South of Besancon lies the pretty town of Ornans (25 Doubs, BFC) which will be holding a traditional Christmas Market on 1 – 3 December 2023 with 60+ stalls offering a wide collection of local foods, local crafts, gifts and ideas for Christmas and New Year.
This is a region not often visited by Brits – it is not usually on the way to anywhere from the UK – but it is a delightful area with great scenery from its mountains, valleys and rivers – on the way to Switzerland from Eastern France and Alsace. The rivers Doubs and Loue wind their way through this area creating wonderful landscapes with dramatic rockscapes, waterfalls and a wide variety of wildlife.
Beyond the natural splendour of this region, there is also the man-made impressive fortress of Besancon – another Vauban military fortification and UNESCO World Heritage site which purposefully dominates the Doubs valley – you need not be a fan of military architecture to appreciate the scale and grandeur of the Besancon Citadel which perches on the top of a massive rock outcrop – well worth a visit!
For more info on Ornans see www.valleedelaloue.com
For more on the Doubs departement see doubs.travel
Other local Christmas Markets in the Doubs include:
- 25 November – 24 December 2023 – Montbéliard . especially renown for its Christmas Lights( Les Lumieres de Noel)
– see www.lumieres-de-noel.fr - 1 – 3 December 2023 – Ornans
- 8 – 24 December 2023– Pontarlier
- see also Besancon (BFC)
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