HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mâcon (), historically anglicised as Mascon, is a city in east-central
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...
. It is the prefecture of the department of
Saône-et-Loire Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part. Saône-et-Loire is ...
in
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in Eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region c ...
. Mâcon is home to near 34,000 residents, who are referred to in French as Mâconnais. The city gave its name to the nearby vineyards and wine 'appellation'.


Geography

The city lies on the western bank of the river Saône, between
Bresse Bresse () is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term ''Bresse'' has two meanings: ''Bresse bourguignonne'' (or ''louhannaise''), whi ...
in the east and the Beaujolais hills in the south. Mâcon is the southernmost city in the department of Saône-et-Loire and the region of
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Bourgogne-Franche-Comté (; , sometimes abbreviated BFC; Arpitan: ''Borgogne-Franche-Comtât'') is a region in Eastern France created by the 2014 territorial reform of French regions, from a merger of Burgundy and Franche-Comté. The new region c ...
. It is north of
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...
and from Paris. The climate is temperate with a slight continental tendency.


Climate

Mâcon features an
oceanic climate An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate, is the humid temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring cool summers and mild winters ...
( Köppen: ''Cfb''), with warm summers, slightly too cool to be called humid subtropical (''Cfa''). Winters are relatively cold to French standards, but milder and more rainy than north of Mâcon. Most precipitation is in spring and autumn.


History


Ancient and Medieval eras

The agglomeration of Mâcon originates from the establishment of an
oppidum An ''oppidum'' (plural ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread across Europe, stretch ...
and of a river port by the
Celts The Celts (, see pronunciation for different usages) or Celtic peoples () are. "CELTS location: Greater Europe time period: Second millennium B.C.E. to present ancestry: Celtic a collection of Indo-European peoples. "The Celts, an ancien ...
from the Aedui, probably at the beginning of the first century BC. Known then under the name of ''Matisco'', the town developed significantly during the age of the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post- Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Medite ...
. This is demonstrated by the large Roman hoard known as the Mâcon Treasure that was discovered in the town in 1764, the remains of which is in the
British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docume ...
. During the 4th century, the town was fortified. During the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, Mâcon was the administrative center of a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
belonging to the
Duchy of Burgundy The Duchy of Burgundy (; la, Ducatus Burgundiae; french: Duché de Bourgogne, ) emerged in the 9th century as one of the successors of the ancient Kingdom of the Burgundians, which after its conquest in 532 had formed a constituent part of the ...
at the extremity of the bridge over the Saône leading to the
Bresse Bresse () is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term ''Bresse'' has two meanings: ''Bresse bourguignonne'' (or ''louhannaise''), whi ...
territory belonging to the Duchy of Savoy. The town controlled access to present-day Lamartinien Valley (Val Lamartinien), where the southern end of the Côte de Bourgogne joins the first foothills of the Beaujolais hills, opening the way to the rich plains of the
Loire The Loire (, also ; ; oc, Léger, ; la, Liger) is the longest river in France and the 171st longest in the world. With a length of , it drains , more than a fifth of France's land, while its average discharge is only half that of the Rhôn ...
. On 3 June 1564, Charles IX from Chalon, stopped in the town during his Royal Tour of France (1564–1566), accompanied by the Court and the nobles of his kingdom, including his brother the
Duke of Anjou The Count of Anjou was the ruler of the County of Anjou, first granted by Charles the Bald in the 9th century to Robert the Strong. Ingelger and his son, Fulk the Red, were viscounts until Fulk assumed the title of Count of Anjou. The Robertians ...
, Henry of Navarre, the cardinals of Bourbon and Lorraine. The town is strategically built: it was a possible entrance into the kingdom for the Swiss or German mercenaries during the
French Wars of Religion The French Wars of Religion is the term which is used in reference to a period of civil war between French Catholics and Protestants, commonly called Huguenots, which lasted from 1562 to 1598. According to estimates, between two and four mil ...
. He was welcomed by the Queen Jeanne III of Navarre, nicknamed the "Queen of Protestants", and 1,500 Huguenots.


