Besançon is a region in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, characterized by its diverse landscapes shaped by the Doubs River and the foothills of the Jura Mountains. The area features a blend of lush forests, dramatic gorges, and elevated viewpoints, providing varied terrain for outdoor pursuits. This geography makes Besançon a destination for several sports like hiking, touring cycling, road cycling, gravel biking, and more.
The Besançon region offers more than 5,000 routes across several sports like hiking,…
201
Routes
4.5
(3147)
Average rating
25380
People visited

4.7
(144)
651
hikers
6.03km
01:57
250m
240m
Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(107)
458
hikers
14.5km
04:31
540m
540m
Hard hike. Good fitness required. Sure-footedness, sturdy shoes and alpine experience required.

4.9
(60)
300
hikers
5.75km
01:56
220m
210m
Moderate hike. Great for any fitness level. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.

4.1
(43)
137
hikers
6.12km
01:52
210m
210m
Moderate hike. Great for any fitness level. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
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4.6
(9)
313
riders
28.2km
01:19
300m
300m
Easy road ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(1)
47
riders
82.1km
03:42
810m
810m
Moderate road ride. Good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(3)
46
riders
91.2km
04:17
1,000m
1,000m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.

5.0
(2)
33
riders
76.9km
03:42
1,130m
1,130m
Hard road ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly well-paved surfaces and easy to ride.
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4.0
(9)
258
runners
8.92km
01:06
260m
260m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(1)
69
runners
Hard run. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

3.5
(2)
20
runners
6.12km
00:48
210m
210m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Some sure footedness required.

4.0
(1)
9
runners
4.34km
00:35
170m
170m
Moderate run. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.8
(29)
163
riders
21.5km
01:18
150m
150m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.4
(21)
62
riders
26.4km
01:38
210m
210m
Moderate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.5
(8)
37
riders
18.8km
01:10
140m
140m
Easy bike ride. Great for any fitness level. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.4
(8)
43
riders
Hard bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
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4.7
(3)
12
riders
36.1km
02:55
420m
420m
Hard gravel ride. Good fitness required. You may need to push your bike for some segments of this route.

3.5
(2)
8
riders
29.3km
02:27
430m
430m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

3.5
(2)
8
riders
31.7km
02:37
440m
440m
Moderate gravel ride. Good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.

4.0
(1)
9
riders
118km
09:26
1,630m
1,630m
Hard gravel ride. Very good fitness required. Some segments of this route may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
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4.5
(23)
137
riders
43.8km
03:45
710m
710m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.

4.6
(16)
89
riders
34.0km
03:09
730m
730m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

4.8
(19)
88
riders
39.3km
03:30
680m
680m
Moderate mountain bike ride. Good fitness required. Suitable for all skill levels.

5.0
(3)
108
riders
68.7km
07:00
1,940m
1,940m
Hard mountain bike ride. Very good fitness required. Advanced riding skills necessary.
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Besançon offers a variety of outdoor activities including Hiking, Touring cycling, Road cycling, Gravel biking, Jogging, and Mountain biking. The region features more than 5,800 routes across these sports. These routes have been explored by over 145,000 visitors, with an average rating of 4.46 out of 5 stars.
Yes, Besançon provides easy hiking options suitable for beginners. An example is the La Source du Lison Trail, an easy 3.7-mile (6.0 km) path. For more options, consult the Easy hikes around Besançon guide.
Popular hiking trails include the La Source du Lison Trail, Les Belvédères Trail, and the Fort de Chaudanne Loop. The Fort de Chaudanne Loop is a moderate 5.5-mile (8.9 km) hike offering panoramic views of the city. More information is available in the Hiking around Besançon guide.
Besançon offers diverse cycling routes, including touring, road, and gravel biking. The EuroVelo 6 route passes through the region, providing easy cycling on greenways. Dedicated guides are available for Cycling around Besançon, Road Cycling Routes around Besançon, and Gravel biking around Besançon.
Yes, Besançon offers mountain biking trails. The region provides routes for various skill levels, with over 770 MTB routes recorded. Further details can be found in the MTB Trails around Besançon guide.
Trails in Besançon feature natural landmarks such as the Doubs River, the Jura Mountains, and various forests and gorges. Notable sites include La Source du Lison, the Source de la Loue, and the Cascade du Bout du Monde, a 50-meter waterfall.
Yes, the region combines nature with historical sites. The UNESCO-listed Vauban Citadel offers spectacular views and is accessible via routes like the Fort de Chaudanne Loop. The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, another UNESCO site, can also be reached via a cycle path.
Besançon features approximately 990 hiking routes, 1,380 jogging routes, 770 mountain biking routes, 1,250 road cycling routes, and 1,320 touring cycling routes. These numbers indicate a wide range of options for various outdoor pursuits.
Komoot offers several guides for Besançon, including 'Hiking around Besançon,' 'Cycling around Besançon,' 'Road Cycling Routes around Besançon,' 'Gravel biking around Besançon,' 'Running Trails around Besançon,' 'Easy hikes around Besançon,' 'Waterfall hikes around Besançon,' and 'MTB Trails around Besançon'.
The official website for Besançon tourism is grandbesancon.fr. This site provides information about the region's attractions and activities.
The official phone number for the Tourist and Congress Office of Besançon is +33 3 81 80 92 55. This number can be used for general inquiries about the region.
Yes, Besançon features routes leading to impressive waterfalls. The La Source du Lison Trail leads to a powerful waterfall, and the Cascade du Bout du Monde Loop from Beure features a 50-meter waterfall. A dedicated guide for Waterfall hikes around Besançon is available.
The Besançon region is characterized by the Doubs River, which forms a 'fertile crescent' around the city, and the foothills of the Jura Mountains. The landscape includes lush forests, dramatic gorges like the Gorges de Noailles, and elevated viewpoints.

