Besancon

Besançon occupies a deep meander of the Doubs River below the Jura foothills in Bourgogne–Franche-Comté. The river nearly encircles the historic centre, while the limestone ridge of Mont Saint-Étienne rises above it. Vauban’s Citadel of Besançon, built for Louis XIV, crowns that ridge and forms part of UNESCO’s Fortifications of Vauban. Once the capital of Franche-Comté, the city is also closely associated with watchmaking; the Musée du Temps occupies the Renaissance Palais Granvelle. Its compact centre invites unhurried walks between quays, squares and layered stone architecture. See how Besançon relates to the Doubs valley and the Jura by browsing webcams nearby.

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