Revolutionary and Imperial eras

On 21 October 1790, the matriarch of a prominent local family gave birth to a son who remains highly visible in his hometown, the
Romantic Romantic may refer to: Genres and eras * The Romantic era, an artistic, literary, musical and intellectual movement of the 18th and 19th centuries ** Romantic music, of that era ** Romantic poetry, of that era ** Romanticism in science, of that e ...
poet and historian
Alphonse de Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
. In 1790, the Revolutionary government designated Mâcon as the capital ('' chef-lieu'') of
Saône-et-Loire Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part. Saône-et-Loire is ...
, a newly created ''département'' within the radical restructuring of national administration. In 1814, the town was invaded by Austrian troops and then liberated twice by French troops before being permanently occupied until the fall of the Empire. After Napoléon's return and the subsequent
Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restorati ...
, Mâcon and the Mâconnais were again captured by the Austrians.


Second World War

During World War II, Mâcon was the northernmost town in the unoccupied '' zone libre'' between Paris and Lyon. The town was liberated on 4 September 1944 as part of
Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the landing operation of the Allied invasion of Provence ( Southern France) on 15August 1944. Despite initially designed to be executed in conjunction with Operation Overlord, ...
by troops who had landed in
Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border ...
.


Sights

* The Old Saint-Vincent in the town centre * Mâcon Cathedral (Cathédrale Saint-Vincent de Mâcon) in the town centre * Museum of Fine Arts (former Ursuline
Convent A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglic ...
) * Hôtel de Senecé (
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
museum) * Saint-Clément Catholic Church in the district of Saint-Clément * Church Saint-Pierre, Place Saint-Pierre, opposite the Town Hall * The Municipal Olympic Pool of Mâcon * The Maison des Vins or Maison Mâconnaise des Vins, on De-Lattre de Tassigny Avenue. * The Quai Lamartine (quay), the Vallon des Rigollettes, the Physical Activity Training Course (P.A.P.A) and the Marina: many places suitable for walking and relaxing. * The Theater of Mâcon (public theatre) close to the Maison des vins, Droits de l'Homme esplanade. * Château Saint-Jean, in the old commune of Saint-Jean-le-Priche annexed to Mâcon in 1972 * Château des Perrières, on a hill overlooking the town


Parks and gardens

In 2007, the city was awarded the Grand Prix prize and "4 flowers" in the Entente Florale competition.


Transportation

Mâcon is connected to neighbouring major cities through various routes: * Roads: ** A6 motorway (Route: Paris-
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...
) ** A40 Motorway (route: Mâcon-
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
) ** A406 Motorway (bypass south of Mâcon) ** Route nationale 6 ** RCEA (Center-Europe-Atlantic road) which allows a direct traffic flow from
Annemasse Annemasse (; Arpitan: ''Anemâsse'') is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in Eastern France. Even though it covers a relatively small territory (4.98 km2 or 1.92 sq mi), it is Haute-Savoie's seco ...
to
Nantes Nantes (, , ; Gallo: or ; ) is a city in Loire-Atlantique on the Loire, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the sixth largest in France, with a population of 314,138 in Nantes proper and a metropolitan area of nearly 1 million inhabit ...
or
Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture ...
** The François Mitterrand Bridge is the second work of construction connecting Mâcon to the left bank of the Saône River * Railway Infrastructures: ** Gare de Mâcon Loché TGV (routes: Paris-
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Fran ...
and Paris-
Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland. Situ ...
) **
Gare de Mâcon-Ville Gare is the word for "station" in French and related languages, commonly meaning railway station Gare can refer to: People * Gare (surname), surname * The Gare Family, fictional characters in the novel '' Wild Geese'' by Martha Ostenso Places * G ...
(routes
Dijon Dijon (, , ) (dated) * it, Digione * la, Diviō or * lmo, Digion is the prefecture of the Côte-d'Or department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in northeastern France. the commune had a population of 156,920. The earl ...
–Mâcon–
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...
and Mâcon– Bourg-en-BresseAmbérieu-en-Bugey) * River infrastructures: ** The
Saône river The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name deri ...
which allows access to the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on th ...
Sea via the
Rhône The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Ar ...
River


