Villefranche-sur-Saône

Villefranche-sur-Saône (US: /ˌvl(ə)ˈfrɒ̃ʃ sʊər ˈsn/,[3] French: [vilfʁɑ̃ʃ syʁ son] ; Arpitan: Velafranche) is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France.

Villefranche-sur-Saône
Velafranche (Arpitan)
A general view of Villefranche-sur-Saône
A general view of Villefranche-sur-Saône
Coat of arms of Villefranche-sur-Saône
Location of Villefranche-sur-Saône
Map
Villefranche-sur-Saône is located in France
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Villefranche-sur-Saône is located in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Villefranche-sur-Saône
Coordinates: 45°59′00″N 4°43′00″E / 45.9833°N 4.7167°E / 45.9833; 4.7167
CountryFrance
RegionAuvergne-Rhône-Alpes
DepartmentRhône
ArrondissementVillefranche-sur-Saône
CantonVillefranche-sur-Saône
IntercommunalityCA Villefranche Beaujolais Saône
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Thomas Ravier[1]
Area
1
9.48 km2 (3.66 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
35,913
 • Density3,800/km2 (9,800/sq mi)
DemonymCaladois
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
69264 /69400
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It lies 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the river Saône, and is around 25 kilometres (16 mi) north of Lyon. The inhabitants of the town are called Caladois.

History

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Villefranche-sur-Saône was founded in 1212 by Guichard IV, count of Beaujeu (Arpitan: Bôjor/Biôjœr), and became in the 14th century the capital of the Beaujolais (Arpitan: Biôjolês) province.[4] It endured three sieges in the 15th and 16th centuries. The town walls were taken down early in the 19th century.

Population

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The population data in the table and graph below refer to the commune of Villefranche-sur-Saône proper, in its geography at the given years. The commune of Villefranche-sur-Saône absorbed the former communes of Béligny and Ouilly (partly) in 1853.[5]

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1793 4,706—    
1800 4,374−1.04%
1806 5,095+2.58%
1821 5,250+0.20%
1831 6,460+2.10%
1836 7,533+3.12%
1841 6,848−1.89%
1846 7,064+0.62%
1851 7,769+1.92%
1856 11,686+8.51%
1861 11,650−0.06%
1866 12,469+1.37%
1872 12,170−0.40%
1876 12,485+0.64%
1881 13,074+0.93%
1886 12,518−0.87%
1891 12,928+0.65%
1896 13,627+1.06%
YearPop.±% p.a.
1901 14,793+1.66%
1906 16,031+1.62%
1911 16,388+0.44%
1921 16,588+0.12%
1926 17,339+0.89%
1931 18,188+0.96%
1936 18,871+0.74%
1946 20,017+0.59%
1954 21,703+1.02%
1962 24,516+1.54%
1968 26,338+1.20%
1975 30,341+2.04%
1982 28,881−0.70%
1990 29,542+0.28%
1999 30,647+0.41%
2007 33,840+1.25%
2012 36,241+1.38%
2017 36,857+0.34%
Source: EHESS[5] and INSEE (1968-2017)[6]

Economy

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Industries include wine-trading, metallurgy, textiles, and chemicals.

Transport

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The Autoroute du Sud (the principal road from Paris to the south of France) is adjacent to the east of the town, running alongside the Saône.

 
Portal of Notre-Dame des Marais

Buildings

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The church of Notre-Dame des Marais, begun at the end of the 14th and finished in the 16th century, has a tower and spire (rebuilt in 1862), standing to the right of the 15th century façade, in which are carved wooden doors.[4]

Sport

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FC Villefranche Beaujolais is based in the town.

Notable people

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Twin towns – sister cities

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Villefranche-sur-Saône is twinned with:[7]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Villefranche". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Villefranche-sur-Saône". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 77.
  5. ^ a b Des villages de Cassini aux communes d'aujourd'hui: Commune data sheet Villefranche-sur-Saône, EHESS (in French).
  6. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  7. ^ "Comité des associations de jumelage de Villefranche". villefranche.net (in French). Villefranche-sur-Saône. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
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