Bourbon-Lancy
Bourbon-Lancy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in eastern France. It is a rural town on the river Loire with a walled medieval area on the dominant hill. It has an authentic medieval belfry, wooden frame houses and fortifications which date from 1495. Geography. The commune is located primarily on the right bank of the Loire, the river running through the far west corner of its territory. History. Situated in Burgundy on the road from Paris to Lyon, and on the Loire River, the city's history  spans well over 2000 years. Bourbon-Lancy is a spa town with thermal springs which have been known since Roman times, when it was known as "Aquae Bormonis" and enjoyed great prosperity. In the Middle Ages, Bourbon-Lancy was an important stronghold and a fief of the Bourbon family, and its suffix is derived from the name of a member of the family. Cardinal Richelieu, Madame de Sévigné, James II of England, Catherine de Medici and other celebrated people visited the thermal springs in the 17th and 18th centuries. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, it was a center  for the manufacture of agricultural machinery. Toponymy. The name "Bourbon" is derived from the name of the Gallic and Italic god Borvo and signifies "bubbling" or "boiling", referring to the thermal hot springs in the town. Sights. Bourbon-Lancy has some of the most well-preserved medieval structures in Saône-et-Loire: The church of the Sacred Heart is an impressive example of nineteenth-century architecture. The museums and casino also deserve a visit: