Besancon sits in a tight loop of the Doubs river, almost an island, and above the loop a great rock rises more than a hundred metres. On top of it stands the Citadel, the fortress that the military engineer Vauban built for Louis XIV after the king captured the region from Spain in 1674. It is one of the twelve fortified sites that UNESCO listed together in 2008 as the Fortifications of Vauban, and it is a fine example of his work, with thick walls, bastions and long ramparts that follow the line of the rock.
Vauban designed the fortress to dominate the town and the river, and its walls and bastions look inwards as well as outwards, as a warning to the local people. From the ramparts you look out over the roofs of the old town, the cathedral tower and the green loop of the river, with the hills of the Jura beyond. Inside, the Citadel holds three museums, a zoo and a garden, which makes it a popular family outing, and you could spend several hours walking the walls.
The city is a pleasant, lively place, with about a hundred and thirty thousand people and a big student population. It is the birthplace of Victor Hugo, who was born here in 1802, and of the Lumiere brothers, who invented the cinema. It was also the heart of French watchmaking, and the tradition survives in a museum of time. The old town is full of Renaissance houses and shaded squares, and the river is a good place for a walk.
Riding here is easy. The roads climb out of the Doubs valley into forested hills, and a short ride in any direction brings you to the Jura, with its plateaux and deep valleys. The streets in the centre are narrow and sometimes steep, so park the bike near the river and walk up. Fuel is plentiful on the edges of town, with Beure and other villages nearby. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with clear air and good light. Taste a plate of Comte cheese and a glass of Arbois wine, and look at the view from the ramparts.