The Saone River

About the Saone
Saone River Ports
Visit Dijon France on your Rhone-Saone River Cruise

UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Saone River

Along the Saone River and nearby you can find these amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Visits to some may be included in your river cruise itinerary, but some may require some creative travel planning by your River Cruise Artist in order to visit.  Learn more below about these UNESCO Sites and the history you can experience when you visit them. Let River Cruise Your Way take you away to the history around the Saone River.

Historic Site of Lyon

The historic city of Lyon, France, was settled by the Romans in the 1st century BC to be the capital of the Three Gauls and continues today to play a significant role in Europe’s political, cultural and economic development. The history of Lyon is clearly visible through its urban fabric and the many fine historic buildings from all periods that are prevalent throughout the city. Lyon, at the confluence of the Rhone and Saône Rivers, is a favorite river cruise port for travelers seeking to explore this historic and culturally rich region of France.

The Climats, Terroirs of Burgundy

The climats are very precise segmented parcels of vineyards along the Côte de Nuits and the Côte de Beaune south of the city of Dijon in the Burgundy region of France. Over the years these vineyards came to be known by the wine the grapes produce. This rich cultural landscape is host to vineyards and associated production sites including towns and the village of Beaune, which together represent the commercial dimension of the wine production. Additionally, the historic center of Dijon illustrates the political regulatory impetus that gave birth to the climats system. This site is an amazing example of how grape cultivation and wine production have developed since the High Middle Ages. Canal cruises through Burgundy may bring you to visit these unique vineyards.

Great Saltworks Of Salins-Les-Bains and the Royal Saltworks Of Arc-Et-Senans

The Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, near Besançon France, was built by Claude Nicolas Ledoux. Its construction, begun in 1775 during the reign of Louis XVI, was a primary achievement of industrial architecture, reflecting progress of the Enlightenment. The large, semicircular complex was designed to have been followed by the building of an ideal city, a project that was never realized. The Great Saltworks of Salins-les-Bains was active for at least 1200 years until stopping activity in 1962. From 1780 to 1895, its salt water traveled through miles of wood pipes to the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans. It was built near the immense Chaux Forest to ensure its supply of wood for fuel. The Saltworks of Salins shelters an underground gallery from the 13th century including a hydraulic pump from the 1800’s that still functions.

Fortifications of Vauban

The Fortifications of Vauban consist of groups of fortified buildings and sites along the western, northern and eastern borders of France. They represent the finest examples of the work of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707), a military engineer of King Louis XIV. The serial property includes towns built from scratch by Vauban, citadels, urban bastion walls and bastion towers. There are also mountain forts, sea forts, a mountain battery and two mountain communication structures. This property is inscribed as bearing witness to the peak of classic fortifications, typical of western military architecture. Vauban also played a major role in the history of fortification in Europe and on other continents until the mid-19th century.

Your Saone River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Saone River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.