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Franche-Comté

Pictured Above: A small village on Lac de Joux.

It is easy to see why Gustav Courbet’s stunning Realist paintings of the région inspire so many travelers to explore the home he so loved. Situated between the Vosges and the Jura Mountains, Franche-Comté is one of those régions where the natural surroundings are second to none. The most heavily wooded région in France, Franche-Comté is filled with mountains, streams, and wide-open spaces. Even the régional cuisine is inspired by the natural surroundings, with ingredients such as hare, wild boar, deer, morels (a delectable mushroom), and régional favorites found in the rivers and streams. It is impossible to visit this awe-inspiring region without exploring its natural surroundings.

Highlights
Départements: Doubs, Haute-Saône, Jura, and Territoire de Belfort.

Capital: Besançon

Regional Specialties:
waffles, crêpes, beignets, and fondue. Dishes made with trout, crawfish, pike, eel, lamprey, carp, and shad. Soup of all kinds is served as part of every meal: lentil soup, chicken or frog barley soup, fruit soups made of cherries, orange and hazelnuts, and french onion soup.

Good to Know:
- Franche-Comté is home to the leader of the Realism movement, Gustav Courbet .
-Franche-Comté is known as the “Land of the Cherries.”