Porte Rivotte

The Porte Rivotte, in Besançon

The Porte Rivotte is a former fortified gate of Besançon, at the foot of the citadel, where the Doubs enters the town. The Besançon audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this vestige of the fortifications, a witness of the defensive history of the town.

The former fortified gate by the Doubs

The Porte Rivotte is one of the former gates of the fortified town of Besançon. Located at the foot of the hill of the citadel, at the place where the Doubs enters the Boucle after having gone around Mount Saint-Étienne, it marked a strategic entry point of the town. Recognisable by its two round towers topped with roofs, it dates from the Renaissance and was integrated into the defensive system reinforced by Vauban. Nearby, a tunnel allows passage under the citadel. A witness of the military past of Besançon, a fortress-town protected by its natural site and its fortifications, the Porte Rivotte is a picturesque vestige of the heritage of the town.

What to see

You admire the former Renaissance fortified gate with two round towers topped with roofs, at the foot of the citadel, where the Doubs enters the Boucle, integrated into the defensive system of Vauban, near a tunnel under the citadel. The Porte Rivotte testifies to the military past of Besançon. It is a stop for those curious about history, to be explored on foot.

Practical information

The Porte Rivotte lies at the foot of the hill of the citadel, where the Doubs enters the town, in Besançon, reachable on foot. It is an open-air monument, freely accessible from the public space. You discover it during a walk along the Doubs.

What is the Porte Rivotte in Besançon?

A former Renaissance fortified gate, recognisable by its two round towers topped with roofs, at the foot of the citadel, where the Doubs enters the Boucle; it was integrated into the defensive system reinforced by Vauban.

Where is the Porte Rivotte?

At the foot of the hill of the citadel, in Besançon, in France.