Bourgogne, France · Europe
Besançon sits on the route: 10 minutes from Pirey, 45km from Cascade des Tufs.
Besançon is a city located in Bourgogne, France. With a population of 128,426, it is an important destination in Europe.
On a road trip, Besançon sits in France, where you drive on the right. It's in the Europe/Paris time zone. Below you'll find where to stay, things to do nearby, and everything you need to add Besançon to your route.
Besançon (UK: , US: ; French: [bəzɑ̃sɔ̃] , Franco-Provençal: [bəzɑ̃ˈsɔ̃]; archaic German: Bisanz; Latin: Vesontio) is a French city that serves as the capital of the department of Doubs in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. The city is located in Eastern France, close to the Jura Mountains and the border withRead more
Switzerland.
Capital of the historic and cultural region of Franche-Comté, Besançon is home to the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté regional council headquarters, and is an important administrative centre in the region. It is also the seat of one of the fifteen French ecclesiastical provinces and one of the two divisions of the French Army.
The city has a population of about 120,000, and is the centre of a metropolitan area of about 285,000 inhabitants, the second in the region in terms of population (after Dijon).
Established in a meander of the river Doubs, the city was already important during the Gallo-Roman era under the name of Vesontio, capital of the Sequani. Its geography and specific history turned it into a military stronghold, a garrison city, a political centre, and a religious capital.
Besançon is the historical capital of watchmaking in France. This has led it to become a centre for innovative companies in the fields of microtechnology, micromechanics, and biomedical engineering. Its university, founded in 1423, has an enrollment of nearly 30,000 students, including around 4,000 trainees from all over the world within its Centre for Applied Linguistics (CLA).
The greenest city in France, it enjoys a quality of life recognized in Europe. Thanks to its rich historical and cultural heritage and its unique architecture, Besançon has been labeled a "Town of Art and History" since 1986. Its fortifications, designed by Vauban, have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.
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Besançon offers many attractions including tourist sites, museums, parks, and local restaurants. Explore famous landmarks, scenic roads, and natural wonders on our interactive map and plan your visit.
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Besançon is located in Bourgogne, France, Europe. The coordinates are 47.2488 latitude, 6.0182 longitude.
Besançon has a population of approximately 128,426 people, making it a city in France.
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Carrying a warning triangle and hi-vis vest in your vehicle is mandatory. Motorway emergency phones connect to official breakdown services only.
Full driving guide for France1 notable place within an hour's drive.
waterfall
Fan of spring water pouring over moss-covered tufa terraces at Les Planches-près-Arbois in the Jura, at snowmelt one of France's most photographed waterfalls, minutes on foot from the village parking.
45 km · about 50 min drive
April to October
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