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Franche-Comte, France tourist information

Franche-Comte is found to the east of France - the region borders onto Switzerland, so as you head towards the east of the region you start to leave the rolling countryside and smaller peaks of the Jura mountains, cross the high plateaux, and enter the Alps 'proper' 

Much of the countryside is an unspoiled mix of forests and open country, interspersed with lakes and rivers, and it is for 'the great outdoors' that most visitors come to the region.

Places to visit in Franche-Comte

Some of the most interesting places to visit include:

The Parc Regional du Haut-Jura

The Chapelle de Notre-Dame-du-Haut, at Ronchamp, 20km north-west of Belfort, is one of Le Corbusiers most famous buildings and a big attraction for his followers

The towns of Besancon and Dole are in the centre of the region, as is the Royal saltworks at Arc-et-Senans.

Head further east for the valley of the Loue River, and the village at Ornans, then also visit Lods (a classified most beautiful village). Further east again, the historical border town of Pontarlier is on the edge of the Jura mountain range.

The cluster of towns that includes Arbois, Poligny, and Salins-les-Bains, and two further 'most beautiful villages' can be seen in the southern part of the region - 8 km NE of Lons-le-Saunier is Baume-les-Messieurs, and 10 km SW of Poligny is Chateau-Chalon.

Departments in Franche-Comté

• Doubs
• Haute-Saone
• Jura

Franche-Comté - travel information

Places to visit in Franche-Comte - more information

To see a larger map which shows places to visit in Franche-Comte in more detail (castles, classified most beautiful villages etc) see Map of Franche-Comte. (Also includes a full alphabetical list of all places in Franche-Comte in France This Way.)

See also Franche-Comte (version Francais)