Rue de Lorraine was built in the late 19th century, shortly after rue Proudhon was completed. The buildings that line it are the work of just one architect: Gustave Vieille. He built his home at No. 4.

The first floor has a bow window, an English architectural invention that gave more space to a room and allowed in more light. This one was the first to be built in Besançon’s city centre. There is abundant decoration around the windows, and there are two sculptures of groupings of objects on the wall that reflect the interests of the life of the owner. The one on the right, which has musical instruments and a theatre mask, is a reminder that, in 1865, Vieille was one of the founders of a group called “Aquatic Harmony”, which organised charity, musical, sports and arts events. The one on the left speaks to his career as an architect. You can see the capital of a column, tools, and on a roll of parchment, the engraved drawing of the plan of the buildings built by Vieille just across the street.