Do you love Burgundy but can’t decide where to live in this beautiful region? Discover the Saône-et-Loire department and all the great things it has to offer for expats.
If you are someone who loves a good glass of wine, a culinary experience, lovely nature and vineyards, small villages where you get the impression that time is standing still, culture and history, Saône-et-Loire might just be the perfect place to settle down.
Saône-et-Loire is a beautiful part of France and is centrally located, meaning it has good connections throughout the country and the rest of Europe. It has a good climate, rolling countryside, and hundreds of villages with nice restaurants, terraces, and weekly markets.
Here’s what you need to know about living in Saône-et-Loire before you move.
Where to live in Saône-et-Loire
There are six large cities in the department: Mâcon, Chalon-sur-Saône, Paray-le-Monial, Montceau-les-Mines, Le Creusot, and Autun. Importantly, it means city amenities and conveniences are never too far away.
The most attractive are perhaps Mâcon, Chalon-sur-Saône, and Autun. They have a lot of history to discover, great shops, still retain the warmth and coziness of a village, and, once again, lovely restaurants. Yes, you have to like food and wine when you live here; otherwise, it’s just a shame!
Here is a short overview of the most popular expat locations in the area:
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is the beating heart of Saône-et-Loire, brimming with cultural events, art galleries, and a charming old town along the Saône River. It's a lively and busy place, and property prices are very reasonable. For example, you could buy a two-bedroom apartment in the historic center for around €160,000, or if you’re looking for more space, a four-bedroom family home in a quiet suburb might cost around €250,000.
Mâcon
Nestled along the river and surrounded by vineyards, Mâcon offers a relaxed lifestyle with easy access to the famous wine regions of Burgundy and Beaujolais. The town is loved for its scenic views and welcoming community. Property here is moderately priced—a charming three-bedroom townhouse close to the river could be yours for around €210,000, while a spacious five-bedroom villa with a garden on the outskirts might cost closer to €350,000.
Autun
With its Roman history and medieval architecture, Autun is a history lover’s dream. It’s a peaceful town surrounded by stunning countryside, making it a perfect spot if you are after more reflective lifestyle. Property is very affordable—you could buy a quaint two-bedroom stone cottage in the town center for around €130,000, or a larger four-bedroom farmhouse with land for around €220,000, offering plenty of space and charm for nature lovers.
Tournus
Famous for its gourmet dining and Romanesque architecture, Tournus offers a delightful blend of riverside living and French village charm. It's all about slowing down, relaxing, building a sense of community, and being present. Property prices are attractive—you might find a three-bedroom house with a garden near the river for around €180,000, or if you’re seeking something smaller, a two-bedroom apartment in the historic center could be yours for €140,000.
Cluny
Cluny’s medieval streets and impressive abbey make it feel like a step back in time. Another ideal spot if you appreciate history, peace, and a strong sense of community. Property prices here are quite reasonable—a three-bedroom stone cottage with countryside views might cost around €200,000, or if you’re looking for something larger, a five-bedroom home with a garden could go for about €280,000.
Le Creusot
Le Creusot offers modern amenities with a touch of history, making it a practical choice for expats seeking affordable living. Properties are budget-friendly—a three-bedroom house in a quiet residential area could cost around €150,000, while a smaller two-bedroom apartment close to shops and amenities might go for around €120,000. The town has good transport connections to Dijon and Lyon.
Climate and weather in Saône-et-Loire
One of the best things about living in Saône-et-Loire is that the climate is so pleasant.
We still have our seasons, so yes, it does get colder in the winter, and it does get warmer in the summer, but it’s never too much compared to other regions in France.
In the winter, it can freeze, and if you are lucky, you might see some snowflakes, but it doesn’t happen often.
The summer is just perfect, with nice and warm temperatures during the day, but the best thing is that the nights cool down.
So, even if you have a house with no air-conditioning, you just have to open your windows in the evening and nice fresh air will cool down your house. If you buy an old house with thick stone walls, you won’t even feel the heat during the day.
You will love spring the best! The temperatures during the day are between 20 and 25 degrees, dropping down to a pleasant cool in the evening. You also can’t ignore how beautiful nature is during this period. Everything is green and blooming, and of course, the vines start growing.
Expat community
Burgundy, in general, and Saône-et-Loire, in particular, is developing as one of the favorite spots in France for expats.
There are a lot of nationalities here: English, American, Dutch, Danish, Belgian, and Swiss. And expats always manage to find each other!
