How to Spend a Perfect Day in Besançon with Itinerary Map

Besancon landscape from citadel

Besançon

Check Point
・Fortress registered as a World Heritage Site overlooking the Jura Mountains

・House where Victor Hugo was born

・Yellow wine and Comte cheese limited to this region

【City description】

It’s a principal city in the Franche-Comté region near Switzerland. It’s located near Jura Mountains and surrounded by the nature. There are many sightseeing spots like the citadel on the hill, the house of Victor Hugo who write “Les Misérables”. We can taste the yellow wine and the regional cheese. The international music contest takes place in September.

【Overall rating】

 ★★★★☆

【Time required】

 9 h 30

【Budget】

 32.30 euros (without tramway and guide tour)

【Fatigue】

 ★★★★★



Itinerary Map

Navigation

【Start】
①Besançon-Viotte Station

★Go down Maréchal Foch Avenue. When you arrive at a river, continue to walk on the avenue. It takes 20 minutes. On the other hand, you can take a tramway to go there from the station. In that case, get off at Parc Micaud station. The price is 1.40 euros.

②Tourist Information Center

★Cross the bridge beside the tourism information center and go straight as far as a square. It takes 5 minutes.

③St-Pierre Church

★Go to Grande St from the square for 5 minutes. You’ll find the next destination on the right hand.

④Museum of Time

★Continue to walk on Grande St.

⑤St-Maurice Church

★Continuer to walk on Grande St as far as a square.

⑥House of Victor Hugo

★Continue to walk on the street and go through a gate of Noire and go up the street.

⑦St-Jean Cathedral

★Continue to go up Fusillés de la Résistance St. you arrive at a gate of the citadel. It’s a view point. Enter the gate and go up the street for 15 minutes.

⑧Citadel

★Go back to St-Pierre Church with the same route. Then, go to République St and turn left at the first crossroad. Go straight as far as a square. It takes 30 minutes from the citadel.

⑨Art and Archeology Museum

★Go to Boucheries St from the square and cross a bridge.

⑩Madeleine Church

★Go to Battant St as far as a park. It takes 15 minutes by walk. You can arrive at the station. If you are tired, take a tramway in front of the art and archeology museum. The ticket is 1.40 euros.

【Goal】
Besançon-Viotte Station


Click the square mark on the top left of the map to see a list of tourist spots. If you open the enlarge button on the top right corner on your smartphone, this model course will be displayed on Google Maps along with its location information. You can also quickly return to this map from the table of contents in the sidebar (if using a smartphone, select “Go to table of contents” from the menu at the bottom of the screen).



【Start】

①Besançon-Viotte Station

Gare de Besançon-Viotte

★Go down Maréchal Foch Avenue. When you arrive at a river, continue to walk on the avenue. It takes 20 minutes. On the other hand, you can take a tramway to go there from the station. In that case, get off at Parc Micaud station. The price is 1.40 euros.


②Tourist Information Center

Time required: 5 min

Admission fee: 0 euro

Get maps and other information here. There are public toilets nearby.


★Cross the bridge beside the tourism information center and go straight as far as a square. It takes 5 minutes.


③St-Pierre Church

St-Pierre Church

Église St-Pierre

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 euro

Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm
(until 5 pm in winter)

Close: Sunday

It is a church located in a plaza, and although it is small in scale, it is worth seeing with the delicate carvings on the pillars and walls.


★Go to Grande St from the square for 5 minutes. You’ll find the next destination on the right hand.


④Museum of Time

Museum of Time

Musée du Temps

Time required: 60 min

Admission fee: 8.40 euros

Opening hour: 10 am – 12 h 30 / 2 pm – 6 pm
(10 am – 6 pm on weekend)

Close: Monday, in the morning between September and March, 1/1, 5/1, 11/1, 12/25

This museum was built in the renovated Grandvelle Palace. As the name suggests, there are many clocks on display, but you can also see the discoveries and history of natural science in Europe. You can see the city from the top of the tower.


★Continue to walk on Grande St.


⑤St-Maurice Church

Église St-Maurice

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 euro

Opening hour: 9 am – 6 pm

Close: No

Unlike its rustic exterior, the interior of the church has been made with great care. In particular, the decorations on the altar are rarely seen in other towns.


★Continuer to walk on Grande St as far as a square.


⑥House of Victor Hugo

House of Victor Hugo

Maison natale de Victor Hugo

Time required: 40 min

Admission fee: 3 euro

Opening hour: 10 am – 6 h 30 pm
(until 5 h 30 pm in winter)

Close: Tuesday, 1/1, 5/1, 11/1, 12/25

This is the house where Victor Hugo, the author of “Les Misérables,” was born, and is now his museum. Although it is small, there is a lot to see, such as first editions of his works and explanations about his family. In addition, in the same square is the birthplace of the Lumière brothers, the inventors of cinema, and plaques of the two men are displayed on the wall.


★Continue to walk on the street and go through a gate of Noire and go up the street.


⑦St-Jean Cathedral

St-Jean Cathedral

Cathédral St-Jean

Time required: 20 min

Admission fee: 0 euro

Opening hour: 9 am – 7 pm
(until 6 pm in winter)

Close: No

It is a church with a clock tower with a distinctive roof decoration. Go around and enter the interior from the south side. The stained glass surrounding the altar is beautiful, but the decorations on the opposite corner at the back are also gorgeous and captivating. You can also take a guided tour of the Astronomical Clock (3.50 euros).

★Continue to go up Fusillés de la Résistance St. you arrive at a gate of the citadel. It’s a view point. Enter the gate and go up the street for 15 minutes.


⑧Citadel

Citadel

La Citadelle

Time required: 3 h

Admission fee: 12.50 euro

Opening hour: 10 am – 5 pm
(9 am – 6 pm in summer)

Close: January, 12/25

This fortress was built in the 17th and 18th centuries and is registered as a World Heritage Site. The grounds include several museums, a zoo, and an aquarium, including the Musée Comtois, a local folklore museum, and the Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportion, which focuses on the history of World War II. There are multiple facilities such as You can also climb the castle walls and admire the rich natural beauty of this region.

★Go back to St-Pierre Church with the same route. Then, go to République St and turn left at the first crossroad. Go straight as far as a square. It takes 30 minutes from the citadel.


⑨Art and Archeology Museum

Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie de Besançon

Time required: 90 min

Admission fee: 8.40 euros

Opening hour: 10 am – 12 h 30 / 2 pm – 6 pm
(10 am – 6 pm on weekend)

Close: Tuesday, in the morning between September and March, 1/1, 5/1, 11/1, 12/25

The museum faces the plaza and reopened in 2017 after renovation work. It also serves as an archaeological museum and introduces the history of Besancon. We have a wide selection of paintings from a wide range of eras, including Rubens and Picasso.


★Go to Boucheries St from the square and cross a bridge.


⑩Madeleine Church

Madeleine Church

Église de la madeleine

Time required: 15 min

Admission fee: 0 euro

Opening hour: 9 am – 4 pm
(until 5 pm in spring and summer)

Close: Monday

This church has two symmetrical spiers. The interior is made of gray stone, giving it a dark atmosphere, but part of the upper part of the altar is lit up in orange, giving it a sacred atmosphere.


★Go to Battant St as far as a park. It takes 15 minutes by walk. You can arrive at the station. If you are tired, take a tramway in front of the art and archeology museum. The ticket is 1.40 euros.



【Goal】

Besançon-Viotte Station



コメント