Franche-Comté, the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighboring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France.

It is composed of the modern departments of Doubs, Jura, Haute-Saône and Territoire de Belfort and has a population of 1,168,208 (2009).The principal cities are the capital Besançon, Belfort, and Montbéliard (Aire Urbaine Belfort-Montbéliard-Héricourt-Delle).

Other important cities are Dole (capital before the region is conquered by Louis XIV in the late 17th century), Vesoul (capital of Haute-Saône), Arbois (the "wine capital" of the Jura), and Lons-le-Saunier (capital of Jura).