Montbeliard travel guide

Visit Montbeliard (Burgundy-Franche-Comté, France)

Montbeliard is a medium size town in the Doubs department of Franche-Comté (eastern France), about 20 kilometres south of Belfort.

A very traditional town of the Doubs region, Montbeliard is pleasant to explore with its architectural heritage now recognised with the town being officially listed as a 'town of art and history', as well as being a 4* Town in Bloom (the highest rating awarded) in recognition of its flowers, gardens and parks.

Exploring Montbeliard

You might get the impression from photos of Montbeliard that the only place of importance here is the castle that dominates the centre. While the castle is certainly the most important monument here, you will also discover several other buildings and monuments, as well as a pedestrianised town centre that is pleasant to explore so a detour is recommended when you are nearby.

Montbeliard castle

More correctly called the 'castle of the Dukes of Wurtemberg' this is an imposing structure on a raised rocky outcrop at the confluence of the rivers Lizaine and Allan that dominates the centre of Montbeliard.

The castle partly dates from the 13th-14th centuries, although an earlier castle had already stood here for at least 200 years. Significant additions were made in the 15-16th centuries, including the two round towers on the northern face of the castle, added in 1424 and 1572, with the main castle living accommodation between the towers added in the 18th century.

The castle now contains an important local museum which explains the history and heritage of Montbeliard and the surrounding region as well as exhibits dedicated to archaeology and natural history and quite an extensive collection of contemporary artworks.

Other monuments and attractions

Before exploring the town centre you should visit the Montbeliard Tourist Office at 1 Rue Henri Mouhot. The principal monuments include:

- Saint-Martin Temple: this temple, dating from the start of the 17th century, is the largest protestant temple to be found in France (37 metres by 16 metres). Montbeliard also has a second protestant temple dating from towards the end of the 17th century - the Temple of Saint-Georges of Montbeliard.

- The Market Hall: dating from the 16th century, the hall is quite unusual in being a covered market hall with walls rather than the semi-open spaces we more often see in ancient market halls

- The Church of Saint-Maimboeuf of Montbeliard: a 19th century replacement of a much older church, built in the 'neo-renaissance' style and with a substantial belltower

An interesting museum is the 'Beurnier-Rossel Museum of Art and History' - a restored townhouse furnished and decorated as a fine house of the 18th-19th century, and at Le 19 (at 19 avenue des alliés) there is a museum which features temporary exhibitions of contemporary art.

You can also take a stroll along the river near the Bermont Bridge, which is best in summer when the bridge is covered with flowers, and enjoy a stroll through the large park, the Parc Près la Rose, around the Pavillon des Sciences, between the river and the canal.

If you visit in December you will be able to visit the Montbeliard Christmas market, which is one of the most popular in the region

Attractions nearby

Slightly outside Montbeliard at Sochaux, the long-standing presence of Peugeot at the town is celebrated at the Peugeot Museum and factory. The museum has lots of examples of Peugeot cars from the last 100 years and is one of the most visited attractions in Franche-Comté.

To enthusiasts of modern art we also recommend a visit to the small Church of the Sacré Coeur at Audincourt, a short distance south-east of Montbeliard and with stained glass windows and wall paintings by Fernand Léger, the famous 20th century artist.

You can find more travel ideas in the Doubs guide and the Franche-Comte guide.

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Map of Montbeliard and places nearby

Visit near Montbeliard with France This Way reviews

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