Bourgogne-Franche-Comté is France's great dual-heritage region — the grand cru vineyards and Romanesque abbeys of Burgundy in the west, and the forested Jura mountains, Comté dairies, and UNESCO-listed Vauban citadel of Franche-Comté in the east. From the medieval ramparts of Beaune and the ducal palace of Dijon to the cascading waterfalls and ski resorts of the Jura plateau, the region delivers extraordinary depth for travellers willing to look beyond the Eiffel Tower.
Top spas
Curated picks for treatments and day spas.
Wellness travel tips
Get the most from your wellness experience.
Thermal spa visits at Salins-les-Bains or Lons-le-Saunier can be booked without prescription for single wellness sessions — phone ahead as opening hours change seasonally
Vinotherapy treatments at Château de Gilly are available to non-residents as spa day packages — book at least one week in advance as the spa is small and popular
Forest bathing in the Jura and Morvan is free — the Office National des Forêts (ONF) marks quiet forest trails near Pontarlier (Forêt de la Joux) and in the Morvan near Saint-Brisson that are ideal for silent walks and nature immersion
The Abbaye de la Bussière's spa is in a converted medieval cloister — the setting alone is worth the visit even for a short treatment
Several Jura lakes (Lac de Chalain, Lac de Clairvaux) permit wild swimming in summer — the water is clean mountain-fed and free, offering a natural contrast to the thermal spas