Places to visit within an hour of the cottage

Besançon

Take the time!
At the Palais Granvelle, home to the Musée du Temps, plunge into the heart of the watchmaking expertise that has long been the lifeblood of the Franche-Comté. Through a prestigious collection of clocks and timepieces, youwilldiscoverthat the region beats to the rhythm of watchmakingmechanicslisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site..

The Citadel

With its breathtaking view of the old town, the Citadel is a Unesco site not to be missed during your visit. From its walkways, you have a panoramic view of the river and old city center and the Vauban fortifications.
A vast space to explore indoors and outdoors, and in a playful way thanks to a brand-new treasure hunt set up for children.

The birthplace of Victor Hugo

You may not know it, but the famousauthor of Les Misérables and Notre Dame de Paris wasborn in Besançon, at 140 Grande Rue precisely. In the house where he was born on February 26, 1802, discover the vibrant tribute paid to the committed man he was, and his fight for freedom and human dignity.

The cave of Osselle

Located at à 15 km from Besançon, near Osselle, this cave discovered in the 13th century owesitsreputation to the variety of itspaleontological and prehistorictreasures Along a 1,200-metre trail, punctuated by fairy lights, you will discover spectacular crystallisations and the world’slargest deposit of cave bears.

The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans

The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans is the town’s main tourist attraction. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts more than 130,000 visitors each year.
Also listed as a Historical Monument, itwascreated in the 18th century and continueditsactivitiesuntil the end of the 19th century. Considered one of the most important in Europe, the salt works was designed by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux , on the orders of the King of France, Louis XV. Largely open to the public today, the site unveils the Ledoux Museum in the Tonneliers buildings. You can admire different models of worksnever made by the architect.
Temporary exhibitions are also held in the salt buildings, and concerts are occasionally organised.
Several buildings can still be seen on the saltworks site, such as the bernes, the cooperage, the director’s house, the graduation building and its basin or blacksmith’s workshop. Gardens, once cultivated by local residents, are also present. They are the scene of an annual festival.