Data Centers in Besançon

Besançon – Strategic Colocation on the Swiss Border

Executive Summary

Besançon provides a stable, low-risk colocation environment for enterprises targeting eastern France and adjacent markets in Switzerland and Germany. While not a primary interconnection hub, it serves as an effective edge location or disaster recovery site. This market is ideal for workloads that require geographic diversity and benefit from a predictable operational landscape.

Besançon: At A Glance

Network & Connectivity Ecosystem

Besançon is a developing secondary market. The connectivity ecosystem is functional for regional needs but requires backhaul to major European hubs for carrier diversity and direct cloud access.

Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality The market features a limited carrier presence, with at least one major provider available as of September 2025. For diverse multi-carrier solutions, businesses typically connect to facilities in Paris or Lyon.

Direct Cloud On-Ramps There are no direct cloud on-ramps within Besançon, as of September 2025. Secure, private connections to all major cloud providers, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure, are established through network links to Paris, Lyon, or Geneva.

Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) Public peering is not established locally. The nearest major Internet Exchanges are France-IX in Paris and LyonIX in Lyon, which are accessible via transport links and serve as the primary peering points for the region.

Bare Metal Bare metal server options are available, providing dedicated compute for performance-sensitive applications. Providers such as OVHcloud offer solutions in the region, meeting demand for non-virtualized infrastructure.

Power Analysis

France's power infrastructure is known for its stability and high percentage of carbon-free generation, making it a reliable choice for data center operations.

Average Cost Of Power Industrial power costs are estimated between €0.16 and €0.21 per kWh, as of September 2025. This competitive pricing is a direct result of the country's significant investment in nuclear power, which provides a consistent and affordable energy supply.

Power Grid Reliability The national power grid is well-engineered and highly reliable. The energy mix, with approximately 68% from nuclear sources, ensures a stable baseload power supply, which is critical for maintaining data center uptime.

Market Access, Business & Tax Climate

Besançon offers strategic market access to a unique corridor of economic activity spanning France, Switzerland, and Germany.

Proximity To Key Business Districts Data centers in the area serve Besançon's established industries in microtechnology, watchmaking, and biomedical engineering. This proximity supports low-latency applications for research, design, and manufacturing operations.

Regional Market Reach The city's location provides effective reach to a population of several million across the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region and into Western Switzerland. It is a logical point of presence for serving customers in cities like Dijon, Mulhouse, Geneva, and Lausanne.

Tax Advantage For Data Centers France supports digital infrastructure through various mechanisms. The availability of European Investment Bank (EIB) loan financing for data center projects demonstrates a supportive climate for capital-intensive digital investments.

Natural Disaster Risk

Besançon is located in a region with a very low risk of natural disasters, contributing to its appeal as a secure location for critical infrastructure.

The overall natural disaster risk is rated as Low, with an INFORM score of 2.7 out of 10, as of September 2025. The primary environmental hazards to consider are moderate, while all other risks are minimal.

Key potential hazards include:

• River Flood: The most significant local risk, though modern infrastructure and planning mitigate its impact.
• Earthquake: The region has low seismic activity.
• Drought: A minor consideration with infrequent impact on operations.