Sightseeing & heritage

Musée du Temps

Palais Granvelle, 96 Grande rue, 25000 Besançon

Housed in the heart of a prestigious Renaissance palace, the Palais Granvelle, the Musée du Temps traces the key moments in the history of watchmaking in Besançon.

The Musée du Temps in Besançon: a museum housed in a palace Housed in the heart of a prestigious Renaissance palace, the Palais Granvelle, the Musée du Temps traces the key moments in Besançon’s watchmaking history, weaving together the history of timekeeping with that of the city. The museum highlights Besançon’s reputation as the ‘watchmaking capital’ through the city’s heritage collections. As well as the famous Leroy 01, long regarded as the world’s most complicated watch, the museum displays some of the instruments from the Besançon Astronomical Observatory, which certified the accuracy of chronometers, as well as teaching materials from the National School of Watchmaking. Furthermore, the watchmaking collections offer a comprehensive overview of the history of the craft, featuring the greatest names in watchmaking history, such as Ferdinand Berthoud and Antide Janvier. At the same time, tapestries, portraits of famous figures, relief maps, historical paintings, furniture and works of art invite us to delve into the history of the building, the city and even the Franche-Comté region. Finally, visitors are treated to a panoramic view over the city’s rooftops after admiring the famous Foucault pendulum, situated at the foot of the palace tower, which marks the Earth’s rotation.

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Listing provided by OFFICE DE TOURISME ET DES CONGRES DU GRAND BESANCON (updated by the source on 13/10/2026).

Tourist office data: DATAtourisme, Licence Ouverte (French open licence), updated 24 October 2026.