Public transport

Mâcon uses the urban transport servic
Tréma
run by the organising transport authorities, the SITUM (Inter-communal City Transport Union of Mâconnais – Val de Saône). The SITUM currently consists of 3 members: CAMVAL (Agglomeration Community of Mâcon-Val de Saône) (26 communes) and the Chaintré and Crêches-sur-Saône communes. The Urban Transport Area of the SITUM extends over 28 communes in total. On the evening of 30 June 2009, the Mâcon Bus services ceased operation. This was due to the public service delegation contract between the SITUM and the Mâcon Bus company (a subsidiary of
Transdev Transdev, formerly Veolia Transdev, is a French-based international private-sector company which operates public transport. It has operations in 17 countries and territories as of November 2020. History The group was formed by the merger of ...
), operating the network since 1987, not being renewed at the last call for bids. So since 1 July 2009, the company CarPostal Mâcon ( CarPostal France's subsidiary) has been providing city transport services on the network renamed Tréma. The network Tréma, restructured on 31 August 2009, made the following bid: *urban lines (A to G) going through Mâcon, Crêches-sur-Saône, Sancé,
Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône (, literally ''Saint-Laurent on Saône'') is a commune in the Ain department in eastern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also compr ...
, central Charnay-lès-Mâcon and Mâcon Loché TGV train station on a regular basis. *a transport service requested by TrémA'Fil to operate in the other communes of the SITUM area, to increase the frequency of the less busy regular lines (F and G) and to offer a service for each city stop in the morning before the beginning of services for scheduled lines and in the evening after the end of the services. *school lines named TrémA'Scol. Mâcon is run by the network Buscephale of
Saône-et-Loire Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part. Saône-et-Loire is ...
's local council.


Administration

In 2010, the Mâcon commune was awarded the plaque "Ville Internet @@". Mâcon is a member of the
Mâconnais Beaujolais Agglomération Mâconnais Beaujolais Agglomération is the '' communauté d'agglomération'', an intercommunal structure, centred on the city of Mâcon. It is located in the Saône-et-Loire and Ain departments, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Auvergne-Rh ...
( agglomeration community), and also its seat.


Education

Mâcon has five collèges and four '' lycées''. These establishments are in the same area in the west of the city, with the exception of the collèges Schuman (north) and Saint-Exupery (south). *Collèges **Collège Louis Pasteur **Collège Bréart **Collège Schuman **Collège Saint-Exupéry **Collège Notre-Dame (private) *Lycées **Lycée Lamartine **Lycée René-Cassin **Lycée hôtelier Dumaine **Lycée Ozanam (private)


Demography

Mâcon is one of the department's major employment areas which is by far the most dynamic (13.5% increase between 1999 and 2006) compared to cities such as
Chalon-sur-Saône Chalon-sur-Saône (, literally ''Chalon on Saône'') is a city in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; h ...
or Montceau-les-Mines which are losing jobs. This dynamism is particularly helped by the many transportation links available and its proximity to
Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the third-largest city and second-largest metropolitan area of France. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône, to the northwest of ...
. The population data in the table and graph below refer to the commune of Mâcon proper, in its geography at the given years. The commune of Mâcon absorbed the former commune of Saint-Clément in 1856, Flacé-lès-Mâcon in 1964, Saint-Jean-le-Priche and Sennecé-lès-Mâcon in 1971 and Loché in 1972.


Associated districts and communes


Town centre

Mâcon's town center of extends from ''Place Gardon'', in the north, to the Roundabout of Europe in the south, from ''Place de la Barre'', in the west, to the banks along the Saône to the east. The quarters of the town's centre are varied: #The center by the town hall is the town's shopping area (rue Carnot, rue Dufour, rue Sigorgne, rue Philibert-Laguiche, rue Dombert, rue Franche, the quay Lamartine, the esplanade Lamartine and rue de la Barre). Most landmarks are in this conventional ''centre-ville'' including the Cathedral of Saint-Vincent, the Church of Saint Pierre and the town's two museums. #The Saint-Antoine district is centred around the ''Place aux Herbes'' and the historic heart despite its relative distance from the Town Hall. This district covers the northern part of the town centre; it is crossed by the rue de Strasbourg and consists of narrow lanes. There is the prefecture (district headquarters) of Saône-et-Loire and the old Saint-Vincent Cathedral (Vieux Saint-Vincent). #West lies the ''Square de la Paix'', bordered by the Hôtel-Dieu, the Palais de Justice, Saint-Vincent Cathedral, plus the Vallon des Rigollettes and the ''Héritan'' district. From the late 1990s to the early 2000s, the esplanade
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
underwent extensive redevelopment and upgrades. The winding car park and damaged cobblestones were replaced by an underground car park on three levels, a larger and brighter esplanade, bars, and a stage on the water (of the
Saône river The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name deri ...
) which now accommodates various events, concerts and shows. The Statue Lamartine, which sits proudly on the esplanade, was completely renovated. Small gardens now brighten up the immense space that Mâcon's Esplanade
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
occupies. All along, one can find an extract from the famous poem by
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
, "Le Lac": "Time, halt in your flight... " engraved in the ground in silver letters.


