Besançon is a very nice place to visit but apparently doesn’t get too many tourists. A shame as it’s definitely got a day’s-worth of wandering in it. It’s a very old town with huge fortified alls still standing all over, some towers down near the river, a Roman gate and a huge citadel overlooking it.

I’d intended on seeing a fair bit, but due to the weather being atrocious on my one day here, I had to cut short the touristing. There is a video on YouTube… kind of. I uploaded it over an hour ago and it’s still “processing”.

Most things here do cost money, sadly, including the citadel and the museum. They’re not that expensive, though – maybe a fiver for an adult. The museum’s closed on Tuesday as well!

Besançon’s claim to fame is that it was the birthplace of Victor Hugo in 1802. Unlike Vernante with its Pinocchio fixation, however, souvenir shops here don’t have little Victor Hugo puppets to sell you. I’m not sure if this is a shame or a relief.

My host here has been Jean-Etienne, though I had two fallbacks: Jérémie and Gael. We all met for a drink last night and hopefully for dinner tonight before I set off for Vesoul in the morning.

Prior to getting here, I stopped off in Champagnol and was the guest of Florent who – as with every couchsurfer so far – took great care of me.

In both places I have been well fed, had a comfy bed, been given directions or taken around, had fantastic company and not felt the least bit embarrassed that my hosts speak better English than I do French. OK, maybe not the last bit.

I have a host sorted in Vesoul then I think it’ll be a matter of breaking out the tent again for two to three nights before I reach Nancy.