Haute-Saône is the least well-known department in Franche-Comté, a region of wooded hills and tranquil rivers nestled between the Saône, the Ognon and the foothills of the Vosges. This region of plains and wooded countryside, criss-crossed by a multitude of small rivers teeming with fish, boasts a modest yet charming heritage of castles, reflecting a local aristocracy rooted in these lands for centuries.
Vesoul, its capital, is known for its International Asian Film Festival, one of the oldest of its kind in Europe, and for its green surroundings, ideal for hiking. Gray, on the banks of the Saône, is home to the Baron-Martin Museum, housed in a 16th-century castle and featuring a remarkable collection of Flemish and French paintings. Champlitte, Rioz, Jussey, Fresne-Saint-Mamès… The châteaux of Haute-Saône bear witness to a history of the county linked to that of Burgundy and Franche-Comté.
Haute-Saône is also the birthplace of Nicolas Appert, inventor of the Appertised can, and General Voisin, a pioneer of aviation, two figures who illustrate the inventive genius of a discreet yet talent-rich department.