France has many riverside cycle routes, but scenically this is in the premier league. The rocky valley sides and steep wooded slopes, particularly upstream of Besançon, are nothing short of breathtaking. Besançon is a destination in itself for its 17th century citadel and the preserved buildings of its city centre. Remarkably, neither Besançon nor the greater Doubs valley seem to have ever registered on the tourist trail.

After Montbéliard, the route heads for Mulhouse along a paved canal towpath which speeds you to the Rhine and the border with Germany.