Besançon and the Jura for senior groups: Vauban’s citadel, the Royal Saltworks, Arbois and Ornans (4 days)
Bookings open on 1 January 2027
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Reference SEN-04-891
- Duration 4 days
- DepartureFrom the place of your choice
- GroupFrom 20 participants
- DateOn the date of your choice
Four days in Franche-Comté for your group: Besançon’s citadel, a Doubs river cruise, the Royal Saltworks, Arbois and Ornans.
Besançon, Victor Hugo’s birthplace, nestles in a loop of the Doubs, overlooked by Vauban’s citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your group discovers the city at its own pace and can circle it by boat, passing beneath the citadel through a tunnel. One day is devoted to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, a masterpiece by the architect Ledoux, and then to Arbois, capital of Jura wines and home town of Louis Pasteur. On the last morning, Ornans, Gustave Courbet’s birthplace, reflects its houses in the river Loue. Comté cheese, vin jaune and Morteau sausage accompany this gourmet stay.
Programme
Day 1: Journey to Besançon
- Morning departure from the pick-up point of your choice.
- Coffee break on the way; our drivers drive for 3 hours at most, then take a 30-minute break.
- Sit-down lunch in a restaurant on the way (on request).
- Arrival in Besançon in the afternoon and stroll along the Grande Rue to Victor Hugo’s birthplace.
- Check-in at a hotel in the Besançon area for 3 nights and dinner at the hotel.
Day 2: The citadel and the Doubs loop
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive up to the citadel and visit to the ramparts and museums (sloping access).
- Sit-down lunch in a restaurant in Besançon (on request).
- Cruise on the Doubs around the loop, passing through the tunnel under the citadel (on request).
- Visit to the Museum of Time and its clocks (on request).
- Return to the hotel and dinner.
Day 3: The Royal Saltworks and Arbois
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive to Arc-et-Senans (about 40 minutes) and visit to the UNESCO-listed Royal Saltworks.
- Drive to Arbois and free time in the little town.
- Jura-style lunch in a restaurant in Arbois (on request).
- Visit to Louis Pasteur’s house (on request).
- Tasting of Jura wines, including vin jaune, at a winegrower’s (on request).
- Return to the hotel and dinner.
Day 4: Ornans and journey home
- Breakfast at the hotel.
- Drive to Ornans (about 30 minutes) and stroll along the Loue.
- Visit to the Courbet Museum (on request).
- Visit to a Comté cheese dairy with tasting (on request).
- Journey home in the late morning with a coffee break and lunch on the way.
- Return in the evening to your region.
The price includes
- Transport by touring coach from the pick-up point of your choice
- The services of a driver
- 3 nights in a 3-star hotel (4-star on request), double rooms, half board
- Accommodation for the driver
- The coach excursions included in the programme
- Road tolls and parking fees
The price does not include
- Sit-down lunch in a restaurant on the way
- Sit-down lunch in a restaurant in Besançon
- Cruise on the Doubs around the loop, passing through the tunnel under the citadel
- Visit to the Museum of Time and its clocks
- Jura-style lunch in a restaurant in Arbois
- Visit to Louis Pasteur’s house
- Tasting of Jura wines, including vin jaune, at a winegrower’s
- Visit to the Courbet Museum
- Visit to a Comté cheese dairy with tasting
- Lunches and drinks
- Admission to museums and monuments
- Tourist tax
- Single room supplement
- Cancellation and refund protection (optional)
- Personal expenses
Good to know
- Valid identity card and European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for each participant; bring your usual medication.
- Times adapted to your group’s pick-up point; trip available from 20 participants on the date of your choice, price on quotation; wheelchairs and reduced mobility: please tell us when booking.
- Walking level: moderate; the citadel sits on a hill, with slopes and cobbles inside; the other visits are easy.
Ask for your free quote
A tailor-made trip for your group
- From 20 participants
- On the date of your choice, departing from near you
- Free quote, without obligation
Free places
- 25 →+125 paying participants: 1 free place(s)
- 50 →+350 paying participants: 3 free place(s)
- 75 →+475 paying participants: 4 free place(s)
- 100 →+6100 paying participants: 6 free place(s)
Quote request
Besançon and the Jura for senior groups: Vauban’s citadel, the Royal Saltworks, Arbois and Ornans (4 days)
Choose your date, your pick-up points and the options you like: we will send you a personalised quote, free and without obligation.
- Free, no-obligation quote
- From 20 participants
- From the departure point of your choice
- Free places for the group
- About 3 minutes
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