Lons-le-Saunier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lons-le-Saunier
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Prefecture and commune
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General view of Lons-le-Saunier
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| Country | France | ||
| Region | Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | ||
| Department | Jura | ||
| Arrondissement | Lons-le-Saunier | ||
| Canton | Lons-le-Saunier-1 and 2 | ||
| Intercommunality | Espace Communautaire Lons Agglomération | ||
| Area
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7.68 km2 (2.97 sq mi) | ||
| Population
(2021)
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17,043 | ||
| • Density | 2,219.1/km2 (5,748/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) | ||
| INSEE/Postal code |
39300 /39000
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| Elevation | 243–415 m (797–1,362 ft) (avg. 255 m or 837 ft) |
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| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |||
Lons-le-Saunier is a town in eastern France. It is the main city and capital of the Jura Department. A "commune" is like a local government area in France. The town is known for its history and beautiful surroundings.
Contents
Geography of Lons-le-Saunier
Lons-le-Saunier is located in the heart of the Revermont region. This area is at the base of the first plateau of the Jura massif. The Jura mountains stretch out to the east and south.
To the west of the town, you can find the flat plains of Bresse. To the north, there are many vineyards. These vineyards are where grapes are grown to make wine.
The Vallière river flows through the town. It starts in a special type of valley called a "blind valley" near Revigny. Since the 1960s, most of the river has been put into pipes underground. This was done to keep the town clean and healthy.
Only a small part of the river can still be seen in the open air. This section is near the parc des Bains. There is also just one bridge left over the river, called the pont de la Guiche.
The town is located almost equally between several important cities. These include Besançon, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse, and Geneva. Geneva is on the other side of the Jura mountains.
You can reach Lons-le-Saunier by the A39 autoroute, which is a major highway. From here, you can get to Dijon in about an hour. Lyon is about an hour and a half away. The town also has a railway station. This station is on the train line that connects Strasbourg to Lyon.
The area north of Lons-le-Saunier is famous for its wine. This wine-growing region includes special types of wine like l'Etoile, Château-Chalon, and Arbois.
The Jura mountains to the south and east are a popular place for tourists. People visit attractions like the lakes of Chalain, Clairvaux, and Vouglans. Vouglans Lake is located near Lect, Jura. There are also mountain resorts like Prénovel and Les Rousses.
Lons-le-Saunier is one of the smallest main towns in France. It is the second smallest "prefectural town" in terms of its area. Only Bobigny is smaller.
History of Lons-le-Saunier
The town of Lons-le-Saunier has natural salt water springs. These "brine springs" have been used by people for a very long time. People have been using them since the Neolithic period. This was a time in history when people first started farming.
In the 1800s, special buildings were built around these springs. These were "thermal baths," where people could relax in the warm, salty water. The large and beautiful Thermes Lédonia building is still there today.
During the 1800s, Lons-le-Saunier was also a center for industry. There were factories that worked with copper and iron. The town was also a place for trading. People traded horses, cattle, grain, and cheese.
Population of Lons-le-Saunier
The number of people living in Lons-le-Saunier has changed over many years. You can see how the population has grown and shrunk in the chart below.
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| Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Famous People from Lons-le-Saunier
Many interesting people were born in or lived in Lons-le-Saunier.
Births
- Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle (1760–1836): He wrote La Marseillaise. This is the national anthem of France.
- Jean Baptiste Gaspard Roux de Rochelle (1762–1849): He was an ambassador to the United States.
- Étienne Bobillier (1798–1840): A talented mathematician.
- Maurice Joly (1829–78): A writer and lawyer known for his satire.
- René Rémond (born 1918): A historian and expert in political economy.
- Jeanne Champion (born 1931): A French painter and writer.
- Guy Canivet (born 1943): A well-known judge.
- Jean-François Stévenin (1944–2021): An actor and filmmaker.
- Bernard Clavel (1923–2010): A famous novelist.
- Félix Lambey (born 1994): A professional rugby player.
Residents
- General Claude Lecourbe (1759–1815): He studied in Lons-le-Saunier. There is a statue of him in the main square, Place de la Liberté.
Twin Towns
Lons-le-Saunier has special partnerships with other towns around the world. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities."
See also
In Spanish: Lons-le-Saunier para niños
