Document Actions

Dole > Besançon

illust-longue-besancon

59 km - From Dole to Besançon, the fortress via Vauban, it is such a pleasant stroll along the towpaths, exploring the Doubs valley. This is a very beautiful stage, scattered with a great many pretty villages on the banks of the river, working the landscape of the Franche-Comté region since time immemorial.

Access

by train

There are railway stations at Dole, Orchamps, Ranchot, Saint-Vit and Besançon. There is a train between Dijon, Dole and Besançon about once an hour, and bike storage space is available on reservation.

by plane

From Dole/Tavaux airport : www.aeroportfranchecomte.com

Itinerary

This stage starts with an easy ride along a developed trail that moves away from the Dole and runs along the Rhône-Rhine Canal. After Orchamp, the trail gets a little rougher for a few miles until Ranchot and Dampierre. The trail then picks up again following the Doubs. The route splits in two at Thoraise, with a developed path to the south and a route with forts dotted along it to the north. The two routes come together again at Besançon.

Attention : Afin de pouvoir utiliser Google Maps, JavaScript doit être activé.Or, il semble que JavaScript est désactivé ou qu'il n'est pas supporté par votre navigateur.Pour afficher Google Maps, activez JavaScript en modifiant les options de votre navigateur, puis essayez à nouveau.

Tourist destinations

Dole

Notre-Dame Collegiate Chruch and its steeple
The tallest church in Franche-Comté is a Gothic masterpiece. It recently celebrated its 500th anniversary in 2009, when it was restored to its former glory thanks to a large-scale restoration programme. Its 73 metre Gothic steeple - very characteristic of the region's architecture towards the end of the Middle Ages, dominates the entire town. The view from the top of the platform offers a breathtaking view (access on request to the Tourist Office). This is a must-see for anyone who loves religious buildings!

Hôtel-Dieu de Dole
This is a jewel in the region's Renaissance crown. This building was fully restored and refitted in 2000, with a very beautiful frontage decorated with a great many priceless sculptures. Nowadays it is used as a media library, apothecary, office of the Mother Superior and the chapel hosts museum space maintained for the public.

Birthplace of Louis Pasteur
This unique museum traces the life and scientific work of this genius, in the house where he was born. Various museum spaces show off a 19th century tannery, the family life of Louis Pasteur and his scientific work, including crystallography, fermentation, the invention of pasteurisation, germs and the importance of good hygiene, the rabies vaccine, and more.

Musée des beaux Arts de Dole
This museum, set in the Officer's Pavilion, as a superb example of regional military architecture of the 18th century, and can boast rich and varied collections in the fields of archaeology, paintings and ancient sculpture (15th/19th centuries), contemporary art (Narrative Figuration, New Realism). It also presents a series of temporary exhibitions.

The tanner's quarter
Take some time out to walk around the rue Pasteur - one of the oldest streets in the town. A number of old tanners' houses run alongside the broad canal, recognisable by the huge cellar openings at the water level. There are also some imposing mansions, built by the gentry of the Renaissance era, including the Hôtel de Champagney. Visitors have plenty of options to eat and drink at the many restaurants and cafés throughout the tourist season.

La Commanderie
On the left bank of the Doubs, opposite the old town, La Commanderie is where all the shows, sporting events, trade fairs and exhibitions take place attracting people from all over Dole and beyond.

Rochefort-sur-nenon

Le saut de la pucelle
Anyone seeking a bit more excitement can climb to the top of this cliff to admire a wonderful view over the Doubs.

Orchamps

The Lavoir Fountain
Built in 1846, this is a great example of the transition from classical architecture to modern metallic architecture. This washing fountain is a listed historic monument.

Etrepigney

Joseph Martin Museum
More than just a museum of the pottery of the 18th and 19th centuries, this attraction offers a trip through geological, forestry and craftsmanship history in the Chaux Forest.

Ranchot

Cycle path through the Chaux Forest
Cyclists can take this path that runs along the D31 through the Chaux Forest to reach the famous Royal Saltworks at Arc-et-Senans, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (approximately 15 km).

Fraisans

Industrial heritage
This was a very prosperous community in the 19th century, and the town can still offer many reminders of its industrial and metallurgical past. At the time, it played host to the Blast Furnace, Foundry and Forge Society of France-Comté. The various ironmaster houses and chimneys are still visible today. A highly instructive trail enables visitors to explore this prestigious past.

Saint-vit

Les grottes d’Osselle
One of the most surprising caves in the world - due to the colours bestowed by iron, manganese, copper and other bauxites running through the walls. The main gallery - over a kilometre in length - is crossed by a river that feeds into the Doubs a little further downstream.

Besancon

The citadel
Miles of walls, 'Tenaille' defences, gatehouses, curtain walls, towers and more. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2008 as part of the Vauban fortifications, this wonderfully restored fortress is where everything happens in Besançon. Museum of the Resistance and Deportation, Comté Museum, Espace Vauban, zoological gardens - there's something here for everyone!

A little further on...

Arc-et-Senans

Royal Saltworks
This is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was built in the 13th century by utopian architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux. Formerly a working town until 1895, it now plays host to temporary exhibitions. Getting there: the saltworks are 10 km south of Osselle. They can be reached by train from Dole.

Copyright : Rolf Süssbrich

Salins-les-bains

The Great Saltworks
The underground galleries of the Saltworks are a magnificent sight. These medieval era arches have a hydraulic mechanism used to pump brine, which in the late 18th century was transported via the brine duct over 21km to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans.
The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains was included as a UNSECO World Heritage Site in June 2009 as an extension of the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans

Montfaucon

The Castle Ruins of Montfaucon
These remains are free to visit at all times, and can also be toured on request in groups of more than eight. A guide is also freely available to provide information for visitors. A guided visit (in French) lasts between 30 minutes and an hour.