There are quite a lot of Burgundy Facebook groups where expats can get to know each other.
The easiest way to make friends, however, is just to go and have a drink in the local bar. Or even better, introduce yourself at the local bakery, and you will soon be given a list of other foreigners living nearby.
Travel links
Living in Saône-et-Loire means being in a perfect spot for easy travel everywhere you would like to go.
The highway from north to south passes by. You can take the TGV (France’s intercity high-speed rail service) in two cities, Mâcon and Le Creusot, and be in the center of Paris in 90 minutes.
The nearest airport is Lyon, which is only an hour’s drive. However, the drive to Geneva airport is certainly worth the extra time.
Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and Luxembourg are a four-hour drive away.
And if you want some warmer temperatures during a winter weekend, it will take you only four to five hours to get to the south of France.
Public transportation
The public transport here might not be as developed as you are used to at home.
In small villages in the countryside, there isn’t even public transport, and you will first have to drive to get to a bus or train station.
This highlights one of the most important points about living in Saône-et-Loire - you really do need a car!
Cultural adaptation - it's all about food
Fancy a local breakfast? Here is your croissant and pain au chocolat with a cup of coffee, and that’s about it. The French love their sweet breakfast, so don’t expect ham, cheese, or a nice boiled egg.
Lunch is an important meal here – cafes and restaurants open for lunch between 12 and 2 and then shut until the next important meal, dinner.
Don’t count on getting dinner before 7 pm, and even at this time, you might find yourself alone in a restaurant, as locals won’t start arriving until 8 pm.
Meals cannot be rushed!
When you start making French friends, and they invite you to come and have a drink or meal at their place, don’t ever think it will be a quick affair.
First of all, there are two ‘apéro’ (aperitif) moments in a day. There can be one before lunch and one before dinner. The apéro can easily take about two hours before you even start to eat!
So, if you are invited for a Sunday lunch, don’t expect to be back at home before 6 pm.
It’s customary to bring something when you are invited; a nice bottle of wine or a Crémant de Bourgogne is always a good way to go, or you can make your own dessert.
Tips on how to enjoy local restaurants
Ok, so this is the real reason why we all want to live here: the food and the wine.
For starters, there are lots of restaurants here. Only really tiny villages don’t have one, but otherwise, you can find restaurants everywhere. They range from very affordable simple cafes to high-end Michelin-star restaurants.
You will find plenty of inexpensive (read cheap) restaurants here. They usually offer a ‘menu du jour’, which means that for about €20, you have a starter, main course, and dessert or cheese.
If you are lucky, they also throw in a glass of wine and a cup of coffee for the same price.
Of course, you have no choice in the menu, so you can’t be picky. You will be surrounded by sweaty ‘artisans’ (working men who take their lunch break here), and don’t expect a romantic and cozy atmosphere; they love their fluorescent lights in these places.
Although simple, the food is great, and it’s actually cheaper to go out for lunch every day than to stay in and cook for yourself.
The more ‘haut de gamme’ restaurants offer a higher quality of food and wine and often more ambiance and coziness.
You can use the Michelin guide to find these places.
The restaurants with the L’Assiette Michelin, or Michelin Plate, next to them are great. They have a really good quality of food, good service (but not too uptight), good wines, and affordable prices.
Then there are the Bib Gourmand Michelin restaurants; these ones have the best price/quality ratio, and the fixed menu prices do not exceed €45 for a starter, main course, and dessert.
As a treat, you can always have an extraordinary experience at one of the star restaurants. The best advice is to go for lunch on a weekday if you want the most affordable option. Some starred restaurants offer a 3-course menu for lunch on a weekday that will cost you between €40 and €60.
Real estate in Saône-et-Loire
One of the reasons expats choose Burgundy and Saône-et-Loire as their home is that the property prices are quite affordable here. Of course, it depends on the state of the house and the location, but you will almost always find attractively priced properties on offer.
The prices vary, but don’t be surprised when you see houses for sale starting at €35,000. Such houses are renovation projects. If this is what you want, make sure to collect all the required estimates for the work before signing the official deed of sale so that you know upfront what it would cost.
The average property price in Saone et Loire is €1,620 per square meter, which is pretty affordable. Although, in places like Macon, the prices are a bit higher than the average, at €1,745 per square meter.
A pro tip for finding your perfect property
There’s no centralized portal where you can look at all the properties for sale. So, you have four options.
