Car Hire Belfort

Located in northeastern France, the town of Belfort is in the Franche-Comte region. The name is derived from “Belle-Fort” or “pretty fortress,” perhaps because the Swiss, Burgundians and Germans all battled for possession of this town, which was once viewed as a gateway to all of Europe due to its location on the river Savoureuse, and position controlling the Belfort Gap.

Today, Belfort is a vibrant trading center for wine and grain and boasts thriving engineering and textiles industries. The city is also home to the Lion of Belfort, a sculpture by Frederic Bartholdi that was created to express the people’s resistance during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. The artist is perhaps most famous in North America for creating the Statue of Liberty in New York.

The Belfort Cathedral is an 18th century masterpiece that is also not to be missed. Built of red sandstone between 1727 and 1750, it contains an organ built by Joseph Valtrin that is now considered a historic monument in its own right.