Regulations Besançon Citadel website

Internal regulations

Having regard to the General Code for Local Authorities,

Having regard to the Environment Code, and in particular Articles L413-1 et seq., R413-1 et seq., and R511-9 and its annex,

In view of the Decree of March 25, 2004, establishing the general operating rules and general characteristics of permanent zoological facilities that display live specimens of local or foreign fauna to the public,

Having regard to Decree No. 2025-582 of June 27, 2025, on smoke-free areas and the fight against the sale of tobacco and vaping products to minors,

Article 1: Scope of application

This decree applies to the entire Citadel, its museums, including the zoo, aquarium, insectarium, noctarium, and all facilities that are open to the public.

Article 2: Conditions of access

The part of the site between the Front Saint-Etienne and the Front Royal is freely accessible, except for restricted areas marked by fences and security zones.

From Front Royal, and to visit the museums in particular, visitors must pay an admission fee, the rates for which are displayed at the ticket office.
The ticket entitles the holder to access the site on the day of purchase, regardless of the number of times the visitor enters and exits.

The public does not have access to areas under construction or to service areas and premises.

Minors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a legal guardian or an adult with authorization from their legal guardians in order to be admitted to the site.

School groups are supervised and monitored in accordance with current regulations, particularly with regard to school trips and outings. Citadelle staff are not responsible for replacing teachers and accompanying adults, who remain responsible for supervising and ensuring the safety of students.

In order to ensure the safety and quality of the visit, visitors arriving in groups that include young children and/or people with disabilities are advised to bring a sufficient number of accompanying adults.

Group visits (school or other) are the responsibility of a member of the group who undertakes to ensure compliance with the conditions set out in these regulations. This person is the sole contact for the reception service and is responsible for collecting admission tickets for all participants at the reception desk.

Article 3: Site hours

The Citadel is open to the public depending on the season:

from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Visitors are invited to refer to the opening hours posted at the entrance to the site or indicated on the website: www.citadelle.com.
Museums, including animal areas, close at least 15 minutes before the site closes.
In case of bad weather or operational requirements, these opening hours may be modified.

For these same reasons, the site may be temporarily closed to the public and evacuated in whole or in part.

Article 4: Prohibitions

It is strictly prohibited to:

Engaging in activities that disturb the peaceful enjoyment of the site,
Disturbing the peace and safety of the public, staff, and animals on display,
Causing damage to crops, structures, museum collections, or buildings,
Generate various types of pollution,
Entering the site by vehicle, unless otherwise specified,
Crossing fences and security zones,
Damage or deteriorate buildings, fences, signs,
To throw any object into the well,
To climb into the wheel next to the well,
Leave the visitor paths, climb the walls, enter the service areas,
Bringing animals (dogs, cats, even on a leash, as well as exotic pets) into the building, with the exception of guide dogs for the blind and police dogs.
Bringing in noisy instruments (radios or other), rolling objects (bicycles, scooters, skates and skateboards, skis, sleds, and others), except for strollers and wheelchairs for people with disabilities, as well as flying objects (e.g., kites, drones).
Bringing in weapons (firearms, knives, box cutters, scissors, etc.) and any sharp, piercing, or blunt objects, as well as dangerous items (explosive materials, aerosols, lasers, etc.).
Bringing in illegal substances,
Consuming alcohol on the premises outside of consumption in the on-site restaurant, events, functions, and receptions authorized and supervised by the owner.
Block access to the stairs leading to the ramparts,
Lighting fires or barbecues,
Throwing stones or any other object,
Move the benches and trash cans,
Knocking on windows or fences, exciting animals, throwing objects at them,
Feeding the animals,
Attracting or touching animals, except for the domestic animals on the Little Farm,
Smoking in buildings and in the parks and gardens on the site (zoo, aquarium courtyard, "Le Glacis" park)
Consuming food or drink in museums or temporary exhibition halls,
Practicing any individual or team sport, as well as high-risk activities (rock climbing, paragliding, base jumping, etc.), except in the case of special agreements with the Citadelle Management.
Walking barefoot in the paid area of the site and in the buildings,
Wandering around while intoxicated or behaving aggressively or dangerously toward staff, other visitors, or animals, and more generally, endangering your own life or the lives of others.
Filming with drones on site during public opening hours, unless special permission has been granted by Citadelle management.

Article 5: Visitor obligations

Respect the site and the staff.
Respect animals, plantations, collections, buildings, memorials, and commemorative sites (e.g., the area where people were shot).
Comply with the instructions, remarks, and orders of site personnel.
Constant and attentive supervision of children by their chaperones throughout the entire site (outdoor areas, ticket office, gift shop, and museums).
Obey all prohibition, information, or warning signs.
Drive carefully on sloping paths and do not use stairs with a stroller or wheelchair.

