There are cities that are heavily advertised. And there are cities that you don’t hear or read much about, but which are nevertheless – or perhaps precisely because of this – worth a visit. One such city is Besançon in eastern France.
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Intro and travel report
If you are travelling from Germany to the south of France, you will practically pass through here. And even if you are travelling to the south of France from another country and taking the route via Dijon and Lyon, Besançon is only a stone’s throw away from your route.
But very few people stop here to see the city. We have also been to the south of France many times and have never stopped in Besançon.
This time, however, we did: we took a motorhome on a long tour through France in the autumn.
We travelled the entire length of the Atlantic coast, only briefly touching on the south of France because we already know it well from previous visits, and drove back to south-west Germany via Avignon and Besançon.
This time, we stayed overnight in Besançon and took our time exploring the city.
The trip was great fun! It was already quite chilly due to the advanced autumn, but at least it was dry, and we strolled along the River Doubs and across the Pont Battant bridge into the city centre.
The river forms a large loop here and almost completely surrounds the old town of Besançon. Where there is a land connection to the interior, the Citadelle de Besançon watches over the city.
This favourable location on the river offered its inhabitants natural protection, which was necessary because the city was founded during the Roman Empire and the region was fiercely contested for a long time.
With industrialisation, Besançon became a centre for the watchmaking and textile industries. Today, it is more focused on micro and nanotechnology, but many other trades, businesses and industries are also based here.
Despite industrialisation, Besançon has been named the greenest city in France. It is home to art and history, and its old fortifications have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008.
Even on the riverbank, long historic buildings with arcades stand as testament to the city’s former prosperity.
This impression continues inside the old town: wide pedestrian zones with numerous shops, churches, buildings with columns and ornate façades, statues and decorations bear witness to the prosperity of yesteryear.
Today, however, impressions are somewhat mixed, as many buildings could do with a little more maintenance and some corners of the old town are not so attractive.
But that doesn’t matter, because you can easily spend a few hours exploring the old town and discovering beautiful little city parks, wonderful historic buildings, charming little corners, nice shops and, above all, lots of restaurants and cafés where the Besontins or Besontines (inhabitants of Besançon) spend their afternoons.
Despite the cool, autumnal weather, the terraces are open and well filled. We follow suit and enjoy our lunch outside, while life flows past us with French serenity.
We only saw the Citadelle of Besançon from the outside, but if you have more time, there are several museums inside. You can find all the information you need on the website: https://www.citadelle.com.
And if you are interested in other sights and places to visit in the city, take a look at the Besançon website: https://www.besancon-tourisme.com.
Helpful links for your travel planning
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Concluson
The location by the river is very beautiful, the old town is wonderful to explore on foot, and the citadel on the hill provides an impressive backdrop to the lively city at its feet.
We enjoyed exploring Besançon. The old town has its less attractive sides, but it is definitely worth seeing. And unlike many other cities, Besançon has retained its green heart.
You can see this when you walk along the River Doubs around the old town, but also in the numerous rows of trees and small parks within the city.
Amidst all the hustle and bustle, you can always find peace and quiet, and amongst all the grand buildings, there are always green spaces where you can relax.
We are more country people, we need this to be able to enjoy a city. This is the quiet part of town, despite all the hustle and bustle of the shopping streets. There is strength in tranquillity!
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Image credits Cover photo: Arcades in the old town of Besançon on the River Doubs (photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
