Discover What to see and do in Allier, Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, a secret part of France with stunning countryside, unspoiled medieval villages and a spa town fit for an Emperor.
Where in France can you find a majestic wild river, the nation’s largest collections of musical instruments and stage costumes, medieval and Belle Époque towns, orchards and vineyards, rolling green countryside criss-crossed by hedges and punctuated by majestic oak-trees, lovingly restored villages unspoilt by modern housing developments, a UNESCO World Heritage site and, despite all this, no crowds?
Far from the Madding Crowd in Allier
The answer is the Allier department (named for the river) bang in the country’s geographical centre. It has three main towns: Montluçon with an industrial past, medieval Moulins and Vichy the spa town. The department is small: Moulins and Vichy are only 48 km apart while Montluçon lies about an hour’s drive from both.
Montluçon
A good starting point is Montluçon which sits in a shallow meander of the Allier’s quieter river, the Cher. Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, fortified the town in the Middle Ages, building four city gates and restoring the church of Notre Dame and the castle (which is closed to the public). Today the city walls have all but disappeared, but the horseshoe-shaped Boulevard de Courtais marks their emplacement.
From its perch, the Château des Ducs de Bourbon overlooks pedestrianised cobbled streets lined with slightly dilapidated half-timbered and stone houses. Next to the warm yellow stones of Notre-Dame de Montluçon church on the eponymous square is a startling modern building “you either love or hate,” my guide laughed. Designed by Philippe Tixier, the MuPop Music Museum was inaugurated in 2013.
This imaginatively curated museum is home to France’s largest collection of musical instruments from the 18th century on. The audio-guide – which is essential – allows you to listen to a selection of these instruments.
From Montluçon drive to Moulins through some lovely landscape of small fields fringed by hedges and studded with majestic oaks.
Info symbol montlucon-tourisme.fr
Moulins
Moulins lies on the east bank of the Allier river, the principal tributary of the Loire. One of Europe’s few remaining wild rivers, its unconstrained bed allows it to meander where it pleases. The many windmills, watermills and boat mills that used to dot the hillsides and riverbanks and gave the town its name, have long gone. But on the west bank there’s a beach and swimming area, a playground, a camping ground for up to 90 campervans. and the beginning of the 5km long Sentier des Castors pedestrian route. This is also where you can rent a bicycle to discover the Via Allier, a 9km traffic-free route that runs along the riverbank from Chavennes to Bressolles with Moulins at the midway point.
In the nearby Quartier Villars, a late 18th century former barracks, you’ll be transported into the colourful and joyous world of the Paris Opera, the Comédie française, the Bibliothèque nationale and other major French theatres. In 2006 the National Centre for Costume and Theatrical Design (Centre national du costume et de la scène or CNCS) was installed here to conserve and exhibit their costumes. There are currently over 10,000 in storage.
Visitors can also learn how scenery and props are designed and made, even trying a bit of hands-on painting themselves.
Before heading back to the Allier’s east bank and Moulins’ historic city centre enjoy the view of its four 19th century spires which appear either to all belong to one building or distinctly to Notre-Dame-de-l’Annonciation cathedral and to the Sacré-Coeur church to its fore and left.
Just behind the latter lies the triangular-shaped Place d’Allier where you can follow in the footsteps of Gabrielle Chanel, aka Coco Chanel, (who used to live in Moulins helping her seamstress sister) by pausing in the Grand Café: it’s been here since 1899 and its décor, a sort of baroque Art Nouveau, has remained intact.
Every 15 minutes the Jacquemart Tower’s 4-tonne bell tolls: Jacqueline and Jacquelin, the automaton “children”, strike the 15, 30 and 45 minutes past the hour while the “parents”, Jacquemart and Jacquette, strike the hours… 24/7!
Info symbol moulins-tourisme.com
Vichy
Vichy is one of the 11 Great Spas of Europe which in July 2021 were jointly awarded a UNESCO World Heritage label. Like the 10 others, Vichy was – and still is to a certain degree – a place where people come seeking curative and therapeutic effects from its waters.
Vichy developed largely thanks to Emperor Napoleon III (1808-1873) who came five times to treat his renal colic. The train station, street lay-out, and casino were all built on his orders. There’s an eclectic mix of Anglo-Norman, Swiss, colonial, Flemish Renaissance, Art Nouveau and Gothic revival homes along the Allier river built for wealthy members of his retinue.
In the 1930s some 130,000 people a year came to Vichy for a cure. Today the number has shrunk to about 7,000 because doctor prescribed cure stays for French citizens are now less common – and you need to see a spa doctor for many of the programmes. But there are plenty of spa and wellness treatments on offer, and drinking water from five of the nine sources is free and available at several difference places. At the Hall of Sources there are slightly different tastes: Chomel, Grande Grille, Hôpital and Lucas – one decidedly sulphury, one really salty (“not salt, bicarbonate of sodium” my guide corrected me), and the others…. mmeh! Water from the Celestins source (950m south of the Hall of Sources) is the one that’s most neutral and sold bottled the world over.
I would never have entered the austere, reinforced concrete Notre Dame des Malades church (aka Saint Blaise), built between 1925 and 1956, without my guide. What a mistake that would have been! Inside it’s an explosion of colours from the slender lapis-lazuli columns to the strong red, blues and greens of the stained-glass windows via the shimmering gold of the mosaics.
The 1903 Vichy Opera House is the only one in Europe with a yellow, ivory and white colour scheme.
Info: vichymonamour.fr
Charroux
For a rural change head to Charroux, 30 km west of Vichy, and the only village in the Allier department to bear the “Most Beautiful Villages in France” (Plus Beaux Villages de France) label. It’s remarkable not only thanks to its medieval stone buildings, grassy village square and city gates but because 25 of its 360 inhabitants are artisans including “Des Mots d’Emaux” where Nathalie Floch enamels on lava; “Safran de Charroux” where you can learn about growing, harvesting and using saffron; “Terres de Couleurs” where ceramicist Nathalie Nyault works at her potter’s wheel and “Moutarde de Charroux” mustard makers.
En route to Charroux via the D37 you’ll drive under the Rouzat railway viaduct built by Eiffel (yes, he of the tower) but designed by Wilhelm Nördling, which soars 59m above the river Sioule.
How to get there: You can travel to Vichy from Paris by train from 3 hours. You can also travel between the towns by train or bus.
More information: allier-auvergne-tourisme.com
Christina McKenzie is a Franco-British journalist who writes in both English and French. Married to a Frenchman, she settled 30 years ago near Fontainebleau.
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