Port-Sur-Saône lies on the banks of the Saône and combines river activities with culture and nature. At the Port de plaisance, houseboats that do not require a licence are available to rent for two to twelve people on the Saône. Check rental conditions and seasonal availability before your trip. This means choosing a base for your trip is about more than just accommodation: you can also decide whether exploring the river by houseboat, a leisure route or a focus on cultural history is what matters most to you.
The Saône, routes and different scales
The Rives de Saône route follows a former towpath that has been adapted for leisure activities. You can cover its nearly 80 kilometres on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. These three options give the route a clear place in your travel plans if being active is important during your stay. At nearly 80 kilometres, it is on a different scale from the only branch of the Bief de Port-sur-Saône, which is about two kilometres long and runs along the town. The lengths represent two different scales: the extensive leisure route and the short branch alongside the town.
Nature by the water
By the marina is the Parc à daims, a woodland park of about seven hectares where several families of fallow deer live. The harbour and park offer different attractions and are right next to each other: houseboats are rented at the Port de plaisance, while the woodland park next door is a natural highlight. About 20 protected bird species are also found in the Saône at Port-Sur-Saône. Fishing offers another way to enjoy the river: the Saône is suitable for fishing for carp, pike, zander and perch. The nature-related activities are easy to distinguish: the woodland park and fallow deer, the birdlife of the Saône, and fishing as a specific activity.
Bridges, a church and a chapel
The Grand Pont has 13 arches. The Pont de Port-sur-Saône was rebuilt between 1750 and 1758 to replace an earlier bridge and is still used as a road bridge. The architecture of the Église Saint-Étienne is defined by three naves of equal height and six bays. The Chapelle Saint-Valère adds a change in use to the history of the buildings: it was rebuilt in 1845, deconsecrated in 1996 and subsequently converted into a cultural space. Its architectural features thus sit alongside the chapel’s later cultural use. For those interested in cultural history, the layout of a church interior and the transformation from a sacred to a cultural space are two distinct topics.
A summer cultural highlight
The Spectacles du Monde festival has been held every summer for more than 30 years, offering an experience of cultures from different countries. It provides a recurring seasonal highlight alongside the town’s architectural and usage history. If you want to plan your trip around the festival, check the dates for your intended visit. This lets you make attending the event a focus of your travel plans, rather than treating it as interchangeable with the year-round attractions of the river, nature and architecture.
Discover more destinations: Savoyeux, Miellin, Faucogney-Et-La-Mer, Brotte-lès-Ray, Oricourt, Châteney, Raddon-Et-Chapendu, Fresse.
For the regional travel overview: Haute-Saône.
