Grande Rue

Welcome to La Grande Rue, one of the oldest and liveliest streets in Besançon. Centuries ago, Roman chariots from Italy once rumbled down this road, one after another. In fact, this was once the cardo maximus, the main north-south axis of the Roman city. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and La Grande Rue is a fully cobbled and mostly pedestrian street that stretches the entire length of the Boucle district. It’s lined with shops and cafés, perfect for a leisurely stroll with plenty of tempting stops along the way. In Besançon, tradition is never far away, and the buildings on either side are all built from Chailluz stone. Quarried just outside the city, this local rock features soft grey-blue and ochre tones, giving the street a warm, unmistakable character.