Article 6: Special instructions

Visitors must dress appropriately and behave respectfully towards the premises and other visitors. In particular, in the Museum of Resistance and Deportation and around the monument to those who were shot, visitors must refrain from any comments, behavior, attitude, or other actions, such as wearing or using symbols, that could constitute an act of pressure, provocation, proselytism, or propaganda, and that could undermine the dignity or freedom of the establishment's staff and other visitors and disrupt order in the establishment or the normal functioning of the public service. Any action that violates these rules may result in the visitor responsible being excluded from the site in accordance with the provisions of Article 9 of these regulations.
Visitors may be asked to open their bags at the request of staff so that a visual inspection can be carried out.
For the animals' peace and quiet, please refrain from running or shouting.
Unless otherwise stated at the entrance to an area, photography and filming (without flash or additional lighting) are permitted for private use. Photography and filming for professional or commercial purposes must be authorized by the Citadel Management by contacting the communications department at marketing@citadelle.besancon.fr at least 7 days before the planned date.
Gatherings on the site are not permitted, except for visits, events, meetings, receptions, or commemorations that have been scheduled and approved by management.
Individual or family picnics are permitted on the lawns and on the furniture provided for this purpose. They are prohibited in the restaurant areas and on their terraces. The cleanliness and tranquility of the premises must be respected.
Waste sorting is organized on site. Sorting bins are provided and visitors are encouraged to use them. Glass bottles must be kept and deposited in the containers located in the visitor parking lot. When the snack bar is open, a special bin for glass is available on the terrace.

Article 7: Liability

Visitors are responsible for any damage they may cause themselves, or through persons, animals, or objects in their care or custody.

The City of Besançon accepts no responsibility for accidents occurring as a result of failure to comply with these regulations or basic safety rules.

In the event of an accident, the City of Besançon will take all necessary measures to determine the cause of the accident and establish liability.

Article 8: Publication and adherence to the regulations

These rules and regulations are available for consultation at each ticket office on site and on our website: www.citadelle.com.
By entering the Citadel grounds, visitors agree to comply fully with these rules and regulations.

Article 9: Penalties

Anyone who fails to comply with these rules will be verbally reminded of the applicable provisions.
Any violation of these rules may result in the offender(s) being expelled from the site without refund of admission fees.
Anyone who behaves aggressively or dangerously towards staff, other visitors, or animals, as well as anyone who endangers their own life or that of others, may be expelled by law enforcement.

General rules for Facebook contests

PREAMBLE

Participation in the games implies full, complete, and unconditional acceptance of these rules and their application by the organizing company.

Article 1: Organizing company

The CITADELLE DE BESANÇONis a public institution,registered with the BESANÇON Trade and Companies Register under number529 368 078 , with its registered office located at 99rue des Fusillés, 25000 Besançon, which organizes free contests on Facebook with no obligation to purchase or order.

The dates of the contests will be announced on the Facebook page, if applicable: https://www.facebook.com/CitadelleDeBesancon.

Under no circumstances does Facebook organize, manage, or sponsor any CITADELLE DE BESANÇON contests.

These general regulations may be supplemented by specific amendments available under the same conditions.

Article 2: Conditions of participation

These contests are open to anyone residing in mainland France exclusively who is registered and logged in on these platforms.
Minors may participate in the contest under the responsibility and with the authorization of their legal guardian who can prove parental authority. Participation is strictly personal and only one entry per household is permitted (same name, same address, same email address). It is strictly forbidden to play using multiple pseudonyms linked to the same household or to play using an account opened on behalf of another person.

Any entry that is incomplete, illegible, sent after the deadline, or in a format other than that specified, will be considered invalid.

The Organizing Company reserves the right to carry out all necessary checks regarding the identity, postal and/or email address of participants and parental consent.

The following are excluded from participating in contests and receiving any prizes, either directly or indirectly: all employees of the organizing company, including their families and spouses (marriage, civil union, or recognized cohabitation), as well as bailiffs, partners, or sponsors.

Individuals who have not provided their full contact details and identity, or who have provided inaccurate or false information, will be disqualified, as will individuals who refuse to allow the collection, recording, and use of personal information about them that is strictly necessary for the purposes of managing the contest.

Participation in the Facebook contest requires that you first "like" the CITADELLE DE BESANÇON fan page: https://www.facebook.com/CitadelleDeBesancon

Failure to comply with these rules will result in automatic disqualification from participation and any potential prize awards.

Article 3: Terms and conditions of participation

Depending on the contest: simple random draw (e.g., "COMMENT AND WIN"), random draw preceded by a questionnaire or survey, contest subject to a vote by Internet users (one vote per person) or a jury selected by the organizing company.

Participants authorize the organizing company, without any compensation of any kind, to disclose their surname, first name, image, or photographs submitted for advertising or promotional purposes related to the contests, with their express consent, without this use giving rise to any rights other than the prize won, in accordance with the French Data Protection Act. This authorization is valid on all media.

For each Contest, the number of winners is determined at the discretion of the organizing company and will be specified in the terms and conditions of the Contest in question, available on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CitadelleDeBesancon.

For each Contest offering prize(s), the planned prize(s) and their retail value(s) will also be indicated throughout the duration of said Contest.

If a prize draw is planned, internet users will be informed via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CitadelleDeBesancon. They will also be informed of the date of the prize draw and the date on which the name(s) of the winner(s) will be announced on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CitadelleDeBesancon.

