GENERAL INFORMATION

Doubs is a département in eastern France named after the Doubs River .  It is part of the current region of Franche-Comté and is surrounded by the French departments of Jura, Haute-Saône, and Territoire de Belfort, and the Swiss cantons of Vaud, Neuchâtel, and Jura.

The department is dominated by the Jura mountains, which rise east of Besançon.

Doubs was one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Franche-Comté.

In 1793, the republic of Mandeure was added to the department, and in 1816 the principality of Montbéliard.

Doubs was important as a portal to Switzerland through the pass at Joux. Many famous people, including Mirabeau and Heinrich von Kleist, were imprisoned in the Château de Joux.

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

Besançon in the Doubs département is the capital of the Franche Comté region.  It is enclosed by a horseshoe shaped loop in the river Doubs on the northern tip of the Jura mountains.  Most of the town’s buildings are a blue-grey stone with red roofs, and the town itself is peppered with various Roman remains, such as the street straddling triumphal arch Porte Noire.

The main street, Grande Rue, goes through the town centre, taking you past the Palais Granvelle with a stunning renaissance facade. It houses the local history museum 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 pieces, going back to the days when the town was the centre of the watch and clock industry in the late 19th century.

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.

Morteau is in the heart of the watchmaking region, established in the 19th century. The clock museum, Le Musée de l’Horlogerie has some interesting exhibits. 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. 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.

Pontarlier is where the production centre of absinthe is, 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.

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.