Collégiale Notre-Dame

Chalon-sur-Saône is a river town on the Saône, in the Saône-et-Loire department of Burgundy, and the church described here is a collegiate church, a kind of church served by a chapter of canons rather than by a bishop. Precise facts about this particular building are hard to confirm, and the town's best-documented church is the Église Saint-Vincent, which is the former cathedral. Visitors should therefore treat the details below as an outline of the setting, and check on the spot what the church actually shows.

What can be said with confidence concerns the town. Chalon stands on an important crossing of the Saône, a navigable river that has linked northern and southern France since Roman times, and the town grew rich as a river port and trading centre. The quays, known as the Quais de Saône, are a pleasant place for a walk, with views of the water, the bridges and the Île Saint-Laurent, an island that once held an old hospital. Behind the quays, the old town keeps narrow streets, timber-framed houses and small squares where markets are still held.

Chalon has an important place in the history of photography. Nicéphore Niépce, who produced the first permanent photographic image in the 1820s, was born in the town in 1765, and the Musée Nicéphore Niépce in Chalon is dedicated to the history of the medium. The Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie, in a former Ursuline convent, holds local archaeology, including finds from the Saône, as well as paintings. The Hôtel de Ville, the Marché de Chalon and the surrounding streets give a feel of an everyday Burgundian town rather than a heritage showpiece.

In July the town hosts a large street-theatre festival, Chalon dans la Rue, which fills the squares and streets with performers and visitors, and it is worth knowing when planning a visit since the old town becomes much busier.

For a church visit, go in a spirit of discovery: look at the stonework, the windows and any carved details, and ask at the tourist office for the opening times of churches, since many close for lunch or on certain days. A wander through the quays and the old centre can be done in an afternoon, and it combines easily with the museums. It suits curious walkers and anyone who likes quiet, lived-in towns.