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A town of riverside charm
The town of Louhans, which lies in the east of France in south-east Burgundy, is a market town of great charm. It lies on one of France's prettiest small rivers, the River Seille, and has a delightful mediaeval charm and tranquil atmosphere. The main street of Louhans has traditional arched and arcaded shops and houses, dating back to the 15th and 16th centuries. The heart and soul of the town lies deeply rooted in agriculture, particularly in the famous Louhans agricultural market which was once the lifeblood of the town and the mainstay of its economy.
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Market town extraordinaire!
Louhans is a town famed throughout France for its Monday morning market. Traditionally this was a very important and massive livestock and poultry market, although if you go to the market today you will find less livestock on sale and a greater preponderance of general goods on display. The cultural and historical importance of the livestock market has been recognised and preserved however, to a certain extent at least. The popular Bresse chickens are still to be found there, and sometimes you can also see horses, pigs or goats for sale too... you need a big shopping basket to take one home though!
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What to see in Louhans
Louhans has plenty of history and culture to discover. You may enjoy looking around the town's attractive shopping areas, and perhaps treating yourself to a tasty meal in one of the superb restaurants. Or you could take yourself off to the Hotel Dieu's hospital and apothecary... not because you will be feeling in need of medical attention but because you can find a fascinating collection of earthenware and pharmacy jars there. You will not believe how much there is to this subject, or how beautiful some of these objects are.
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Museums and interesting railway station
There is a municipal museum in Louhans too, showing artwork including paintings and sculptures and detailing the history of the area. For something a little different you could visit the printing museum, or go down to the SNCF station and enjoy seeing a great and unique collection of historic train carriages, including the pièce de resistance of the collection, a car from the Orient Express!
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Messing about on the river
Louhans is an ideal destination for anyone who enjoys life on or bedside the river. The River Seille, one of France's prettiest small rivers, flows beside Louhans, and brings with it the opportunity to enjoy boating, fishing, walking, cycling or simply sightseeing. The riverside is a haven for all sorts of wildlife, and the Seille connects to the main waterway of the River Saône, from which you can visit all the major places of interest which lie along its path.
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Wine houses and chateaux
Whilst enjoying a leisurely trip by boat, you can visit the great wine houses of Burgundy, see the vineyards and enjoy tasting the wines. The region has many beautiful chateaux to admire, and whilst you are enjoying yourself don't forget that this is also one of the country's most famous gastronomic regions, so be sure to take advantage of this fact and book yourself a table at one of the many fine restaurants!
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How to get there
To reach Louhans by air from the UK and Ireland you can fly to Lyons (Air France, bmibaby, British Airways, easyJet, bmi), or to Geneva (British Airways, easyJet, flybe, Jet2, Aer Lingus), and then travel the rest of the way by car or train. There is a SNCF station in the town itself, and you can find a TGV stop not far away at Chalon sur Saône. It is also possible to take the Eurostar service to Dijon, and this means it is possible to make the entire journey from the UK by rail, should you wish.
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Property prices and availability in and around Louhans
Louhans is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive place in France to buy property... but it can certainly lay claim to being one of the nicest! Prices here are probably lower than you might expect, as although it is a wealthy area in both monetary and cultural terms, it is as yet, largely undiscovered by the foreign property market. This is, without doubt, a bonus not available in many of France's beautiful places these days, so make the most of the chance to purchase property here before somebody beats you to it!
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