Besançon, capital of Franche Comté, enclosed by a horse-shoe shaped loop in the river Doubs on the northern tip of the Jura mountains, makes for a good day’s leisurely sightseeing - split between the town and the citadel.

Most of the town’s buildings are a bluey-grey stone with red roofs, and the town itself is peppered with various Roman remains, such as the street straddling triumphal arch Porte Noire.

A stroll down the main street, the Grande Rue which slices through the town centre, takes you past the Palais Granvelle with a stunning renaissance facade. It houses the museum of local history with exhibits from famous inhabitants, including Victor Hugo, whose birthplace is in a nearby square.

The Musée des Beaux Arts has some impressive paintings and a fantastic collection of timepieces, harking back to the days when the town was the centre of the watch and clock industry in the late 19th century.

Aerial view of Besançon

The 12th century St Jean cathedral has an astronomical clock, l'horloge astronomique. The mechanism is made up of over 30,000 parts and shows the heavens at different times. However, the citadel is one of the most popular sights in the city. At 120m high it is a steepish 15 minute walk or a few minutes by car to the top and the view.

Inside the citadel are four museums including a zoo and an aquarium, courtyards, lawns and a restaurant. A word of warning however if you choose the Musée de la Résistance et de la Déportation. It’s a superb guide to understanding politics in France during the 20th century (and it even has an audio commentary in English), but the rooms display harrowing photographs and chilling artefacts from the two wars. South east of Besançon, Morteau is in the heart of the watchmaking region, established here in the 19th century. The clock museum, Le Musée de l’Horlogerie has some interesting exhibits. A popular festival takes place every August celebrating the local pork sausage la saucisse de Morteau.

Montbéliard is a centre for Peugeot. The town hall is 18th century and nearby there is a musuem of local history. Just north is Sochaux, the main base for Peugeot, with a motor museum and guided tours of the factory.

Near Baume les Dames on the banks of the Doubs is the 12th century Château Belvoir and the fascinating Grotte de la Glacière where the cold of the cave ensures the glacier is there in winter and summer alike.

	Peugeot Museum, Montbéliard

For enthusiasts of modern architecture, there is the Sacré-Coeur church at Audincourt. The exterior may not be very impressive, but inside, the stained glass, tapestries and font made from black basalt are worth the visit.

Maîche is a good base for exploring the valley of the Dessoubre and the gorges of the river Doubs on the border with Switzerland.

Huddled up against the Jura mountain range, Pontarlier has suffered over the centuries from war and fire. Consequently, there are few monuments or buildings of great interest. It was, however, the production centre of absinthe, the forerunner of Pernod the aniseed aperitif, which was banned in 1915. The first floor of the local museum, Le Musée Municipal, describes the history of the infamous brew. A working distillery, La Distillerie Guy can be visited, which now makes the drink Pontarlier-Anis.

The village of Ornans on the river Loue, with its geranium bedecked houses hanging over the river, throwing crystal clear reflections into the water, is considered one of the prettiest villages in the region.

Arc et Senans is famous for its royal salt works, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The 18th century buildings are open every day apart from Christmas and New Year’s Day and a guided visit is recommended. There is an adjoining museum dedicated to the architect Claude Nicolas Ledoux. The Fête de la Saline takes place at the beginning of October.