# Saône

> river of France

**Wikidata**: [Q187834](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q187834)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saône)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sa-ne

## Summary
The Saône is a major river in France that flows through the eastern part of the country, serving as a critical geographic and administrative boundary for numerous communes and departments. It is the namesake for the French departments of Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire, as well as the water deity Souconna in local mythology. The river's course defines the location of dozens of towns, including Chalon-sur-Saône, Villefranche-sur-Saône, and Lyon's metropolis, acting as a central artery for regional development.

## Key Facts
- **Entity Type**: River (larger natural watercourse) in France.
- **Country**: France.
- **Mythological Association**: Linked to the water deity Souconna.
- **Departments Named After River**: Haute-Saône (inception: March 4, 1790) and Saône-et-Loire (inception: March 4, 1790).
- **Major Communes Located Along the River**:
  - **Vosges**: Châtillon-sur-Saône, Monthureux-sur-Saône.
  - **Haute-Saône**: Motey-sur-Saône (former commune), Rupt-sur-Saône, Ray-sur-Saône, Scey-sur-Saône-et-Saint-Albin, Port-sur-Saône.
  - **Côte-d'Or**: Laperrière-sur-Saône, Charrey-sur-Saône, Auvillars-sur-Saône, Lamarche-sur-Saône, Saint-Symphorien-sur-Saône, Pouilly-sur-Saône, Heuilley-sur-Saône, Maxilly-sur-Saône, Pontailler-sur-Saône.
  - **Ain**: Cormoranche-sur-Saône, Montmerle-sur-Saône, Peyzieux-sur-Saône, Messimy-sur-Saône, Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône, Asnières-sur-Saône.
  - **Metropolis of Lyon**: Neuville-sur-Saône, Fleurieu-sur-Saône, Albigny-sur-Saône, Rochetaillée-sur-Saône.
  - **Saône-et-Loire**: Bragny-sur-Saône, Allerey-sur-Saône, Chalon-sur-Saône.
  - **Rhône**: Villefranche-sur-Saône.
- **Coordinates**: Multiple points recorded including latitude 45.72833333/longitude 4.81861111, latitude 48.092/longitude 6.1796, and latitude 45.7246/longitude 4.8191.
- **Wikipedia Title**: Saône.
- **Sitelink Count**: 67 distinct Wikipedia articles link to this entity.
- **Aliases**: Saone.

## FAQs
**What is the historical significance of the departments named after the Saône?**
The departments of Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire were both established on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution's administrative reorganization. Their creation formalized the river's role as a defining geographic feature for regional governance in eastern France.

**Which water deity is associated with the Saône River?**
The river is historically linked to Souconna, a water deity recognized in local mythology. This connection highlights the river's cultural and spiritual importance beyond its physical utility.

**How many communes are directly named after the Saône River?**
There are over thirty communes in France that include "sur-Saône" in their official names, indicating their location along the river's banks. These range from former communes like Motey-sur-Saône to major urban centers like Chalon-sur-Saône and Villefranche-sur-Saône.

**What are the geographic coordinates associated with the Saône?**
The river is associated with several coordinate points reflecting its length and course, including 45.72833333° N, 4.81861111° E; 48.092° N, 6.1796° E; and 45.7246° N, 4.8191° E. These points likely mark specific sections or confluences along the waterway.

## Why It Matters
The Saône is a foundational element of the geography and administrative history of eastern France. Its presence dictated the formation of two major departments, Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire, in 1790, embedding the river into the political map of the nation. The river serves as a unifying geographic thread for a vast network of communes, from the Vosges mountains to the metropolis of Lyon, facilitating trade, transport, and community identity. Culturally, it holds mythological significance through its association with the deity Souconna, while economically and socially, it supports the development of dozens of towns that rely on its banks for their existence and naming.

## Notable For
- **Administrative Naming**: Serving as the namesake for two French departments (Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire) created in 1790.
- **Mythological Heritage**: Being the domain of the water deity Souconna.
- **Communal Density**: Supporting a high concentration of communes with "sur-Saône" in their titles, including major hubs like Chalon-sur-Saône and Villefranche-sur-Saône.
- **Geographic Span**: Traversing multiple departments including Vosges, Haute-Saône, Côte-d'Or, Ain, Saône-et-Loire, and the Metropolis of Lyon.
- **Historical Continuity**: Maintaining a presence in French geography from ancient mythology to modern administrative divisions.

