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

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. It endured three sieges in the 15th and 16th centuries. The town walls were taken down early in the 19th century.

Population

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.

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 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%	Year Pop. ±% 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%
Graphs are unavailable due to technical issues. There is more info on Phabricator and on MediaWiki.org.
Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968-2017)

Economy

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

Transport

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.

Buildings

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.

Sport

FC Villefranche Beaujolais is based in the town.

Notable people

• Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881–1955), Jesuit priest and scientist, attended school here in 1892–1897
• Maurice Baquet (1911–2005), actor and cellist
• François Picard (1921–1996), racing driver
• Christian Lavieille (born 1965), racing driver
• Benjamin Biolay (born 1973), singer, songwriter and musician
• Coralie Clément (born 1978), singer
• Grégory Bettiol (born 1986), footballer

Twin towns – sister cities

Villefranche-sur-Saône is twinned with:

• Bertinoro, Italy
• Bühl, Germany
• Călărași District, Moldova
• Kandi, Benin
• Schkeuditz, Germany

See also

• Communes of the Rhône department