Lons-le-Saunier can be explored through a range of themes: the history of salt, houses with biographical connections, art and collections, thermal baths, and green routes. When planning a stay, one simple question can help: should the focus be on the city’s history and culture, its salt-rich water, or a route through the Vallière Valley? The city offers different starting points for each, without requiring a fixed itinerary for everyone.
Salt History and Thermal Baths
Puits-Salé marks the original site of the town of Lons-le-Saunier. In the past, naturally emerging brine was evaporated there to produce salt. This place therefore centers on the historic use of brine. The Thermes Valvital have been drawing on the benefits of salt-rich water since 1892. Together, these two themes show different connections to salt: historic salt production and the thermal offering.
Biographical Traces and City History
The Maison de La Vache qui rit stands at the site where the brand was founded in 1921. The Maison Rouget de Lisle is located in the apartment where Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisle was born in 1760; since 2011, it has held the “Maison des Illustres” designation. Both houses bring history to life in specific places: one tells the story of a brand’s origins, the other has a biographical connection to a well-known figure.
Rue des Arcades also offers a vivid glimpse into the city’s history. It preserves more than 140 arcades and a tradition of commerce dating back to the Middle Ages. The Musée des Beaux-Arts presents archaeological and natural history collections in temporary exhibitions; the specific exhibitions on offer change. In Lons-le-Saunier, architectural and commercial city history thus sit alongside collections whose contents change with each exhibition.
Green Routes and Getting Around
The Voie PLM is a green route through the Vallière Valley. It follows the former Paris–Lyon–Méditerranée railway line between Lons-le-Saunier and the Lake District. This route offers a different experience from the city’s historic attractions: it takes you along a former railway line through a valley. Check current route and access conditions before setting out.
The Parc des Bains offers another green perspective, with rare tree species from all five continents growing there. The Archistoire smartphone app is also available for walks around Lons-le-Saunier: it offers immersive, geolocated tours that can be accessed at any time. The park and the app offer different perspectives—one focuses on tree species, the other on navigating and discovering the city.
Planning a Market Visit and Finding Accommodation
The Grand marché du jeudi is scheduled as a food market on Place de Verdun on Thursday mornings. If you would like to include the market in your travel plans, check the date before your trip. The difference between it and Archistoire is also useful when planning your time: the app tours are available at any time, while the market is held on Thursday mornings.
These themes offer different perspectives on Lons-le-Saunier and can help you decide which interests to prioritize on your trip.
Discover more destinations: Tancua, Sampans, Châteauneuf, Bletterans, La Pesse, Le Fied, Cosges, Chille.
For the broader travel guide: Jura.
