Dole (French: [dɔl], sometimes pronounced [dol]) is a commune in the eastern French department of Jura, of which it is a subprefecture (sous-préfecture).

Dole was the capital of Franche-Comté until Louis XIV conquered the region; he shifted the parlement from Dole to Besançon. The university, founded by Duke Philippe le Bon of Burgundy in 1422, was also transferred to Besançon at that time.

In January 1573, Gilles Garnier was put to death after being found guilty of lycanthropy and witchcraft. He had confessed to murdering and cannibalizing at least six children. The 1995 film Happiness Is in the Field was set in Dole and The Widow Couderc was also partially filmed there.

Dole is located on the river Doubs. The commune has a land area of 38.38 km (14.82 sq mi).

It is the most populous commune in Jura, although the préfecture is Lons-le-Saunier.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1793 9,000 —     1800 8,235 −1.26% 1806 8,678 +0.88% 1821 9,647 +0.71% 1831 9,927 +0.29% 1836 10,137 +0.42% 1841 10,713 +1.11% 1846 10,519 −0.36% 1851 10,830 +0.58% 1856 10,985 +0.28% 1861 10,605 −0.70% 1866 11,093 +0.90% 1872 11,679 +0.86% 1876 12,924 +2.56% 1881 13,190 +0.41% 1886 13,293 +0.16% 1891 14,253 +1.40% 1896 14,437 +0.26%	Year Pop. ±% p.a. 1901 14,627 +0.26% 1906 14,838 +0.29% 1911 16,294 +1.89% 1921 16,208 −0.05% 1926 18,093 +2.22% 1931 18,066 −0.03% 1936 18,117 +0.06% 1946 18,250 +0.07% 1954 22,022 +2.38% 1962 24,525 +1.35% 1968 27,188 +1.73% 1975 29,295 +1.07% 1982 26,889 −1.22% 1990 26,577 −0.15% 1999 24,949 −0.70% 2009 24,906 −0.02% 2014 23,312 −1.31% 2020 23,611 +0.21%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2020)

Dole-Ville station has rail connections to Dijon, Paris, Lausanne and Besançon. Dole – Jura Airport is located in the commune of Tavaux, 7 km southwest of Dole.

• Suzanne Douvillier (1778 – 1826), pioneer dancer and choreographer.
• Simon Bernard (28 April 1779 – 5 November 1839)- Napoleonic aide de camp and notable engineer in the United States.
• Marie Émile Antoine Béthouart (17 December 1889 – 17 October 1982), soldier.
• Louis Pasteur (27 December 1822 – 28 September 1895), microbiologist and chemist
• Jacques Duhamel (1924 - 1977), mayor of Dole from 1968 to 1976
• Michel Chapuis (15 January 1930 – 12 November 2017), organist
• Hubert-Félix Thiéfaine (21 July 1948 − ), pop-rock singer and songwriter, born in Dole

The Museum of Fine Arts, Dole founded in 1821, is located in the House of the Officers, an example of military architecture of Franche-Comté at the 18th century.

Dole is twinned with:

• Arrondissement of Dole
• Communes of the Jura department

• Official website (in French)