City or town
Things to see in Besançon (France): 35 places and when to go
Besançon is a city in France with around 128,000 inhabitants, and this site lists 35 places in and around it, mainly History (9), Nature (8), Food and drink (8). The best known are Besançon, Gennes, Doubs and Synagogue of Besançon. The best time to come is March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18. Here is what there is, when to go, how to get there and what else is nearby.
In a nutshell
- Where
- France · 47.23, 6.03
- Population
- About 128,000
- Places
- 35 places on this site, in the town and around it.
- What people come for
- History (9) · Nature (8) · Food and drink (8) · Wildlife (6) · With kids (5) · Museums and art (3)
- Best time
- March to October.
- Also possible
- November to February.
- Nearest airport
- LYS Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône, 182 km as the crow flies
What to see in Besançon
The places in and around Besançon, best known first, each with its own page: what it is, when to go and what is next to it. Distances are from the centre, as the crow flies.
- BesançonHistory · Museums and art565 m
- Gennes, DoubsHistory7.2 km
- Synagogue of BesançonSynagogue located in Doubs, in France1.4 km
- Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de BesançonMuseum in Besançon, France1.2 km
- Fort of PlanoiseFort4.3 km
- Besançon Astronomical ObservatoryAstronomical observatory3.6 km
- Basilica of Saint-FerjeuxBasilica located in Doubs, in France3.1 km
- Al-Fath Mosque, BesançonMosque in France5.3 km
- Musée CourbetMuseum in Ornans, France17 km
- Château de MoncleyCastle in Moncley, France14 km
- Château d'Abbans-DessusCastle16 km
- Sources d’ArcierWatercourse in France8.1 km
- Château de GyCastle25 km
- Muséum de BesançonMuseum in France469 m
- Mont de BregilleMountain in France2.0 km
- Mont des BuisSummit1.7 km
- réserve naturelle régionale de la grotte de BeaumotteNature reserve in Franche-Comté19 km
- réserve naturelle régionale de la grotte de la Baume noireNature reserve in Franche-Comté27 km
- réserve naturelle régionale du vallon de FontenelayProtected area in France21 km
- Aux AteliersWith kids6.5 km
- Besançon - Arc-et-SenansHiking13 km
- Bière du DoubsBrewery12 km
- Brasserie 1551Brewery25 km
- Brasserie LevainBrewery535 m
And the other 11, by what you come to do:
- Hiking: Ceinture de Besançon
- Food and drink: De la fleur au fruit, Gangloff Brasserie, Les 2 Fûts, Terra Comtix, Vignoble Guillaume
- With kids: Dino-Zoo, Lama loisir Mamirolle, Magasin à poudre
- Nature: Grotte de la Chère, Grotte des Cavottes
When to go to Besançon
The best time to visit Besançon is March to October; also possible: November to February. This comes from its own places: a month counts as the town's best time when it is the best time for half of what there is to see.
- JanPossible8:41
- FebPossible10:02
- MarBest time11:36
- AprBest time13:23
- MayBest time14:53
- JunBest time15:42
- JulBest time15:22
- AugBest time14:03
- SepBest time12:19
- OctBest time10:36
- NovPossible9:04
- DecPossible8:18
Best timePossibleBetter notHours of daylight
In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18. In April, 35 of the 35 places are at their best.
When to go to France in general, with its festivals and peak seasons, is in its country guide.
Getting to Besançon
The nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS, Colombier-Saugnieu, Rhône), 182 km as the crow flies. How to get around France (train, car, bus) is in its country guide, and what to sort out before you leave is in its checklist.
Where it is (opens in a new tab)Directions (opens in a new tab)
Other towns nearby
- Cirey5 places20 km
- Flagey17 places23 km
- Chaux-Lès-Passavant10 places24 km
- Taxenne12 places27 km
- Salins-les-Bains47 places34 km
- Gray10 places41 km
And all of France, in its country guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Besançon?
The best known: Besançon, Gennes, Doubs, Synagogue of Besançon, Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie de Besançon, Fort of Planoise. In all, 35 places in the town and around it, all on your trip map from day one.
When is the best time to visit Besançon?
March to October; also possible: November to February. In June there are 15 h 42 of daylight, and in December, 8 h 18.
How do you get to Besançon?
The nearest main airport is Lyon Saint-Exupéry Airport (LYS), 182 km away. From there, directions opens the route on the map.
How do I add it to my trip?
Create a trip with Besançon as the destination and these 35 places are on your map, each with its category. The ones you like go into a day's plan with one tap, and Kokai reminds you when you pass nearby.
Keep reading
- FranceBefore travelling to France: 6 things worth sorting out, each with its deadline. For Spanish citizens, entry only takes an ID card (DNI).
- History5933 places for history in France, from Eiffel Tower to spots hardly anyone knows. Best time: March to October. Each with its own season by altitude and daylight.
- Where to travelPick what you fancy (mountains, beaches, museums…) and the months you have free, and Kokai tells you which countries to go to and what to see there.
Data from OpenStreetMap, licensed under the ODbL, from Wikidata, CC0, cities from Natural Earth and airports from OurAirports. Daylight hours are calculated from the latitude. More in credits.