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Chalon sur Saône – a town of art, history and culture
The town of Chalon sur Saône, which is found in eastern France, is a town full to the brim with art, culture and history. It is a good sized town with some 70,000 residents, and an atmosphere with a resounding enthusiasm for life and all its fine things!
Chalon lies in lovely countryside, on the River Saône. The city has many old and fascinating areas to discover, and excellent shopping and dining facilities as well.
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Chalon sur Saône’s historic quarter
The old quarter is the St Vincent area, where you can stroll along the quaint cobbled streets and enjoy soaking up the atmosphere of days long gone. Here the half-timbered houses give a picturesque air, while a beautiful fountain of contemporary design blends old with new surprisingly well. If you prefer classical architecture then head for the Chatelet area of town, with its elegant classical buildings and rarefied air.
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Special interest
There are lots of sites of particular interest in Chalon, and you can choose from those of greatest interest to yourself or simply see the lot! Places to add to your list could include the Cathedral of St Vincent which is very impressive, and worth a visit. Perhaps even more intriguing, however, is the Tour de Doyenne, which stands on an island in the middle of the river. This began life attached to the cathedral, but was taken away to Paris where it was re-erected. An American magnate, Jay Gould, purchased the tower and had it returned to Chalon as a gift. It was finally rebuilt in the middle of the River Saône, where it can be found today.
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Chalon’s Photographic Museum and gardens
Amongst the other places of interest in town is the Photographic Museum, which really is amazing. Chalon is the place where photography was born and developed, and a visit to this museum to view its unique collection is both interesting and informative. Chalon has some lovely botanical gardens and rose gardens too, for those of you who prefer the great outdoors.
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Wining and dining
Chalon is a wonderful place for diversity of opportunity to enjoy yourself. Being situated in Burgundy means that the food and wine is the best in France, and there are no end of excellent restaurants where you can put this statement to the test. The city offers superb shopping facilities too, and all amenities are on hand.
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Activities on offer
If you are seeking some sporting activities you will find plenty of choice. Follow the lovely green pathway, the Voie Verte, choosing to do this on a bicycle, on foot or even, for the young or the foolhardy, on roller skates! Play golf, go horse-riding, take up parachuting or any number of other activities, all found in or close to Chalon.
As if all this were not enough to keep you entertained, Chalon has a superb street theatre festival every year that is renowned throughout Europe. Known as the Chalon dans la Rue, this is a fantastic celebration of the theatre arts and accessible to all.
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How to get there
The nearest airport is Lyon, and there are plenty of flights from the UK that land here, including Air France, bmibaby, bmi and easyJet. It is also feasible to take a flight to Paris, and to connect to a flight to Dijon. Trains are a good means of travel to Chalon from the UK, as the city has a TGV stop which means that with one simple change at Paris you can make the entire journey by rail. Drivers can access the town from either the A6 or the N6-N75.
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Property prices and availability in and around Chalon sur Sâone
At the time of writing, prices in the area are still low in comparison with many regions of France. The attractions of Burgundy have not yet really been brought to the attention of the foreign property markets, so the region revels in its undiscovered jewel status and remains blissfully unspoiled. The TGV link is excellent and will open up the town to those who know how useful this type of transport is, but those who rely on air travel exclusively may be put off buying in Chalon as there is no international airport offering direct UK flights close by.
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CHALON SUR SAÔNE AT A GLANCE |
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HOTELS IN CHALON SUR SAÔNE
* online booking & great prices
* up-to-the-minute availability
* unbiased hotel reviews
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4/5
3/5