On the map, this is a remote, hill-top village; but in practice it is on the main tourist road between Lons and Lac de Chalain, and so although the prospect is grand, the traffic can be a little busy. The land rises to almost 800m to the west, giving stunning views across the Ain valley to the upper pastures and the mountains beyond. The lakes shimmer blue and gold.

Chatillon has a shop and a bar, and the hilly road widens out into something like of a square, although it appears to be used for nothing except parking. A footpath leads off to the top of the col - again, stunning views. I was disappointed that this is one of only two churches in the Jura so far that I have found locked without a keyholder, although it may well be that there is a key at the nearby Mairie. From the outside, the church appears very like other simple 17th century village churches in the area, with a blind apse and tiled roof, except that a rather grand 19th century portico has been added to the west end,and an unlikely parapet has replaced the cupola. It all appears as if it was vying for a place on some anonymous urban back street, and while I admired it for being different I didn't particularly warm to it.

On the road to Doucier there is a crossing of the pretty river Ain, with a superb restaurant beside it. On the road to Blye there is a lovely old railway station, now a private house. I thought how much I would like to live in it.

Saint-Valerie, Chatillon, is beside the main road through the village, opposite the bar. Chatillon sits on the main D39 road between Lons and Lac de Chalain.