Besançon - And The Time
City Tours · Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Production: 
© 2017
Nestled into a loop of the Doubs river, you will find the cultivated and highly attractive capital of Franche-Comté—a significant hub connecting Italy, the Alpine region, and the Rhine.
Dominating the city from Mount Saint-Étienne, 120 meters above the old town, stands the 17th-century Citadelle de Besançon—designed by Vauban for Louis XIV. In 2008, it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list along with 11 other Vauban fortifications.
Musée des Beaux-Arts et d’Archéologie
France's oldest public museum was founded in 1694 and is world-renowned for its Gallo-Roman archaeological finds as well as masterpieces by Dürer, Delacroix, and Rodin.
Porte Noire
Built in 175 AD in honor of Marcus Aurelius, this triumphal arch documents the historical significance of Besançon since Roman times.
Time / Musée du Temps
The Palais Granvelle was meticulously restored to house the Musée du Temps (Museum of Time). It showcases the history of mechanical watchmaking technology, which made Besançon the undisputed capital of the French watch industry in the 19th century.