1. Drive around the chosen area looking for properties for sale
It’s not rare for owners to try to sell their houses themselves without involving an estate agent. Very often, the only advertising they have for their property is a sign in the window. You have to drive around to find them.
2. Go to a real estate agent
Real estate agents only sell the properties they have on their books, which can be quite limited and doesn’t give you a chance to look at everything that’s for sale in the region.
3. See what notary offices offer
Properties can be sold through notary offices. The deal is the same as with estate agents – you will only see what they have at the moment.
4. Hire a property consultant
You can hire a specialist to do all the research for you. This is what I do. I help expats find the home of their dreams.
I do the search and all the preparations, make a shortlist for you, and then assist with the purchase to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible. After the purchase, if you wish, I can assist you with connecting utilities such as water and electricity.
Things to look out for when buying a property
Old and charming might mean a lot of work
If you are fond of old houses, you are in the right place. You will find plenty of them here. It’s part of the local charm.
However, be prepared to deal with the issues that commonly come with the old housing stock. Single-glazed windows are still often found in older houses. They might have no isolation, no central heating, and a roof that has to be replaced.
Often, older properties in smaller towns and villages are not connected to the sewage system. Instead, they have septic tanks. These tanks can be located outside or inside – anywhere possible.
After the new law the government introduced, there’s a big chance that you will have to replace your tank within one year of purchasing the house. Depending on the size and amount of work involved, you will be looking at somewhere between €5,000 and €15,000 for this.
Heating systems in old French houses can also be very different from what you are used to back in your home country. Sometimes, it’s just a fireplace or a single electric heater.
Central heating systems in older properties are usually powered by electricity, gas, or oil. The oil ones are often very dated and need replacing.
Don’t let all of this scare you off! French artisans know very well how to do this kind of work. Your task is to budget everything properly in advance.
Talk with the locals and expats before choosing your home
It is definitely worth talking with locals and expats before choosing a village to live in.
It’s easy to be charmed by a cute village with lots of history, but only the locals can tell you all the pros and cons of living there.
This raises an important point: do check if there is a bakery or a corner shop nearby. You might think that driving a little for your bread and milk every morning is not a bother, but the time will come when you realize it is. Having a shop within walking distance makes your life so much easier!
You can find more information on the property purchase process in our Complete Guide To Buying A Property In France.
Healthcare services
Saône-et-Loire is home to 22 healthcare facilities, including 17 public hospitals and five private clinics. Most of them are in major cities such as Mâcon, Autun, Chalon-sur-Saône, Charolles, and Louhans.
Smaller towns and rural areas have health centers and general practitioners dispersed throughout the region. Keep in mind that if you live in a rural village, you will most certainly need to travel to see a doctor.
For more detailed information, head to the official directory of healthcare services in Saône-et-Loire.
Health insurance
The French healthcare system operates under a form of social security coverage known as 'Couverture Maladie Universelle' (CMU). As long as you're a legal resident, you're entitled to this coverage. The insurance often covers up to 70% of your medical expenses, plus you may opt for a 'mutuelle' or top-up insurance to take care of the remaining charges.
You can find more details in our Health Insurance In France guide.
Pharmacies
You'll find pharmacies in virtually every town. They generally operate from 9 am to 12:30 pm and 2 pm to 7 pm. Closed on Sundays and sometimes Mondays, pharmacies follow a rotation system for emergency services, meaning at least one pharmacy is always open in an area.
A final word on living in Saône-et-Loire
The reason so many expats choose to live in Burgundy is obvious: it’s a beautiful part of France that’s easy to fall in love with. Saône-et-Loire, however, is the true heart of it. It gives you a unique feeling of peace and calm while being well-connected with the modern world.
No matter where in Burgundy you choose to live, if you have questions or need assistance with property purchase and relocation, let me know. I will gladly help you.
Other popular expat destinations in France to consider:
- What’s It Like Living In Brittany As An Expat
- The Insider Guide To Living In Paris As An Expat
- Discover What It’s Like Living In Toulouse As An Expat
- What Is It Like Living In Burgundy, France
- Living In Provence
- Living On The French Riviera
You might find helpful:
- Living In France Guide – everything you need to know to plan your move and settle down in France
- The Best Places to Live in France – a detailed overview of France’s most popular locations for expats.
- Opening A Bank Account In France As An Expat
- Healthcare In France For Expats
- Understanding International Health Insurance: A Comprehensive Guide
- Didn’t find what you were looking for or need further advice? Comment with your question below, and we will do our best to help.
