Café des Félins
Besancon, Bourgogne Franche Comte
Café des Félins is a cat cafe on Grande Rue in the historic centre of Besançon, inside the loop of the Doubs and a few doors from Victor Hugo's birthplace. Opened in April 2015, it was one of the first cat cafes in eastern France. Seven resident cats, named after characters from Les Misérables such as Gavroche, Fantine and Marius, live in the cafe; they are the cafe's own cats and are not up for adoption. They have a private room and an inner courtyard to retreat to, and the room is fitted out with climbing routes. Visitors read the house rules before entering: no waking, carrying, feeding or chasing the cats, quiet voices and no flash. Children under 12 are not admitted. The menu includes homemade cookies, tartines, milkshakes and teas, and there are board games. Booking online is recommended for groups, weekends and school holidays.