Grande Rue

The Grande Rue, in Besançon

The Grande Rue is the main and historic artery of Besançon, which crosses the Boucle since Roman times. The Besançon audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this street laden with history, lined with monuments and birth houses of illustrious men.

The Roman artery of the heart of the town

The Grande Rue is the backbone of the historic centre of Besançon. This major artery follows the layout of the former decumanus, the great Roman road that crossed the ancient town of Vesontio, for more than two thousand years. Lined with mansions, stone façades, shops and monuments, it links the main sites of the Boucle, from the Roman Porte noire to Revolution Square. The Grande Rue saw the birth of several illustrious men of Besançon, including the writer Victor Hugo and the Lumière brothers, inventors of cinema, whose birth houses are located nearby. Rich in history and still lively, the Grande Rue is the living heart of Besançon.

What to see

Here you wander along the artery that follows the former Roman decumanus, lined with mansions, stone façades, shops and monuments, linking the Porte noire to Revolution Square, near the birth houses of Victor Hugo and the Lumière brothers. The Grande Rue is the living heart of Besançon. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Grande Rue crosses the historic centre of Besançon, in the Boucle, reachable on foot and partly by tram. It is a public street freely accessible; the shops and monuments have their own hours. It is particularly lively during the day.

What is the origin of the Grande Rue of Besançon?

It follows the layout of the former decumanus, the great Roman road that crossed the ancient town of Vesontio for more than two thousand years; it saw the birth of Victor Hugo and the Lumière brothers.

Where is the Grande Rue?

In the heart of the old town of Besançon, in the Boucle, in France.