Construction of the terminal XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1850)
Period of construction under the Old Regime.
31 octobre 1939
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 31 octobre 1939 (≈ 1939)
Registration by official order.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Borne-colonne located at the crossroads of R.N. 6 and 481 : inscription by order of 31 October 1939
Origin and history
The Chagny Columbus is an ancient road terminal of the Ancien Régime, built in the 18th century. It is located at the crossroads of the Tuilery, at the intersection of the old national road 6 (N6) and the departmental road 981 (D981). This monument marked the crossing of two major roads: the first-class road n°1 between Paris and Lyon via Arnay, Chalon and Mâcon, and road n°21 leading to Dijon and Champagne via Beaune and Nuits. It also indicated the directions of Charolles (by Givry and Joncy) and Cluny (by Buxy and Saint-Boil).
The column, now fragmentary, has inscriptions whose distances and directions have been enhanced with golden paint to facilitate reading. Although this intervention alters its original aesthetic, it keeps the readability of historical information. The boundary was classified as historic monuments by order of 31 October 1939, thereby recognizing its heritage value.
Located in Chagny, Saône-et-Loire, this terminal testifies to the organization of the road networks under the Ancien Régime. These columns served both as a landmark for travellers and as a symbol of royal authority, marking the strategic axes of the kingdom. Their location reflected the growing importance of land movements and trade at that time, in a region at the time marked by wine and craft activities.
