Without question, the more diverse and, perhaps, the more tragic the history of a place is, the more interesting it looks today. One of France’s most culturally rich regions – Franche-Comte – is no exception. Its cultural and architectural diversity reflect its Roman, Gaulish, Spanish, and French heritage and traditions. And what else could be a good living testament to this than Franche-Comte’s beautiful capital city of Besançon.

Besançon could very well be one of the country’s most picturesque historic centers. It showcases a string of breathtaking old stone buildings that date back to the Middle Ages. In fact, the remarkable Vauban citadel, the city walls, and Fort Griffon were granted the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site mark.

Other attractions of historical interest include the 16th century Palais Granvelle, St. Jean Cathedral from the 12th century, several Roman structure remains like Porte Noire, and Square Castan.

The capital city also prides itself with the grandest art galleries outside Paris. The Musee des Beaux Arts contains collections continuously gathered since 1694. Among its treasures are classical antiquities, historical Egyptian artifacts, and a rich collection of paintings from notable painters, such as Bellini, Bronzino, Cranach, Goya, and Picasso.

Several musical fairs and events take place in Besançon every year. If you plan to take your trip in September, be ready to get musically overdosed in one of the oldest, most prestigious Besançon Franche, the Comte Music Festival.

The city has something to offer for any music genre that suits you: in October, the city hosts the Musiques de Rues Festival – a street music party; if country music is your thing, the French Country Festival occurs in August; it’s jazz’ time in June during the Jazz en Franche-Comte Festival; and finally, be sure to fly sometime in May for the Herbe en Zik Festival if you’re into rock and variety.