Villefranche-sur-Saône, Administrative commune in Rhône, France
Villefranche-sur-Saône is an administrative town on the western bank of the Saône in the Rhône department, surrounded by Beaujolais vineyards. The town center clusters around a wide main street lined with 15th- and 16th-century arcaded houses leading to a rectangular market square.
Count Guichard IV of Beaujeu founded the settlement in 1212 as a planned town with tax exemptions to attract traders. By the 14th century it became the provincial capital of Beaujolais and held that role until the Revolution.
The name means "free town on the Saône" and recalls medieval privileges granted to attract merchants and settlers. Today the central market hall and weekly stalls continue that trading tradition with local wine producers and regional food vendors.
The town sits alongside the A6 motorway that runs parallel to the riverbank on the eastern side and offers connections to Lyon in the south. Visitors find public parking near the center and can explore the old town on foot.
The Church of Notre-Dame des Marais carries an unusual name that translates to "Our Lady of the Marshes" and refers to the swampy ground along the river before drainage works. Its bell tower rises 56 meters (184 feet) above the old town and holds a carillon of 46 bells that ring on market days.
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