The Saône

The Saône rises at Vioménil, at the foot of the Ménamont, south of the Faucilles mountains, and is 473.3 km long, with the Doubs as its main tributary. The river has been navigated by boats for 3,000 years, and is divided into two navigable sections: the Petite Saône and the Grande Saône.

The Petite Saône starts at Corre, with a number of interesting stops along the way, including Gray, a town classified as a Cités de Caractère de Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, the Château de Ray-sur-Saône and the 681-metre-long Saint-Albin tunnel, which is listed as a historic monument.

The Grande Saône starts at Verdun-sur-le-Doubs, where it joins the Doubs. On this section, travellers can stop off at Chalon-sur-Saône to visit the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent or the Musée Nicéphore Niépce, at Tournus to discover the Abbaye Saint-Philibert, and at Mâcon to relax and admire the Château de Chasselas.