Access the citadel
Lovely walks to reach the site and enjoy panoramic views of the old town and the bend in the Doubs River that surrounds Besançon.
Allow approximately 30 minutes. The route includes stairways, so wear comfortable shoes.
We invite you to consult the presentation document for these marked trails.
Accessible to people with reduced mobility.
Citadel GPS coordinates:
N 47°13’55”
E 6°1’54”
Follow the signs for Citadelle from the city center.
To make it easier for cycle tourists to visit, four secure bike shelters (with eight individual spaces) have now been installed at the Citadel of Besançon.
They are located at the back of the Ginko bus parking area.
These shelters are recommended for bicycles with luggage, touring bikes, and cargo bikes, which require protected parking space.
For standard bicycles without specific equipment, bicycle racks are available in the Citadelle parking lot.
- Free and open access
- Autonomous operation: each cyclist locks the shelter with their own lock or padlock after storing their bike there.
Make it easier to get to the Citadel! We recommend taking the GINKO CITADELLE bus line from the Chamars parking lot (downtown).
Good deal: on Saturdays, the Ginko-Citadelle line is free for everyone, as are all bus and tram lines in the Ginko network. Take advantage of this offer and make it easier to get to the Citadelle!
Good deal: " GinkoTOUR" lets you discover Besançon's heritage throughout your trip!
Free digital guided tour at the Chamars stop and on board the Ginko Citadelle bus line.
Good deal: " Ginko subscribers" allows you to enjoy discounts on admission to the citadel.
– Reduced admission to the Citadel of Besançon
– One free admission for every paid admission
Good deal: The "Tourism Pass"is available for purchase from the vending machine at the Chamars stop (as well as from all GINKO vending machines throughout the network).
Good to know: "Ginko Guide" is a new app that helps visually impaired people use the bus and tram network in Greater Besançon.
The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store (currently only available on Apple smartphones, coming soon to Android).
Citadel GPS coordinates:
N 47°13’55”
E 6°1’54”
Follow the signs for Citadelle from the city center. Citadelle parking lot (€0.70 per hour, max. €7 per day, free for people with reduced mobility).
Free parking at La Rodia, access to the Citadel on foot or by bus from the city center (April to October)
From April to October: parking is recommended at the Chamars car park, then access by bus ( holders of the Besançon Tourist Pass can park for free, provided they give their license plate number to the Citadel reception staff), as the Citadel car park (paid) fills up quickly during high season.
Rodia parking lot:
39-21 Av. de Chardonnet, 25000 Besançon
N 47°13’54.2
E 6°02’18.6″
Chamars parking lot:
2 Bd Charles de Gaulle, 25000 Besançon
N 47°14’00.9″
E 6°01’05.5″
The Citadel has been awarded the Motards Bienvenue label! We welcome motorcyclists and provide them with everything they need for their excursions.
More information here.
The Little Train runs from April to September (check in advance).
For groups: March to October by reservation (please inquire in advance).
For information and reservations, call 03.81.68.13.25 (individuals and groups) or email info@bateau-besancon.fr.
The Citadel of Besançon is easily accessible from Besançon Viotte Station.
More information on the SNCF website