Besançon au siècle des Lumières : floraison des hôtels particuliers sous Louis XV

Following the conquest of Franche-Comté in the 1720s, Besançon enjoyed a period of economic stability that was conducive to urban development. The transfer of the institutions, parliament and university from Dole to Besançon, and the installation of the Intendant in the town that had become the capital, led to a growth in population, an influx of wealth and a desire, on the part of the wealthiest inhabitants, to build new homes.

This intense building campaign attracted renowned Parisian architects such as Blondel, Boffrand and Chalgrin, and led to the emergence of new talent among local architects.

This chronological tour provides a better understanding of the functional and stylistic evolution of 18th-century private mansions in Besançon.
Admission: €9 - €6 Students, under-18s, member associations of the Tourist Office and Convention Bureau. Free for disabled visitors and jobseekers.