Article 4: Winners

Depending on the type of game chosen and the terms and conditions described in Article 3, winners will be selected either automatically by a random draw, by their correct answers, or by a vote.
Depending on each game session, one or more winners may be determined.
For certain games, the date and time of participation will be used to determine the winners in the event of a tie.

Winners will be contacted within thirty (30) days of the end of the Contest by the organizing company, after verification of their eligibility to win the prize in question, by private message, telephone, or email using the contact details provided by the participant during registration.

People who are not declared winners will not be notified.
The designated winners will receive the prize at their home address provided when the winner is announced (mainland France only) or will be invited to collect the designated prizes at 99 rue des Fusillés, 25000 Besançon. Only the organizing company will decide whether the prize is sent or must be collected.
The organizing company will have up to ninety (90) days to send the prize(s), and this period cannot be contested by the winner.
Winners accept in advance the prizes as designated in each of the games, where their nature, number, and commercial value are specified.
Prizes may not give rise to any claim of any kind, nor may they be transferred, sold, or exchanged, nor may they give rise to any liability on the part of the organizing company, which shall in no event be held liable for any defects, hidden defects, or malfunctions, which are the sole responsibility of their original manufacturer or producer.

Under no circumstances may winners claim the cash value of the prize.

In the event of force majeure, the Citadel undertakes to replace the prize in question with a prize of equivalent nature and commercial value, without incurring any liability as a result.

Participants expressly agree that, if they win the Game, their first and last names will be made publicly available online, as indicated in Article 3. Participants who do not wish this information to be made publicly available online must notify the organizing company in writing.

Article 5: Claims and reimbursement of expenses

Any complaint or dispute, of whatever nature, must be made within a maximum of 30 days following the end date of the contest and must be sent in writing to the address of the organizing company, as indicated in Article 1.

The first and last names of the winners may be obtained by sending a stamped envelope with the requester's address to the organizing company referred to in Article 1.
No telephone inquiries will be answered regarding the interpretation or application of these rules, the mechanics or terms and conditions of the contest, or the list of winners.

Participants in the Game may request, in the same manner and within the same time limits:

– Reimbursement of connection costs incurred for participating in the Game will be limited to 3 minutes of connection time, based on the local communication cost at the Orange/France Telecom rate in effect at the time of writing these rules (i.e., €0.15 per minute). Participants who do not pay connection charges due to the volume of their communications (holders of an "unlimited" subscription, ADSL cable users, etc.) will not be eligible for reimbursement.

– Reimbursement of the postage used to send this request based on the current standard rate.

Participants must clearly indicate their surname, first name, and full address, and must attach their bank details (R.I.B or R.I.P) to their application, along with a copy of the participant's internet service provider bill showing: on the one hand, the exact nature of the internet service provider's service and its billing method (unlimited, flat rate, etc.) and, on the other hand, the date and time of connection corresponding to participation in the game, clearly underlined or highlighted by the participant.

Only one request for reimbursement of connection or postage costs may be made per household (same name, same postal address, and/or same bank account details and/or same email address).

If the above conditions are met, the Company undertakes to reimburse the connection costs and/or postage used within ninety (90) days of the end of the contest.

Article 6: Limitations of Liability

La Citadelle reserves the right to shorten, extend, modify, or cancel the game for reasons of force majeure or unforeseeable circumstances. It cannot be held liable if unforeseeable circumstances or force majeure require any modification to this game.

La Citadelle cannot be held responsible in any way for delivery problems or telephone outages.

Participation in the Game implies knowledge and acceptance of the characteristics and limitations of the Internet, particularly with regard to technical performance and the risks inherent in any connection and transmission over the Internet, the lack of protection of certain data against possible misuse, and the risks of contamination by possible viruses circulating on the network.

Under no circumstances shall the Company be held liable for any direct damage resulting in any way from connecting to the website developed as part of this game. It is the responsibility of each Participant to take all appropriate measures to protect their own data and/or software stored on their computer equipment against any damage.

The Game is not managed or sponsored by Facebook. Facebook cannot therefore be held liable for any disputes relating to the Game.

The organizing company reserves the right to permanently exclude from the Game any participant who, through their behavior, disrupts its smooth running or intentionally seeks to damage its image.

In addition, sponsorship of fictitious persons will result in immediate elimination of the participant.

These regulations are subject to French law. Any dispute that cannot be settled amicably will be brought before the courts of BESANÇON.

Article 7: Personal Data

Please note that in order to participate in the Contest, participants must provide certain personal information (name, postal address, email address, telephone number).

This information is recorded and stored in a computer file and is necessary for processing their participation, determining the winners, and awarding and delivering the prizes. This information is intended for the Company and may be transmitted to its technical service providers and to a service provider responsible for sending the prizes.

Information about players collected by the organizers during the game will only be disclosed to third parties in order to comply with legal and regulatory obligations.

In accordance with Law No. 78-17 of January 6, 1978, relating to information technology, files, and civil liberties, participants have the right to access, correct, and delete data concerning them upon written request.

Article 8: Literary, artistic, and intellectual property rights

In accordance with the laws governing literary and artistic property rights, the reproduction and representation of all or part of the elements comprising this Game is strictly prohibited.