Tour de Rivotte, Military tower in Besançon, France

Tour de Rivotte is a squat, many-sided bastioned tower of rough grey ashlar, built 1687–1690 on a rock in the Doubs and once fronted by a water-filled moat. Two deep arched openings pierce its base below a projecting stone band; the upper level, framed by pale quoins with brick and timber fill, has four rectangular openings and a steep hipped roof of brown tiles. Three green wooden shutters close the right wall.

The tower was built between 1687 and 1690 under Vauban's direction to strengthen the city's eastern defense. Its construction reflected new military engineering ideas that shaped fortifications across France during this period.

The tower's name comes from the Rivotte gate and sector it guarded at the eastern edge of Besançon. It is one of six bastioned towers in the city wall, and four survive today; its twin, the Bregille tower, stands 350 m away. The well shaft at its centre has been open since the 19th century, letting rainwater drain through.

You can reach the tower by bus lines 11 and 26 that stop near Avenue Arthur Gaulard. The location close to the Doubs River makes it fairly easy to reach on foot from central areas.

Inside the tower runs a well system that served multiple purposes, including moving goods and managing rainwater. These hidden internal structures reveal how carefully military builders thought about practical needs within their fortifications.