To understand Chalon-sur-Saône, the second largest city in Burgundy, and discover the richness of its heritage, the ideal is to take the “Chemin de l’Orbandale”. On plates sealed to the ground, three circles of gold (“orbs” in old French) with the coat of arms of the city serve as a guide.
The tall towers of Saint-Vincent Cathedral dominate the square, framed by pretty half-timbered houses and embellished with a fountain sculpted by local artist Ivan Avoscan (1928-2012). Inside, you have to take the time to look at the details of the Romanesque capitals and admire the lightness of the trefoil arcade with openwork bordering the galleries of the Gothic cloister.
The city is proud to have seen the birth, in 1765, of Nicéphore Niépce, the inventor of photography, whose statue adorns the Place du Port Villiers. This square is a reminder of what Chalon owes to the Saône, which has always known how to take advantage of river trade: the Roman amphoras were followed by the goods of the Middle Ages which descended the river to the Rhône on their wooden boats. In the 19th century, passengers on the Paris train stopped at Chalon to take the steamer that took them to Lyon or Marseille. Today, heirs to a long tradition, cruise ships dock on the quays of the Saône.
Marguerite Boucicaut (1816-1887), wife of Aristide Boucicaut, creator of Le Bon Marché in Paris, never forgot her origins. This philanthropist financed a bridge over the Saône during her lifetime, which was very useful for opening up her native village, Verjux, and the surrounding towns.
She bequeathed her immense fortune to multiple charities throughout France. But in his will, the child of the country took specific measures to provide Verjux with a school, a town hall, an asylum, and Chalon with a home for mothers in difficulty.
Fabienne Azire
