Press kit · department 71

Saône-et-Loire.

Every town in the department ranked on each criterion, ready to be reused. Each town is compared with French towns of the same size tier — a market town is never measured against a major city. Free to reuse, including commercially, on the sole condition that you credit La Grande Carte with a link to this page.

8 rankings 17 towns ranked Public data · Licence Ouverte (Etalab)

Cite this page

La Grande Carte, “Press kit — Saône-et-Loire (71)”, https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/saone-et-loire-71 (accessed 28 September 2026).

<a href="https://lagrandecarte.fr/en/presse/saone-et-loire-71">Saône-et-Loire press kit — La Grande Carte</a>

01.

Safest cities.

Low crime, rare assaults, few burglaries, downward trend — data from the French Ministry of Interior

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Creusot	Mid-size cities	20,536	1 / 3	37 / 470
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	1 / 14	292 / 1747
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	2 / 14	296 / 1747
Autun	Small cities	13,144	3 / 14	497 / 1747
Saint-Marcel	Small cities	6,211	4 / 14	694 / 1747
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	5 / 14	696 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	6 / 14	822 / 1747
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	7 / 14	880 / 1747
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	8 / 14	917 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	2 / 3	278 / 470

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	14 / 14	1730 / 1747
Louhans	Small cities	6,483	13 / 14	1673 / 1747
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	12 / 14	1604 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	11 / 14	1364 / 1747
Montceau-les-Mines	Small cities	16,946	10 / 14	1343 / 1747

Both tables are sorted by national rank within the size tier, the only measure that is comparable between a small town and a large city. The department rank is read within the same tier: a town that is the only one of its size in the department is therefore automatically ranked 1 of 1.

Full national ranking: Safest cities.

02.

Best environmental quality.

Compliant drinking water, far from nuclear plants, low radon, low seismic risk, balanced soils, no major hazard

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	1 / 14	185 / 1747
Autun	Small cities	13,144	2 / 14	210 / 1747
Creusot	Mid-size cities	20,536	1 / 3	100 / 470
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	2 / 3	106 / 470
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	3 / 14	404 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	4 / 14	484 / 1747
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	5 / 14	504 / 1747
Gueugnon	Small cities	6,547	6 / 14	522 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	3 / 3	167 / 470
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	7 / 14	678 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	14 / 14	1276 / 1747
Louhans	Small cities	6,483	13 / 14	1177 / 1747
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	12 / 14	1141 / 1747
Saint-Marcel	Small cities	6,211	11 / 14	1086 / 1747
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	10 / 14	1072 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best environmental quality.

03.

Best cities for health.

Access to GPs (APL), hospitals and specialists, drinking water quality, radon and nuclear exposure

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	1 / 3	32 / 470
Autun	Small cities	13,144	1 / 14	154 / 1747
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	2 / 14	206 / 1747
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	3 / 14	300 / 1747
Montceau-les-Mines	Small cities	16,946	4 / 14	356 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	2 / 3	109 / 470
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	5 / 14	510 / 1747
Louhans	Small cities	6,483	6 / 14	562 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	7 / 14	706 / 1747
Gueugnon	Small cities	6,547	8 / 14	780 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	14 / 14	1388 / 1747
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	13 / 14	1362 / 1747
Saint-Marcel	Small cities	6,211	12 / 14	1329 / 1747
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	11 / 14	1318 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	10 / 14	1059 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for health.

04.

Best cities for families.

Schools and nurseries, safety, doctors, sport and culture, shops, fibre internet — everything to raise kids well

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	1 / 14	145 / 1747
Gueugnon	Small cities	6,547	2 / 14	224 / 1747
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	3 / 14	295 / 1747
Autun	Small cities	13,144	4 / 14	314 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	1 / 3	100 / 470
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	5 / 14	387 / 1747
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	2 / 3	119 / 470
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	6 / 14	460 / 1747
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	7 / 14	476 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	8 / 14	586 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best cities for families.

05.

Most dynamic cities.

