The town is in the heart of the Revermont region, at the foot of the first plateau of the Jura massif. The Jura escarpment extends to the east and south, while to the west lies the plain of Bresse and to the north extensive vineyards.
The river Vallière runs through the town, rising in a typical Jura blind valley not far away, at Revigny. It has been conduited since the 1960s on grounds of hygiene, since sewage outlets run into it. A small section remains in the open air near the parc des Bains, and only a single bridge (the pont de la Guiche) remains.
The town is approximately equally placed between Besançon, Dijon, Bourg-en-Bresse and Geneva, though the last of these lies on the other side of the Jura massif. It is served by the A39 autoroute, by which Dijon can be reached in about an hour and Lyon in an hour and a half. The town's railway station lies on the line from Strasbourg to Lyon.
The wine-growing region to the north of the town is particularly well known, and includes the vintages of l'Etoile, Château-Chalon and Arbois.
The Jura escarpment to the south and east is a popular tourist region, with its attractions including the lakes of Chalain, Clairvaux and Vouglans (at Lect, Jura), and mountain resorts such as Prénovel and Les Rousses.
In terms of area, Lons-le-Saunier is the second smallest prefectural town in France, after Bobigny.
History
The brine springs of Lons-le-Saunier have been exploited since the Neolithic.[4] In the 19th century thermal baths were established, of which the monumental Thermes Lédonia have been preserved.[5] In the 19th century there were copper and iron foundries, and a trade in horses, cattle, grain, cheese, etc.[6]
Population
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1793
6,740
—
1800
6,041
−1.55%
1806
7,314
+3.24%
1821
7,796
+0.43%
1831
7,918
+0.16%
1836
7,684
−0.60%
1841
8,565
+2.19%
1846
8,781
+0.50%
1851
9,410
+1.39%
1856
9,456
+0.10%
1861
9,862
+0.84%
1866
9,943
+0.16%
1872
10,701
+1.23%
1876
11,391
+1.57%
1881
12,373
+1.67%
1886
12,290
−0.13%
1891
12,610
+0.52%
1896
12,116
−0.80%
Year
Pop.
±% p.a.
1901
12,935
+1.32%
1906
13,133
+0.30%
1911
13,927
+1.18%
1921
13,152
−0.57%
1926
12,651
−0.77%
1931
14,101
+2.19%
1936
14,661
+0.78%
1946
15,568
+0.60%
1954
15,030
−0.44%
1962
15,924
+0.72%
1968
18,769
+2.78%
1975
20,942
+1.58%
1982
20,105
−0.58%
1990
19,144
−0.61%
1999
18,483
−0.39%
2007
18,075
−0.28%
2012
17,353
−0.81%
2017
17,291
−0.07%
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