Besançon neighbourhoods: where to live

Besançon in numbers

About 119,198 people live in Besançon. CityPulse splits the city into 739 hexagons of about 0.1 km² and groups them into 48 areas named after its neighbourhoods. Half of the residents live in a hexagon with a standard score of at least 80 out of 100 (excellent).

• 84% of residents live in a “15-minute city”: food shop, pharmacy, doctor, nursery school, primary school and a public transport stop, all within a 15-minute walk
• 67% of residents have a public green space within a 5-minute walk
• 50% of residents have a food shop within a 5-minute walk
• 46% of residents have a pharmacy within a 5-minute walk
• 82% of residents have a primary school within a 10-minute walk
• 94% of residents have a bus or tram stop within a 5-minute walk
• 34% of residents have at least 30 public transport departures per hour between 7 and 9 am from nearby stops
• 51% of residents have a playground within a 5-minute walk
• 43% of residents live within 300 metres of a protected cycle lane
• Tree canopy within 500 m: 20.7% for the typical resident (the 3-30-300 rule suggests at least 30%).
• PM2.5: 6.8 µg/m³ annual mean for the typical resident; the WHO guideline is 5.

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Where to live in Besançon, depending on who you are

• Students: Vieilles Perrières, Sarrail, Planoise
• Families: Sarrail, Chaffanjon, La Viotte
• Over 65: Vaite, Chaffanjon, Saint-Claude
• Home workers: Sarrail, Les Clairs Soleils, Chaffanjon
• Commuters: Marulaz, Vieilles Perrières, Fontaine Argent

Besançon areas

Areas sorted by standard score: public green space, tree canopy and services on foot, the same for everyone. Names come from OpenStreetMap and boundaries are approximate.

Frequently asked questions

Which Besançon neighbourhood has the best quality of life?

By CityPulse's standard score: Chaffanjon (97), Vaite (96) and Sarrail (92). The score measures public green space, tree canopy and everyday services within walking distance; it does not consider prices, noise or safety.

Where should a student live in Besançon?

With CityPulse's student profile, which weighs services on foot and cycle lanes most and prefers dense areas, the best areas are Vieilles Perrières (86), Sarrail (85) and Planoise (84).

Which areas of Besançon are best for families?

With the family profile, which weighs green space, trees, services and playgrounds, the best areas are Sarrail (95), Chaffanjon (93) and La Viotte (92).

What are the greenest areas of Besançon?

By tree canopy within 500 metres: Mazagran (55.6%), Grette (55.5%) and Les Prés de Vaux (51.8%).

Which areas of Besançon have the best public transport?

By departures per hour between 7 and 9 am from stops within walking distance: République (96), Marulaz (54) and Fontaine Argent (50).

Is Besançon a 15-minute city?

84% of Besançon residents have a food shop, pharmacy, doctor, nursery school, primary school and a public transport stop within a 15-minute walk.

How is the CityPulse score calculated?

Each hexagon of about 0.1 km² gets a score from 0 to 100: the geometric mean of public green space on foot, tree canopy within 500 metres and everyday services on foot (food shops, pharmacy, doctor, schools, stops). Distances are measured on the walking network at 4.8 km/h. All data are open: OpenStreetMap, Copernicus, Eurostat, EEA and public transport timetables.

Data updated on 2026-11-04. Method and sources