town, Rhône département, Rhône-Alpes région, east-central France, located 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the Saône River. Founded in the 12th century, the town became the capital of the Beaujolais district. After enduring three sieges in the 15th and 16th centuries, the town walls were finally dismantled early in the 19th century. An important wine-trading centre, Villefranche-sur-Saône has metallurgical, textile, and chemical industries. The Autoroute du Sud, running along the right bank of the Saône, skirts the town to the east. Pop. (1999) 30,647; (2005 est.) 31,200.