Saône-et-Loire, Administrative division in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France
Saône-et-Loire is an administrative area in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, eastern France, stretching from the Saône river valley to the forested heights of the Morvan. The landscape shifts between flat plains along the river, rolling hills with vineyards, and dense woods to the west.
The area was created on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution, merging territories from the old Burgundy. Roman settlements and medieval monasteries shaped the region long before it became a single administrative space.
The name joins the two rivers Saône and Loire, reflecting the waterways that have shaped life here for centuries. Vineyards cover gentle slopes especially in the southern part, where winemakers still follow time-honored methods and open their cellars to visitors.
Mâcon serves as the administrative center and provides public services for the surrounding communes. Smaller towns like Chalon-sur-Saône and Autun act as local hubs with their own offices and facilities.
The Canal du Centre runs through the area, linking the Mediterranean via the Saône and Loire to the Atlantic. More than a hundred locks along the canal testify to the engineering skill of the 18th and 19th centuries.
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