Saône, river, 268 mi (431 km) long, rising in the Vosges Mts. near Épinal, E France, and flowing SW past Gray, Chalon-sur-Saône, and Mâcon to join the Rhône River at Lyons. An important transportation link between Paris and Marseilles, it is connected by canals to the Moselle, Marne, Yonne, and Loire rivers. Because of its even and gentle flow, the Saône carries more traffic than the Rhône. There are famous vineyards along its course.

The Saône (son) (Sona in Arpitan) is a river of eastern France. It is a right tributary of the River Rhône (Rôno in Arpitan, Ròse in Occitan). Rising at Vioménil in the Vosges department, it joins the Rhône in Lyon (Liyon).

Départements - and major cities - traversed:

• Vosges (88) - Monthureux-sur-Saône
• Haute-Saône (70) - Gray
• Côte-d'Or (21) - Auxonne
• Saône-et-Loire (71) - Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, Mâcon
• Rhône (69) - Villefranche-sur-Saône, Caluire-et-Cuire, Lyon
• Ain (01) - Thoissey, Trévoux

Note: the names of two of these départements include that of the river.

Main tributaries, Right Bank (R) and Left Bank (L), downstream:

• Ognon (L) at Perrigny-sur-l'Ognon
• Tille (R) at Les Maillys
• Ouche (R) at Saint-Jean-de-Losne
• Doubs (L) at Verdun-sur-le-Doubs (in which flows the Loue)
• Dheune (R) at Allerey-sur-Saône
• Grosne (R) at Marnay
• Seille (L) at La Truchère
• Reyssouze (L) at Reyssouze
• Veyle (L) after Pont-de-Veyle
• Chalaronne (L) at Thoissey
• Morgon (R) at Villefranche-sur-Saône
• Azergues (R) at Anse (in which flows the Brévenne)

The name Saône derives from that of the Gallic river goddess Souconna. However, the recorded ancient name of the river was Arar.

References

• http://www.geoportail.fr
• The Saône at the Sandre database

External links

• Waterways in France
• Saone.org : French cruising river