heading down to the river via rue du Chambrier (beware, the slope is steep) to the calm, ancient Rivotte district, occupied since Roman times, with its Porte Rivotte, a vestige of the fortifications, and the tunnel-canal that joins the two loops of the Doubs, passing beneath the citadel.