Yet Another Historic and Picturesque French Village.

Everyone who doesn’t want to hear about the above topic again may skip this one.  Warning! You will miss lots of actual historic information and gorgeous pictures.

For the final car trip of our stay, we picked the lovely village of Chatillon-sur-Chalarone.  We chose it because it has real historic significance, because it’s only about an hour away, and because it is extremely scenic.  The weather was again perfect – 75 degrees, light breeze, a few clouds to add interest.

Church and Town

We checked in at the central Tourist Office that most small towns have and picked up a map giving the locations and descriptions of the town’s attractions.  We should also mention that the office was staffed by the usual extremely competent and helpful women.

What makes this village historically significant?  It is the place where, early in his career, St Vincent DePaul [1581-1660] first began to dedicate his life and ministry to helping the poor.  The rooms where he lived are preserved here, there is a statute of him, and the village obviously is quite proud of its role in the saint’s spiritual mission.

Chatillon also has a gothic church from the 13^th century and a covered farmers’ market, still actively used, originally built in the 15^th century.  Additionally, it was a fortified village, with extensive walls and gates, and the ruins of an imposing walled château on the hill above the town.

Front of Church w/Street Market

Stained Glass and Altar

Covered Market and Church

Ruins of Hilltop Fortification

Old Village Gate

Chalarone River w/Flowers and Restaurant to Right

As an additional connection, one of the main streets is named for Owen Johnson, an American Army officer who lived with and assisted the local resistance for a year and was named an honorary citizen of the town.

Owen Johnson Memorial

Unusual for a small town like this, it has a huge central square, used for parking, and, the morning we were there, a huge sidewalk sale and flea market.  For a small town of about 5000 people, there exists an extremely lively commercial and social scene.

 

After taking in many of the sites, we opted for lunch outside at a small restaurant that appeared to focus mainly on grilled fare, influenced by both African and South American cuisine.   We both had beef brochettes, very nicely done, with a bottle of very good Givry from just down the Chalarone river in Bourgogne.

Lunch Restaurant

It's amazing how fast the year has gone - we're already planning a possible return visit next spring.