LONS-LE-SAUNIER

town, capital of Jura dpartement, Franche-Comt rgion, eastern France, south-southeast of Dijon. Located at 846 feet (258 m) above sea level in the valley of the Solvan, it is surrounded by vine-clad hills. It is a pleasant spa, owing its original Roman name, Salinarius, to the local salt mines. It manufactures optical instruments, cheese, and sparkling wines. The Church of Saint-Dsir has an 11th-century crypt. On the avenue called the Promenade de la Chevalerie there is a statue by Frdric-Auguste Bartholdi, the 19th-century French sculptor (who designed the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor), of Rouget de Lisle, a native of the town, who composed the French national anthem, La Marseillaise. The museum in the Htel de Ville has a collection of the composer's songs. Pop. (1982) 19,996.