North of Mâcon

The north of Mâcon is split, with the Neusdadt roundabout marking the boundary between the two sections. ''Flacé-lès-Mâcon'', a village built in the city, constitutes the north-west of Mâcon. In addition to the adjoining Town Hall, church and small downtown area, ''Flacé'' consists entirely of residential areas.
The north-east of Mâcon is composed of various residential areas and the town's sport centres (Physical Activity Training Course (P.A.P.A), public swimming pool, Centre for Sports Education, rowing, sailing and water skiing clubs, several football fields and clubs, and the Sports Palace). The residential areas consist mainly of low-rent council estates (
HLM An habitation à loyer modéré (HLM, , ), is a form of low-income housing in France, Algeria, Senegal, and Quebec. It may be public or private, with rent subsidies. HLMs constitute 16% of all housing in France.

West of Mâcon

The west of Mâcon is the least populated part of the town. This hosts Mâcon's ''lycées'' ( René Cassin,
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
, Alexandre Dumaine and
Ozanam Ozanam is a surname, and may refer to: * Jacques Ozanam (16401717), French mathematician; * Frédéric Ozanam (181353), founder of Society of Saint Vincent de Paul The Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP or SVdP or SSVP) is an international vol ...
) and most of the colleges, along with some residential areas merged with those of Charnay-lès-Mâcon, the Hospital of Mâcon and the historic working class area of Mâcon,''Bioux''.


Flacé

Formerly an independent commune, Flacé-lès-Mâcon was re-attached to Mâcon in 1965. It is now a residential area with a very prominent village atmosphere.


Associated communes


Loché

Loché is an associated commune of Mâcon. The fusion-association dates from 1972. Mâcon Loché-TGV station is in this wine-producing village.


Saint-Jean-le-Priche

Saint-Jean-le-Priche is an associated commune of Mâcon. The merging association dates from 1972.


Sennecé-lès-Mâcon

Sennecé-lès-Mâcon is an associated commune of Mâcon. The merging association dates from 1972.


Wine

The area west and north of Mâcon produces well-known wines from the
Chardonnay Chardonnay (, , ) is a green-skinned grape variety used in the production of white wine. The variety originated in the Burgundy wine region of eastern France, but is now grown wherever wine is produced, from England to New Zealand. For new ...
grape. The best known appellation of the Mâconnais is
Pouilly-Fuissé Pouilly-Fuissé () is an '' appellation'' (AOC) for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion of Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. Pouilly-Fuissé has Chardonnay as t ...
.


Tourism

In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, you can see: * The Arboretum de Pézanin, one of the richest tree collections in France, near Mâcon, * The Rock of Solutré, *
Cluny abbey Cluny Abbey (; , formerly also ''Cluni'' or ''Clugny''; ) is a former Benedictine monastery in Cluny, Saône-et-Loire, France. It was dedicated to Saint Peter. The abbey was constructed in the Romanesque architectural style, with three churc ...
of vast size and complex elevations and its medieval city of small proportions. * Charolles and its breed of cattle, "le boeuf charolais". * Paray-le-Monial with its church modelled as a smaller version of Cluny abbey, cloistered garden, basilica, museum and ornate town hall.


Economy

*
Viticulture Viticulture (from the Latin word for ''vine'') or winegrowing (wine growing) is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. It is a branch of the science of horticulture. While the native territory of ''Vitis vinifera'', the common grape vine, ran ...
and maturing * Industrial River Port *
Metallurgy Metallurgy is a domain of materials science and engineering that studies the physical and chemical behavior of metallic elements, their inter-metallic compounds, and their mixtures, which are known as alloys. Metallurgy encompasses both the sci ...
* Logistics and road transport * Boating Mâcon holds the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Saône-et-Loire, which manages the river port of Mâcon through Aproport, the Automotive Training Center (CFA Automobile) and the Mâcon-Charnay airport. The headquarters for the Chamber of Agriculture of Saône-et-Loire is also based in Mâcon.


