Victor Hugo's Birthplace
Maison natale de Victor Hugo
The birthplace of Victor Hugo in 1802, now a small museum presenting his advocacy of human rights and freedom.
Hugo was born on 26 February 1802 in this house at the end of the Grande Rue. It was converted into a museum in 2013. The displays do not focus on the objects of his life. Instead they explore his social causes, including opposition to the death penalty, defence of freedom of expression, and concern for impoverished children, with multimedia presentations and facsimiles of manuscripts. Across the square, Place Victor Hugo, is the birthplace of Auguste and Louis Lumière, the inventors of cinema, marked by a plaque on the wall. Closed on Tuesdays. Admission costs about €3, and a visit takes about 40 minutes.
Opening hours
Wed–Mon approx. 10:30–18:00
Nearby sights
- Porte Noire & Square Castan
- Besançon Cathedral & Astronomical Clock
- Musée du Temps (Palais Granvelle)
- Cité des Arts et de la Culture
- Doubs River Cruise
- Grande Rue & Old Town
- Parc Micaud
- Citadel of Besançon