Besançon, birthplace of Victor Hugo and 406 more famous people

Victor Hugo (French novelist, poet, dramatist and politician (1802–1885)) is the best known by our measure: 269 Wikipedia and sister-site articles in different languages. Next come Pierre-Joseph Proudhon and Charles Fourier.

407 people born in Besançon have a French Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace (and an English one that agrees, when there is one). Wikidata places 648 people here; the rest aren’t listed because an article names somewhere else or no town, or a check couldn’t be completed.

Among its famous people, writers and artists: 118 of the 407. That is 29% of the town’s list, against 25% across French towns.

Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle, born in 1517. The youngest on the list was born in 2006.

People whose Wikidata birthplace is Besançon itself, matched by its INSEE code (a commune merged into it counts when the dates allow), whose French Wikipedia article agrees, and their English article too when they have one. A hospital or neighbourhood recorded without its commune isn’t matched. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.

Their Wikidata birthplace may be a hospital, a neighbourhood or a wider area, another commune, or missing, or their articles may not name a birthplace. We only list people the sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.