Pontarlier (French: [pɔ̃taʁlje]; Latin: Ariolica; Arpitan: Pontarliér) is a commune and one of the two subprefectures of the Doubs department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in eastern France.

Nestled in the heart of the Jura Mountains near the Swiss border, the town lies along the Doubs River and occupies the Arlier plain at approximately 830–837 m elevation. It is overshadowed by the Grand Taureau peak, which reaches 1,323 m.

Pontarlier occupies a site that has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Known as Ariolica in antiquity, it was an important transit point between Gaul and Italy. During the Middle Ages, it flourished as a trading hub on the route linking the Mediterranean and the North Sea. The city endured significant turmoil—most notably during the Thirty Years' War, when it was besieged and largely destroyed in 1639 by troops under Bernard of Saxe‑Weimar, and suffered multiple destructive fires in the 17th and 18th centuries.

At the start of the 19th century, Pontarlier became known as France's "absinthe capital" when Henri‑Louis Pernod established the Pernod Fils distillery in 1805. By the early 20th century, around twenty distilleries employed nearly 3,000 people, thanks to booming national demand. That era abruptly ended with the French ban on absinthe in 1915. The modern revival of absinthe since 2001 has reconnected Pontarlier with this storied past.

Today, Pontarlier is the leading economic and commercial hub of the Haut‑Doubs area. Its diversified industrial sector includes major employers such as Schrader (Valves), Nestlé France (producing Nesquik powder locally), and Hifi Filter France (specializing in filtration). The town has over 400 retail outlets, spread across multiple commercial zones, drawing shoppers from France and neighboring Switzerland. Pontarlier also supports regional food and beverage traditions. The Badoz dairy produces Comté and Mont d’Or cheeses, while distilleries like Pierre Guy continue crafting traditional absinthe, Pontarlier aperitif (anise-flavored), and other regional liqueurs.

Pontarlier has a rich architectural and cultural heritage. The Church of Saint‑Bénigne, reconstructed between 1651 and 1666 in the Romanesque‑Gothic style typical of Franche‑Comté, features an imperial‑dome bell tower and stained‑glass windows by Alfred Manessier, and is officially listed as a historic monument. The classical triumphal arch of the Porte Saint‑Pierre, erected from 1771 to 1773 to commemorate the town's reconstruction, stands as another major symbol of the city. The Municipal Museum of Art and History, housed in a 15th‑century manor, showcases archaeological treasures, regional artifacts, decorative arts, and items connected to absinthe.

Pontarlier occupies the ancient Roman station of Ariolica, in Gallia and is placed in the Tables on the road from Urba (modern Orbe, Canton Vaud, Switzerland), to Vesontio (modern Besançon). Although the distances in the Antonine Itinerary do not agree with the real distances, French geographer D'Anville recognized a transposition of the numbers. The Theodosian Tabula names the place "Abrolica", which William Smith states as a possible error of transcription.

After the Burgundian invasion in the 5th century, Pontarlier became the best route for trade from the kingdom of Burgundy to Switzerland, Germany or Lombardy. Until the 17th century it was the easiest way to cross the Jura Mountains.