Culture

The "Eté frappé" Festival, a free art and music festival, takes place every summer from June to August all over the town (notably on the
Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
esplanade alongside the river Saône) featuring many concerts of a wide range of musical styles (classical, French song, jazz, rock, folk, hip-hop, rap), many shows (dance, comedy), open air film shows, open air plays, sporting events. In 2011, 48.000 people attended the festival. Every year in July, the Crescent Jazz Club holds a jazz festival during three days (as part of the "Eté frappé" Festival) featuring international jazz musicians.


Sports and leisure

Mâcon has 73 clubs with 55 organisations, 40 different sports to play, and members of a sports association (42% of the population). It was elected the most sportive town in France in 2001. * The A.S Mâcon rugby club is now progressing to 'Fédérale 1' (the third division in the rugby union club championship). They reached the highest level in 1987–1988 (ASM appeared in the Pool league with Biarritz Olympique's
Serge Blanco Serge Blanco (born 31 August 1958) is a former rugby union footballer who played fullback for Biarritz Olympique and the French national side, gaining 93 caps, 81 of them at fullback. His alternative position was wing. He was generally nickna ...
, the US Dax, Montpellier Hérault RC Montpellier and Lavelanet). * The rowing club (the Régates Mâconnaises) is a leading sport clubs in the town. Each year it organises several major events (regional, national championships) and sends many of its rowers to the biggest competitions. Similarly, each year, the Stade Nautique Mâconnais sends swimmers to the France N1 swimming championships. * A motor boating Grand Prix is held annually in late September (part of the speed championship of France in categories S2000 and S3000). * The Municipal Band of Mâcon. * The Mâcon Academy is extensive and nationally recognised. * Ski club and barefoot in Mâcon *
UF Mâconnais Union du Football Mâconnais is a football club located in Mâcon, France. They play in Championnat National 3, the fifth tier of French football. The club's president is Alain Griezmann, the father of professional footballer Antoine Griezmann. ...
is the football club of Mâcon. It was the first club of footballer Antoine Griezmann.


Notable people

* Jean-Baptiste Drouet (1763–1824), revolutionary who died in Mâcon. * Claude-Philibert Barthelot de Rambuteau (1781–1869), politician * Pierre Boitard (1789–1859), botanist and geologist *
Alphonse de Lamartine Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine (; 21 October 179028 February 1869), was a French author, poet, and statesman who was instrumental in the foundation of the Second Republic and the continuation of the Tricolore as the flag of France. ...
(1790-1869), writer, poet and politician. *
Antonio Damirón Antonio Damirón (1794–1875) was a French-Venezuelan printer. Damirón was born in Mâcon, France and established a printing business in Venezuela, where he lived the rest of his life. He is considered to be one of the leading printers in Vene ...
(1794-1875), French-Venezuelan printer * Antoinette Henriette Clémence Robert (1797–1872), writer of poetry, stage plays and short stories. *
Alfred Lacroix Antoine François Alfred Lacroix (4 February 186312 March 1948) was a French mineralogist and geologist. He was born in Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire. Education Lacroix completed a D. s Sc. in Paris in 1889, as student of Ferdinand André Fouqué ...
(1863–1948), geologist and mineralogist. *
Georges Lecomte Georges Lecomte (9 July 1867 – 27 August 1958) was a French novelist and playwright, who also wrote literary, historical and artistic studies. Lecomte was born in Mâcon, Saône-et-Loire. In 1924 he was elected to the Académie française, of ...
(1867–1958), writer, novelist and playwright *
Georges Duby Georges Duby (7 October 1919 – 3 December 1996) was a French historian who specialised in the social and economic history of the Middle Ages. He ranks among the most influential medieval historians of the twentieth century and was one of Franc ...
(1919–1996), historian of the social and economic history of the
Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
. * Alain Digbeu (born 1975), basketball player * Antoine Griezmann (born 1991), football player *
Marine Lorphelin Marine Lorphelin (born 16 March 1993) is a French model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss France 2013 on 8 December 2012, representing the region of Burgundy and then represented France at Miss World 2013 and placed 1st runner up ...
(born 1993), Miss France 2013 and 1st Runner-Up to Miss World 2013, was born and raised in Mâcon


In popular culture

*'' The Baby of Mâcon'' is a 1993 film directed by
Peter Greenaway Peter Greenaway, (born 5 April 1942) is a Welsh film director, screenwriter and artist. His films are noted for the distinct influence of Renaissance and Baroque painting, and Flemish painting in particular. Common traits in his films are t ...
. *Mâcon is the hometown of petulant waitress Jessica ( Cécile de France) in '' Avenue Montaigne'', Danièle Thompson's 2006 film.


