Map of Saône-et-Loire

What you need to know about the Saône-et-Loire department

We are talking here about sector 71, which is an inland sector in the center-east of France. It is actually the Saône-et-Loire department, an integral part of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region. Originally, the 71st department was one of the 83 oldest departments created after the French Revolution.

The prefecture and largest city of the Saône-et-Loire department is Mâcon. The department is divided into four arrondissements: Autun, Chalon-sur-Saône, Charolles, and Louhans. The inhabitants of the department are called Saône-et-Loiriens. According to INSEE estimates as of January 1, 2023, the population is 549,073, with a density of approximately 63.8 inhabitants per km².

On the other hand, the sector has an area of 8,575 square kilometers. Administratively, Saône-et-Loire is divided into 5 arrondissements, 5 legislative constituencies, 29 cantons, 19 communes, and 565 municipalities.

Which departments border the Saône-et-Loire department?

The neighboring departments of the Saône-et-Loire department number 7 in fact. They are: the department of Jura, the department of Ain, the department of Allier, the department of Nièvre, the department of Loire, the department of Côte-d’Or, and finally, the department of Rhône.

What is the climate like in the Saône-et-Loire department?

Saône-et-Loire benefits from a mild climate with a slight continental tendency. The environment of Saône-et-Loire is calm maritime with a continental propensity: precipitation is normal over time, with increased rainfall in spring and before winter, and less rainy in summer. In any case, there are occasionally huge gatherings of showers such as extreme storms.

The environment of Saône-et-Loire is characterized by cold and humid winters, mainly due to fog and continental cold, and scorching dry summers linked to southern influences (southern breezes). There is a region called: “Le Mâconnais,” a region supposed to be a “climatic break” between the north, west, and south. The mountains south of the city of Mâcon stand out because of this climatic crossroads (maritime, continental, and Mediterranean).

What are the most important cities in the Saône-et-Loire department?

Regarding the best cities for tourist destinations, that is, the most visited cities of the 71 by tourists, we count:

• Mâcon
• Chalon-sur-Saône
• Montceau-les-Mines
• Paray-le-Monial
• Digoin
• Bourbon-Lancy
• Châtenoy-le-Royal
• Charnay-lès-Mâcon
• Gueugnon
• Saint-Rémy
• Saint-Marcel
• Montchanin

What are the most important communes in the Saône-et-Loire department?

To make this list, we referred to the population density per km2 of each of the communes of Saône-et-Loire:

• Issy-l’Évêque
• Cronat
• Anost
• Romenay
• La Grande-Verrière
• Autun
• Bourbon-Lancy
• Neuvy-Grandchamp
• Rigny-sur-Arroux
• Grury

Regarding this second ranking of the municipalities in the Saône-et-Loire department, we grouped them according to the density of inhabitants per km2:

• Chalon-sur-Saône
• Le Creusot
• Autun
• Saint-Vallier
• Gueugnon
• Mâcon
• Montceau-les-Mines
• Paray-le-Monial
• Digoin
• Charnay-lès-Mâcon