Chalon sur Saône

Location: 12km East of the cottages.

Nearby: the Côte Chalonnaise vineyards, Mercurey and the Valley des Vaux, Givry, the "Voie Verte" cycle track.

Why we love this place:

• for finding and visiting places not so easily found or well publicised : the cathedral cloister, old bridges, chapels, facades and fortifications. The Espace Patrimoine of the City of Chalon has permanent and temporary exhibitions about local architecture and heritage spaces with information available in English.
• the pedestrian center with facades and old houses, the square of St Vincent in front of the Cathedral with the market on Sunday and Friday morning,
• the two public libraries located in old suprising buidings,
• the free museums :
  • Nicéphore Nièpce Museum from the inventor of photography : this museum presents the history of the photographic image, from the experiments of Nicéphore Nièpce to the current photographic creations. The temporary exhibitions are always exciting and of a high quality.
  • Museum Vivant Denon from the inventor of the modern museum and a pioneer in the history of art under Napoleon. Especially interesting are the rooms in the basement, which present the picture of Chalon in the Gallo-Roman period when it was called Cabilonnum. Also there is a comprehensive archaeological collection from prehistory to the Middle Ages, including bay leaf shaped tools, the so-called "cachette de Volgu" from the Solutrean Period.
• Parc Georges Nouelle, that is free and ideal for children. It includes a children's playground, aviaries and a botanical garden.
• the walks along the Saône river (left bank),
• the Centre Nautique an aquatic playground, that has a wave pool, summer water slides, a jacuzzi, sauna, and hammam,
• the cruises on the Saône river in spring/summer,
• the Montgolfiades hot air balloon rally, and the many activities of the Pentecost weekend. Hot air balloons pass regularly over our valley, above our village and our cottages.
• the festival "Chalon Dans La Rue" in late July, which brings together over a hundred street performers. There are free performances and 'surprises' throughout the city.
  X. Maglott

Le carnaval de Chalon: