Grande Rue & Old Town
Grande Rue
The thousand-year-old main street of the old town, lined with blue-grey stone buildings, courtyards and cafés.
The Grande Rue follows the route of an ancient Roman road, running from the Battant Bridge to Saint-Jean Cathedral and the Porte Noire. Along the way you pass the Palais Granvelle, Victor Hugo's birthplace, Place Saint-Pierre and the town hall. Besançon's distinctive blue-grey limestone facades and hidden courtyards are the highlights. Nearby side streets have Comté cheese shops, chocolatiers and small bistros, where you can sample Comté cheese, Morteau sausage and vin jaune. It is a pedestrian street, open all day, and at Christmas it is decorated with lights and a market.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie
- Battant Quarter & Quai Vauban
- Musée du Temps (Palais Granvelle)
- Doubs River Cruise
- Victor Hugo's Birthplace
- Porte Noire & Square Castan
- Besançon Cathedral & Astronomical Clock
- Parc Micaud