Jura and its mountains, for instance, can provide such inspirational skiing that some of its local skiers carried home four medals from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. And while snow is an obvious characteristic, sections of the slopes are planted with grapes for wine-making.
Exploring the area’s complex rock formations palaeontologists discovered fossilised dinosaur footprints that go back over five million years, hence the Jurassic period. The existence of other, more exotic fossils such as tortoises, crocodiles, corals and molluscs, have lead experts to believe that what is now a relatively modest French climate was once a tropical seashore!
The 430 km long Doubs river rises in the Jura mountains and chases a vigorous hairpin route, repeatedly doubling back on itself to provide some sporty waters for keen boat people before it spills into the River Saône.
Franche-Comté has close links with the Dukes of Burgundy going back nearly 2000 years. Today it’s noted for its mixture of agriculture and heavy industry, especially production of the Peugeot motorcar.
Its principal prefecture, Besançon, known as France’s 'greenest' city, has one of the finest city art galleries outside of Paris and was once the centre of the watch-making industry. Julius Caesar mentioned the city in his writings and it’s the birthplace of many famous sons and daughters of France, including Victor Hugo.
But, perhaps, what makes Franche-Comté so very attractive for many who seek a sound property investment is its compatible climate which attracts the tourists plus its easy access to the rest of Europe. The year-round average temperature is 10.2 C.
From Besançon there are direct TGV links with Paris, Charles de Gaulle International Airport and Lille. Also the two international airports, EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Frieburg and Lyon Saint-Exupéry International Airport, are only two hours away.
