Saône-et-Loire
Encyclopedia
Saône-et-Loire is a French
department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.
, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces
of southern Burgundy and Bresse
, uniting lands that had no previous common history nor political unity and which have no true geographical unity. Thus its history is that of Burgundy, and is especially to be found in the local histories of Autun
, Mâcon
, Chalon-sur-Saône
, Charolles
and Louhans
.
of Bourgogne
. In the east
the department is composed of the hills of the Autunois, the region around Autun
, of the Charollais
and of the Mâcon
nais. In the centre it is traversed from north to south by the Saône in its wide plain; the Saône is a tributary of the River Rhône
that joins it at Lyon
and thus is connected to the Mediterranean Sea
. The Loire makes its way in the opposite direction, draining into the Atlantic Ocean
. The Canal du Centre
links the Saône to the Loire between Chalon-sur-Saône
and Digoin
, thereby linking the Mediterranean Sea
to the Atlantic ocean
. In the east the department occupies the northern part of the plain of Bresse. In the west its industrial heart is in Le Creusot
and Montceau-les-Mines
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
department, named after the Saône and the Loire rivers between which it lies.
History
When it was formed during the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, as of March 4, 1790 in fulfillment of the law of December 22, 1789, the new department combined parts of the provinces
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of southern Burgundy and Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
, uniting lands that had no previous common history nor political unity and which have no true geographical unity. Thus its history is that of Burgundy, and is especially to be found in the local histories of Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
, Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
, Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
, Charolles
Charolles
Charolles is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:Charolles is located at the confluence of the Semence and the Arconce rivers, . W.N.W. of Mâcon.-History:...
and Louhans
Louhans
Louhans is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.Louhans is the capital of Bresse bourguignonne. The main street, dating from the eleventh century, is very typical with arches and stores all along...
.
Geography
Saône-et-Loire is the seventh largest department of France and the most densely populated in the regionRégions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
of Bourgogne
Bourgogne
Burgundy is one of the 27 regions of France.The name comes from the Burgundians, an ancient Germanic people who settled in the area in early Middle-age. The region of Burgundy is both larger than the old Duchy of Burgundy and smaller than the area ruled by the Dukes of Burgundy, from the modern...
. In the east
the department is composed of the hills of the Autunois, the region around Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
, of the Charollais
Charolles
Charolles is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:Charolles is located at the confluence of the Semence and the Arconce rivers, . W.N.W. of Mâcon.-History:...
and of the Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
nais. In the centre it is traversed from north to south by the Saône in its wide plain; the Saône is a tributary of the River Rhône
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
that joins it at Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and thus is connected to the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The Loire makes its way in the opposite direction, draining into the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. The Canal du Centre
Canal du Centre (France)
The Canal du Centre, originally known as the Canal du Charollais, is a French canal running from Digoin, where it now joins the Canal latéral à la Loire, to the River Saône in Chalon-sur-Saône. It was opened in 1792 and made it possible for the first time for boat traffic to pass from the north of...
links the Saône to the Loire between Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
and Digoin
Digoin
Digoin is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The junction of the Canal du Centre and the Canal latéral à la Loire is near Digoin.-Geography:...
, thereby linking the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
to the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. In the east the department occupies the northern part of the plain of Bresse. In the west its industrial heart is in Le Creusot
Le Creusot
Le Creusot is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.The inhabitants are known as Creusotins. Formerly a mining town, its economy is now dominated by metallurgical companies such as ArcelorMittal, Schneider Electric, and Alstom.Since the 1990s, the...
and Montceau-les-Mines
Montceau-les-Mines
Montceau-les-Mines is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is the second-largest commune of the metropolitan Communauté urbaine Creusot-Montceau, which lies southwest of the city of Dijon....
.
See also
- MâconMâconMâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
- Capital - Cantons of the Saône-et-Loire department
- Communes of the Saône-et-Loire department
- Arrondissements of the Saône-et-Loire department