Growing population, rising incomes, falling unemployment, strong municipal investment, recent housing

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Saint-Marcel	Small cities	6,211	1 / 14	210 / 1747
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	2 / 14	567 / 1747
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	1 / 3	172 / 470
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	3 / 14	680 / 1747
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	4 / 14	852 / 1747
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	5 / 14	1068 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	2 / 3	297 / 470
Louhans	Small cities	6,483	6 / 14	1145 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	7 / 14	1183 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	8 / 14	1206 / 1747

Full national ranking: Most dynamic cities.

06.

Best quality of life.

Overall synthesis: amenities, safety, doctors, incomes, fibre, nearby nature, healthy water, low unemployment

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	1 / 14	358 / 1747
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	1 / 3	137 / 470
Creusot	Mid-size cities	20,536	2 / 3	178 / 470
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	3 / 3	189 / 470
Autun	Small cities	13,144	2 / 14	819 / 1747
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	3 / 14	891 / 1747
Louhans	Small cities	6,483	4 / 14	970 / 1747
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	5 / 14	996 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	6 / 14	1087 / 1747
Gueugnon	Small cities	6,547	7 / 14	1094 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	14 / 14	1378 / 1747
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	13 / 14	1283 / 1747
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	12 / 14	1257 / 1747
Montceau-les-Mines	Small cities	16,946	11 / 14	1219 / 1747
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	10 / 14	1187 / 1747

Full national ranking: Best quality of life.

07.

Best-managed municipalities.

Positive operating balance, controlled debt, strong investment, reasonable property tax rate

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Tournus	Small cities	5,702	1 / 14	94 / 1747
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	2 / 14	157 / 1747
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	3 / 14	336 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	4 / 14	358 / 1747
Saint-Marcel	Small cities	6,211	5 / 14	413 / 1747
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	6 / 14	463 / 1747
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	7 / 14	474 / 1747
Saint-Rémy	Small cities	6,476	8 / 14	512 / 1747
Autun	Small cities	13,144	9 / 14	836 / 1747
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	10 / 14	964 / 1747

Lowest-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Montceau-les-Mines	Small cities	16,946	14 / 14	1693 / 1747
Chalon-sur-Saône	Mid-size cities	44,592	3 / 3	412 / 470
Charnay-lès-Mâcon	Small cities	8,154	13 / 14	1268 / 1747
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	2 / 3	337 / 470
Creusot	Mid-size cities	20,536	1 / 3	336 / 470

Full national ranking: Best-managed municipalities.

08.

Preserved nature & environment.

National parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000, regional parks, far from nuclear, no major risks — preserved France

Top-ranked in the department

Town	Size tier	Population	Rank in its tier · Department	Rank in its tier · France
Autun	Small cities	13,144	1 / 14	176 / 1747
Creusot	Mid-size cities	20,536	1 / 3	56 / 470
Saint-Vallier	Small cities	8,508	2 / 14	441 / 1747
Chagny	Small cities	5,402	3 / 14	491 / 1747
Blanzy	Small cities	5,983	4 / 14	533 / 1747
Mâcon	Mid-size cities	34,759	2 / 3	146 / 470
Digoin	Small cities	7,380	5 / 14	566 / 1747
Gueugnon	Small cities	6,547	6 / 14	646 / 1747
Paray-le-Monial	Small cities	9,256	7 / 14	665 / 1747
Châtenoy-le-Royal	Small cities	6,205	8 / 14	926 / 1747

Full national ranking: Preserved nature & environment.

Method and limits

What these tables say — and what they don’t.

Scores are composite: each criterion carries a published weight, shown under each national ranking.
Towns are ranked within a population tier (5,000–20,000, 20,000–100,000, over 100,000 inhabitants). Towns under 5,000 inhabitants are not ranked.
A town missing the data for a criterion is left out of that ranking, never ranked last by default.
This is not a league table of lived quality of life: these figures reflect the public data available, with its blind spots and publication delays.
Crime figures are offences recorded by the police and the gendarmerie: they depend on whether victims report them and on how present the services are.

Sources, data years and weightings: About page. A question, a figure that looks wrong to you, a request for a custom breakdown — contact@lagrandecarte.fr.