International relations

Mâcon is
twinned Twinning (making a twin of) may refer to: * In biology and agriculture, producing two offspring (i.e., twins) at a time, or having a tendency to do so; * Twin towns and sister cities, towns and cities involved in town twinning * Twinning inst ...
with: * Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany, since 26 June 1956 * Overijse, Belgium, since 28 August 1960 * Macon, United States, since 1972 *
Lecco Lecco (, , ; lmo, label= Lecchese, Lècch ) is a city of 48,131 inhabitants in Lombardy, northern Italy, north of Milan. It lies at the end of the south-eastern branch of Lake Como (the branch is named ''Branch of Lecco'' / ''Ramo di Lecco'') ...
, Italy, since 12 May 1973 * Alcázar de San Juan, Spain, since 15 March 1980 *
Eger Eger ( , ; ; also known by other alternative names) is the county seat of Heves County, and the second largest city in Northern Hungary (after Miskolc). A city with county rights. Eger is best known for its castle, thermal baths, baroque bu ...
, Hungary, since 11 May 1985 * Pori, Finland, since 11 May 1990 * Santo Tirso, Portugal, since 20 June 1992


Culinary specialties

* Mâcon's sugary specialties are a
cake Cake is a flour confection made from flour, sugar, and other ingredients, and is usually baked. In their oldest forms, cakes were modifications of bread, but cakes now cover a wide range of preparations that can be simple or elaborate, ...
made of meringue and filled with butter cream named "l'idéal mâconnais", and a sugary pâtisserie made of a very thin cigarette-shaped waffle named "la gaufrette mâconnaise" ("gaufrette" meaning "little waffle" in
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
). * Mâcon is surrounded by a vineyard of acres which produces 49 million bottles of wine including the famous crus like Saint-Véran or
Pouilly-Fuissé Pouilly-Fuissé () is an '' appellation'' (AOC) for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion of Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. Pouilly-Fuissé has Chardonnay as t ...
. * West of Mâcon, there is the Charolais area famous for its white-coated cattle. * East of Mâcon, on the other side of the
Saône river The Saône ( , ; frp, Sona; lat, Arar) is a river in eastern France. It is a right tributary of the Rhône, rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department and joining the Rhône in Lyon, at the southern end of the Presqu'île. The name deri ...
, there is
Bresse Bresse () is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Bourgogne-Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term ''Bresse'' has two meanings: ''Bresse bourguignonne'' (or ''louhannaise''), whi ...
, famous for its white poultry, the only ones to have received an
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical bo ...
(AOC) stamp.


Bibliography

* Pierre Goujon (éd.), ''Histoire de Mâcon'', Toulouse, 2000. It consists of: ** Jean Combier, "De la préhistoire aux Burgondes", pp. 17–44 ** Alain Guerreau, "Mâcon, 380–1239 : la cité épiscopale", pp. 45–79 ** Isabelle Vernus, "Prospérités et affrontements, 1239–1600", pp. 81–112 ** Christine Lamarre, "De l'époque classique aux transformations révolutionnaires. La ville classique des XVIIme et XVIIIme siècles", pp. 113–139 ** Jean-François Garmier, "L'Essor et les transformations de la ville (17me – 19me siècles)", pp. 141–154 ** Pierre Lévêque, "Au temps de Lamartine", pp. 155–196 ** Pierre Goujon, "Mâcon dans la deuxième moitié du 19me siècle : une ville en symbiose avec sa région ", pp. 197–238 ** Lucien Delpeuch, "Une ville moyenne face aux défis du 20me siècle : Mâcon de 1914 à 1945", pp. 219–263 ** Annie Bleton-Ruget et Nicole Commerçon, "Mâcon, une ville moyenne ordinaire?", pp. 265–300. **


See also

* Ancient Diocese of Mâcon * Burgundy wine *
Communes of the Saône-et-Loire department The following is a list of the 565 communes of the Saône-et-Loire department of France. The communes cooperate in the following intercommunalities (as of 2020):Tourist office

Mâcon library
{{DEFAULTSORT:Macon Communes of Saône-et-Loire Prefectures in France Aedui Gallia Lugdunensis Burgundy