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Franche-Comté

Discover Franche-Comté

Introduction

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Literally translated as “Free County”, the region of Franche-Comté was once known as the Free County of Burgundy. Today, Franche-Comté is considered as an administrative region and traditional province situated on the eastern part of France. It is one of the least densely populated provinces in the country with a land area of 16,202 square kilometers and a population of about 1.1 million inhabitants. This has been attributed as a result to more and more people from Franche-Comté migrating to more urbanized regions of France.

While this may be the case, the province of Franche-Comté is nonetheless a great destination for the traveler who is looking to learn more about the culture and history of the country. The province is comprised of quaint towns and cities which allow you to experience the rich culture of the country without the hustle and bustle found in the metropolitan cities of the country.

If you find yourself spending a few days in the province of Franche-Comté, make sure that you take time to visit the Château de Montbéliard. This magnificent ancient fortress has been believed to date back to the Gallo-Roman times and had initially served as a defense fortress. During the French Revolution, the fortress served as a garrison. In 1933, the castle was converted into a museum which is now open to the public and a great place to capture a glimpse of French history. Because of its importance to the history of the province and the country as a whole, the Château de Montbéliard has been recognized as a Monument Historique by the French Ministry of Culture.

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