Overlooking the city of Besançon, one cannot miss the citadel which culminates the old town, built by Vauban in 1668. Installed on a rock which culminates a loop formed by the Doubs, the citadel was built to protect the city of Besançon. The site, which covers no less than eleven hectares, is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The citadel of Besançon, 100 meters above the city
You can visit the place and admire the breathtaking view from the ramparts which are up to twenty meters high, but also the zoo it houses. During the summer, a bar is even installed there: enough to sip a cold drink in a unique setting with a spectacular view.
Citadel Marketing Manager, Marie-Pierre Papazian tells us about the many activities and walks, including the walkways.
The Poudrey chasm 80 meters underground and its legend
About thirty minutes from Besançon, we find the chasm of Poudrey. This giant fridge is located 80 meters underground. This remarkable cave is one of the ten most important underground rooms developed in Europe. A show all in music and light makes the visit even more entertaining to discover this heritage.
The first exploration of this place dates back to 1899. A legend says that the abyss would be guarded by a strange creature: the Wyvern. This half-woman, half-animal occupant would preserve this treasure underground.
Legend has it that the creature was washed away by groundwater after heavy rains and floods. She would have been a prisoner of the abyss and would have become its guardian. Beware of those who would steal the Wyvern or take over the place: the beast would wrap its serpent’s tail around the body of the unwary. They wouldn’t come out alive.
The Vouivre would haunt the lakes, rivers and undergrounds of Franche-Comté. She would have a precious stone fixed to her forehead, which she would lay on the shore before bathing. Responsible for the abyss, Isabelle Vauthier tells us this legend.
Besançon, city of watchmaking
Besançon is recognized as the world capital of watchmaking. With its atomic clocks, the time in Besançon is the most precise in the world. The know-how of yesteryear continues in the Doubs, companies still manufacture watches “made in Besançon”.
Watchmaker, Jean-Marc Loiseau tells us the story of this know-how unique in the world.
Also discover in this show Jeremy Mottier who manages the Facebook group “Places to visit in Franche-Comté”. With more than 94,000 members, the group’s goal is to help people discover the “land of lakes, waterfalls and caves”. Pascal Faillenet also tells you about his endive production in Charbonnières-les-Sapins: he had the idea of giving all his waste from endive production to pig farms.