Introduction

Biography

Charles stu­died theo­lo­gy at the Free School of Lau­sanne.

While stu­dy­ing in Lau­sanne, he en­thu­si­ast­ic­al­ly wore the white cap of the Schweiz­er­ischer Zo­fing­er­ver­ein, one of the old­est and most tra­di­tion­al stu­dent so­cie­ties (Stu­dent­en­ver­bin­dung) in Switz­er­land. While a me­dic­al stu­dent at the Uni­ver­si­ty of Ba­sel, fu­ture psy­chia­trist Carl G. Jung was a mem­ber of the same so­ci­ety, be­com­ing pre­si­dent of the Ba­sel chapter in the win­ter se­mes­ter of 1897–98.

In 1858, Cha­te­la­nat was or­dained by the Free Church in the Can­ton of Vaud. He suc­cess­ive­ly served as in­ter­im pas­tor at Sa­vig­ny and Baulmes, then pas­tor at Échall­ens (1862–63), Aigle (1872–80) and Cor­si­er (1880–85).

He is per­haps best re­mem­bered as the au­thor of the French lyr­ics for the Swiss na­tion­al an­them (Sur Nos Monts Quand le So­leil), around 1853. The State Coun­cil of Vaud award­ed him a me­dal for that work.