The Chalaronne winds its last few kilometres towards the Saône past Saint-Étienne-sur-Chalaronne, a quiet village of brick and timber houses at the western edge of the Dombes. Here the plateau of ponds slopes down to the broad Saône valley, and the landscape becomes a mix of meadows, woods and fields, with the hills of the Beaujolais rising on the other side of the river.
The village is small and peaceful, with a church and a few farms, and it gives a good sense of rural life in the Ain. The houses in this area are often built of pisé, rammed earth, or with brick and wooden frames, a traditional style adapted to a region with little stone. The Saône floodplain nearby is a haven for birds, especially in winter and spring, when the meadows flood and attract ducks, waders and storks.
As for the riding, it is relaxed. The roads are flat or gently rolling, linking villages through fields and woods, with very little traffic. They are a pleasant way to cross from the Dombes to the Saône valley and the Beaujolais. Watch for tractors and for the occasional sharp bend at a farm corner. In the morning, mist often hangs over the river and the meadows, creating beautiful light for photographs.
Saint-Étienne-sur-Chalaronne has few services, so fuel and food are best found in Thoissey, a small town on the Saône, or Châtillon-sur-Chalaronne, a short ride east. Across the river, the vineyards of the Beaujolais are an inviting prospect, and the bridges at Thoissey or Belleville provide easy access. After this stop the ride continues east towards the Lac du Bourget and the mountains of Savoy.