Bourbon-Lancy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France.

Bourbon-Lancy
Medieval center
Medieval center
Coat of arms of Bourbon-Lancy
Location of Bourbon-Lancy
Map
Bourbon-Lancy is located in France
Bourbon-Lancy
Bourbon-Lancy
Bourbon-Lancy is located in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
Bourbon-Lancy
Bourbon-Lancy
Coordinates: 46°37′13″N 3°46′27″E / 46.6203°N 3.7742°E / 46.6203; 3.7742
CountryFrance
RegionBourgogne-Franche-Comté
DepartmentSaône-et-Loire
ArrondissementCharolles
CantonDigoin
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Edith Gueugneau[1]
Area
1
55.73 km2 (21.52 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
4,663
 • Density84/km2 (220/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
71047 /71140
Elevation202–346 m (663–1,135 ft)
(avg. 240 m or 790 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is a rural town on the river Loire with a walled medieval area on the dominant hill. It has an authentic medieval belfry, wooden frame houses and fortifications which date from 1495.

Geography

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The commune is located primarily on the right bank of the Loire, the river running through the far west corner of its territory.

History

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Situated in Burgundy on the road from Paris to Lyon, and on the Loire River, the city's history spans well over 2000 years. Bourbon-Lancy is a spa town with thermal springs which have been known since Roman times, when it was known as Aquae Bormonis and enjoyed great prosperity. In the Middle Ages, Bourbon-Lancy was an important stronghold and a fief of the Bourbon family, and its suffix is derived from the name of a member of the family.

Cardinal Richelieu, Madame de Sévigné, James II of England, Catherine de Medici and other celebrated people visited the thermal springs in the 17th and 18th centuries.[3]

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a center for the manufacture of agricultural machinery.

Toponymy

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The name Bourbon is derived from the name of the Gallic and Italic god Borvo and signifies bubbling or boiling, referring to the thermal hot springs in the town.

Population

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Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1968 6,263—    
1975 6,640+0.84%
1982 6,507−0.29%
1990 6,178−0.65%
1999 5,634−1.02%
2007 5,401−0.53%
2012 5,187−0.81%
2017 4,927−1.02%
Source: INSEE[4]

Industry

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Sights

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Bourbon-Lancy has some of the most well-preserved medieval structures in Saône-et-Loire:

  • Musée Saint Nazaire – housed in the 11th century Saint Nazaire Church - artifacts from ancient & modern Bourbon-Lancy
  • Medieval center – shops, restaurants and an inn
  • Thermal spas

The church of the Sacred Heart is an impressive example of nineteenth-century architecture.

The museums and casino also deserve a visit:

  • Musée du Breuil
  • Musée de la Machine Agricole Puzenat et des outils du bois
  • Le Casino De Bourbon-Lancy
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Church of Saint Nazaire
 
Medieval walls of Bourbon-Lancy
 
Eglise du Sacré Coeur

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. ^   One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domainChisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bourbon-Lancy". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 4 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 328–329.
  4. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
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