Belfort (French pronunciation: [bɛlfɔʁ] ⓘ; archaic German: Beffert, Beffort) is a city in northeastern France, situated approximately 25 km (16 mi) from the Swiss border.

It is located approximately 16 km (10 mi) south from the base of the Ballon d'Alsace mountain range, source of the Savoureuse.

Previously an Austrian possession, Belfort was transferred to France by the Treaty of Westphalia (1648), which ended the Thirty Years' War.

On 5 June 1892, Le Petit Journal organised a foot-race from Paris to Belfort, a course of over 380 km (240 mi), the first large-scale long-distance running race on record.

The newspaper's circulation dramatically increased as the French public followed the progress of race participants, 380 of whom completed the course in under ten days.

In Le Petit Journal on 18 June 1892, Pierre Giffard praised the event as a model for the physical training of a nation faced by hostile neighbours.

[9] Before the war, the September Programme of German Imperial Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg, pressed for expansionist aims of French territory, specifically advocated the annexation of the Belfort region along with the western side of the Vosges Mountains.

Regional services connect Belfort to Montbéliard, Besançon, Mulhouse, Vesoul, Épinal and Nancy.

Belfort is also well known for hosting the annual Festival International de Musique Universitaire (FIMU) held in May each year.

[20] FIMU usually involves over 250 concerts at different locations around the city and around 2500 musicians, most of them students or amateur groups from countries across Europe and the rest of the world.

Music styles performed are extremely diverse and include traditional, folk, rock, jazz, classical and experimental.