www.belfort-tourisme.com. Guarding the gap between France’s natural eastern defences, the Jura and Vosges mountains, Belfort has a long history of military derring-do, a Vauban fortress and the famous Lion de Belfort monument to prove it. the old town lies on the east bank of the River Savoureuse, dominated by the vast red sandstone château which crouches on a site fortified since the 13thc. from the car park a path leads down to a covered passage and entrance to the Lion de Belfort viewing platform.

Constructed from local stone by Frederic Bartholdi (who also gave New York the Statue of Liberty), the 22-m lion commemorates the exploits of Colonel Denfert-Rochereau and his 16,000 French troops who held a German army numbering 40,000 at bay for over a hundred days during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). For more local and military history, head for the Musée d’histoire de Belfort.