Visit Dole

Welcome to the charming Chevannes Garden. Laid out in 1998 on the site of the town's old ramparts, it's perfect for a leisurely stroll in the historic heart of the town. Part of the garden is home to beautiful trees like sequoias and tulip trees, while another part reveals several plant families, Read more

You're now walking along the canal on Pasteur Quay, named after the famous Louis Pasteur, who developed the rabies vaccine and was born not far from here. This is one of Dole's most picturesque spots, perfect for a leisurely stroll. Read more

Hidden away in this underground passageway, you'll find the so-called Grande Fontaine, the Big Fountain. It's a spring that was made into a washhouse in the 18th century. The fountain, however, dates from the 13th century, as far back as 1274. Read more

Take a look around. On your left, you have the charming Canal des Tanneurs, and on your right, the impressive Hôtel Dieu of Dole. This former hospital was built in the 17th century and it’s a fine example of Franche-Comté Renaissance architecture. Read more

This is where the Rhône-Rhine Canal ends, flowing into the Doubs River, which gave its name to the department bordering the Jura. It is the main tributary of the Saône. It rises in the Jura massif and flows 453 km further into the Saône at the village of Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, 50 km from Dole. Read more

Built in the 18th century, the building before you was once the Officers' Pavilion, part of the former Castle of Dole. It's a fine example of 18th-century Franche-Comté architecture. The Fine Arts Museum was formerly housed in the Collège de l'Arc, a little further into town. Read more

On your right, you'll see the Arans Gate, marking the entrance to the city center. Built in 1551, it was part of the fortifications surrounding the city at the time. Back then, Dole was part of the County of Burgundy and therefore had to protect itself against assailants from the Kingdom of France, Read more

This beautiful theater is the cultural hub of the city. Built between 1840 and 1843, it boasts an Italian-style auditorium and an elegant, imposing neo-classical architecture. In the mid-19th century, the residents themselves called for the construction of a building that could stage plays, concerts and dance performances in a special venue. Read more

Check out the façade of the Jesuit Chapel of Dole. It is part of the Collège de l'Arc, which was a complex of educational institutions housed in buildings long occupied by the Jesuits. The chapel was built in the early 17th century, in1604, by Hugues le Rupt, a well-known local Renaissance artist. Read more

This lovely square, so typical of Dole, is the heart of the city's historic center. From here, you can enjoy views of the medieval alleys that weave through the city, as well as of the Fontaine à l'Enfant, that is, the Fountain with the Child, designed by François Rosset in 1805. Read more

You're now strolling past Dole's Covered Market. This building was constructed in 1883 to replace the town's former Parliament, which had stood here since 1422. It was built of brick, cast iron, glass and iron, and now houses the stalls of a market serving the finest specialties of the Jura department. Read more

Dominating the city skyline at 73 meters, the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame is the most impressive building in the former capital of the Jura region. Built in the 16th century, it sports two different architectural styles: Gothic and Renaissance. Read more

Come meet the famous Louis Pasteur, the French scientist, chemist and physicist who developed the rabies vaccine in 1885. It was one of the first vaccines developed in the history of human medicine, along with the smallpox vaccine, and it paved the way for the development of many others. Read more

Take a look at the house on your right. It's a beautiful optical illusion! Artists from the Haut les Murs Collective painted this fresco back in 2017. It's right in the heart of the city and depicts some of Dole's most famous historical figures. Read more