Roger Vailland in Meillonnas (Ain (01))

Roger Vailland (1907-65), who won the Goncourt with La Loi in 1957, lived in Meillonnas with his wife Elisabeth from 1954 to 1965. The notice outside his house calls him one of the important figures of surrealism, the Resistance, communism and literature. The house they lived in is now called 'Rue Roger Vailland'. His grave is in the local cemetery and is almost anonymous, inundated by vegetation.

Guétali in Meillonnas (Ain (01))

This pavilion is usually found not in France but on the island of Réunion in the Pacific. It's a guétali, which in creole means 'Regarde-le' ('Look at it' (or him)). It used to stand elsewhere in the village but was moved as it was disturbing traffic. What seems to be missing here is what this structure, which allows people to see out without others seeing in, is doing in Meillonnas.

Ivan Avoscan in Meillonnas (Ain (01))

Ivan Avoscan (born 1928) was another sculptor friend of Roger Vailland's, living and working in Balleure-Etrigny. The artwork is called Fleur de pierre, in Buxy stone and completed in 1970.

Costa Coulentianos in Meillonnas (Ain (01))

Costa Coulentianas (1918-95) was a sculptor and a friend of Roger Vailland. He worked and lived in Meillonnas from 1961 to 1966.

Frescoes in Meillonnas (Ain (01))

With the Chapelle Saint-Esprit, the Chapelle Notre-Dame is the oldest part of L'Église St Oyen, dating from the 13th and 14th centuries. The curé Charvet discovered the frescoes in the chapels on 1897, whose style, themes and techniques evoke the Italian Renaissance. The Chapelle Notre-Dame has by far the most well preserved frescoes, photos of which I show below.