If you had not heard of Franche-Comté before seeing the map you are not alone. It ranks bottom of the list of regions whose whereabouts British people can accurately identify. This is a paradox you can exploit to your holiday advantage: because Franche-Comté has some of the most grandiose scenery in France: it is often referred to as 'little Canada' because of its unspoilt pine forests (43% of the territory), its panoramic viewpoints, its mountains and its whitewater rivers. Its landscapes, in particular the River Loue, inspired the artist Gustave Courbet, who was born and lived in Ornans, between Besançon and Pontarlier.
The Jura is a chain of mountains whose folded formation gave rise to the adjective Jurassic and which are the most densely wooded in France, with a highest point of 1,723 m. Nature's presence here is overwhelming: the wild, open spaces are a magnet to walkers and other lovers of the outdoors. The mountains make this a world-class ski de fond (cross-country skiing) destination, and especially notable is the long-distance route, the Grande Traversée du Jura. Horse-riders and mountain-bikers are also drawn here, and walkers can tackle the challenging Grande Randonnée 5 path. The only downside is that the region has more rain than any other.
Almost certainly the most famous man-made landmarks in Franche-Comté are Le Corbusier's chapel at Ronchamp, built in memory of the men who fought and died in World War II, and the Belfort Lion, built by Auguste Bartholdi (the man behind the Statue of Liberty) in 1880 as a monument to the resistance of the townsfolk during the Franco-Prussian war.
A major part of the economy is the dairy industry. You can follow a cheese as well as a wine route; local cheeses include Comté, made only from the milk of Montbéliard cows, and Morbier, striped with a black layer of wood ash. Add to this a dizzying array of fish, game, smoked meats and sausages, snails, mushrooms and many other delicacies, and you'll quickly put back all the weight your walks took off. The wine of the Jura is very unusual wine. Château-Chalon was one of the first villages to be granted an appellation contrôlée, and it only produces le vin jaune; 'yellow wine'. It is filtered through straw, has to mature for at least 6 years before being bottled, and is a particularly highly sought-after commodity.
Salt has played a crucial rôle in the area's economy since Gallo-Roman times. The curious Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks) at Arc-et-Senans makes for an interesting visit: a perfectly symmetrical new town for salt-workers, which unfortunately was not used for its original purpose for very long. Today it is a centre for creative activities.
Franche-Comté ('Free County') was part of the Germanic Holy Roman Empire before most of it became part of the kingdom of France in 1678, the Territoire de Belfort joining later still. The old name was replaced by département names until the law which created modern French regions in 1972 reinstated it because of its symbolism. Yet here freedom was hard won, as a turbulent history and the vestiges of a defensive past testify. Geology and geography show a land impregnable in parts, vulnerable in others: the trouée de Belfort (Belfort Gap) was the weak point between the natural barriers of the Jura and Vosges mountains of Alsace.