## Body

### Geographic and Administrative Overview
The Saône is a significant river located in France, classified as a larger natural watercourse. It flows through the eastern regions of the country, acting as a central geographic feature for several departments. The river's influence is so profound that it lends its name to the departments of Haute-Saône and Saône-et-Loire, both of which were established on March 4, 1790. The country of France encompasses the entire course of the river. The river is also associated with specific geographic coordinates, including latitude 45.72833333 and longitude 4.81861111, as well as latitude 48.092 and longitude 6.1796, and latitude 45.7246 and longitude 4.8191.

### Mythological and Cultural Connections
Beyond its physical presence, the Saône holds cultural significance in French mythology. It is linked to Souconna, a water deity. This association underscores the river's historical role as a spiritual and cultural landmark for the populations living along its banks. The entity "Saône" has a Wikipedia title of "Saône" and an alias of "Saone," reflecting its recognition in digital knowledge bases with a sitelink count of 67.

### Communes Along the Saône
The river serves as a defining boundary and location marker for numerous communes across France. These settlements are distributed across various departments:

**Vosges Department**
- **Châtillon-sur-Saône**: A commune in the Vosges department.
- **Monthureux-sur-Saône**: Another commune located in the Vosges.

**Haute-Saône Department**
- **Motey-sur-Saône**: A former commune in Haute-Saône.
- **Rupt-sur-Saône**: A commune in Haute-Saône.
- **Ray-sur-Saône**: A commune in Haute-Saône.
- **Scey-sur-Saône-et-Saint-Albin**: A commune in Haute-Saône.
- **Port-sur-Saône**: A commune in Haute-Saône.

**Côte-d'Or Department**
- **Laperrière-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Charrey-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Auvillars-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Lamarche-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Saint-Symphorien-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Pouilly-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Heuilley-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Maxilly-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.
- **Pontailler-sur-Saône**: A commune in Côte-d'Or.

**Ain Department**
- **Cormoranche-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.
- **Montmerle-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.
- **Peyzieux-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.
- **Messimy-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.
- **Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.
- **Asnières-sur-Saône**: A commune in Ain.

**Metropolis of Lyon**
- **Neuville-sur-Saône**: A commune within the metropolis of Lyon.
- **Fleurieu-sur-Saône**: A commune within the metropolis of Lyon.
- **Albigny-sur-Saône**: A commune within the metropolis of Lyon.
- **Rochetaillée-sur-Saône**: A commune within the metropolis of Lyon.

**Saône-et-Loire Department**
- **Bragny-sur-Saône**: A commune in Saône-et-Loire.
- **Allerey-sur-Saône**: A commune in Saône-et-Loire.
- **Chalon-sur-Saône**: A major commune in Saône-et-Loire, known for its historical significance and population of approximately 45,000.

**Rhône Department**
- **Villefranche-sur-Saône**: A commune in the Rhône department.

### Departmental Context
The river's course is integral to the identity of the departments it traverses or borders.
- **Haute-Saône**: Created on March 4, 1790, this department is located in the country of France.
- **Saône-et-Loire**: Also created on March 4, 1790, this department shares its name with the river and the neighboring department.
- **Rhône**: Home to the commune of Villefranche-sur-Saône.
- **Côte-d'Or**: Hosts a significant number of "sur-Saône" communes, including Laperrière, Charrey, and Auvillars.
- **Ain**: Contains several communes along the river, such as Cormoranche and Montmerle.
- **Vosges**: The source region includes communes like Châtillon-sur-Saône and Monthureux-sur-Saône.

### Data and Metadata
The entity "Saône" is cataloged with specific metadata in knowledge bases. It has a sitelink count of 67, indicating its prominence in Wikipedia and related projects. The structured properties include multiple coordinate sets, reflecting the river's extensive length and the various points of interest along its path. The description "river of France" is the primary identifier used in Wikidata. The alias "Saone" is also recognized, likely due to diacritic variations in search and indexing.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013