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Bourbonnais

Cradle of Kings

Château de la Palice © Rémy Lacroix / CDT 03

The Bourbonnais, straddling the départements of Allier and part of the Cher in central France, is the historic cradle of the grandest dynasty of European royalty. Eight French Bourbon kings occupied the throne of France over several centuries, from the ascent of Henri IV, the son of Duke Antoine de Bourbon and the queen of Navarre, in 1589, through the last French king, Louis-Phillippe, who reigned until the monarchy was abolished in 1848. Louis XVI, whose reign (and stature) were summarily curtailed by the French Revolution in 1793, was perhaps the least successful monarch in this succession, but the dynasty in its heyday was the most powerful duchy in France, exploiting its strategic position against English Aquitaine and the Duchy of Burgundy, with at least 17 mighty castles and hundreds of imposing manoirs ranged across the country, and extending into Spain and Luxembourg, where Bourbon descendents still occupy the highest throne: King Juan Carlos of Spain and Duke Henri of Luxembourg.

Bourbonnais Moulins 2
Moulins from the Allier River © Joël Damase / CDT 03

This rich history is in evidence throughout the Allier, with a great variety of wonderful sites open to the public in and around its principal towns, and throughout its magical countryside. The Cluniac monastery at Souvigny, just west of Moulins, was built on land donated in 915 by Aymard, the oldest Bourbon family ancestor, and is the largest Romanesque complex in the Bourbonnais, and has an interesting museum. It became an important site of pilgrimage and the religious capital of the region, as well as the burial place for many important members of the Bourbons. Not to be missed as well is the fortress at Bourbon – l’Archambault, perched on a rocky hilltop just a bit further west. This was the residence of the Dukes of Bourbon in the early days of their ascendancy, before they took up power in Moulins. It boasted fifteen mighty towers, but was mostly demolished after the Revolution. It has been partially restored and refurbished, and a resident exhibition gives a vivid impression of medieval life.

Bourbonnais Moulins 1 Moulins, which the Bourbons made their seat of power in the 15th century, nestles along the banks of the Allier River, and is full of evidence of that influential period in its art and architecture. The Anne de Beaujeu Museum, in a former Bourbon castle, houses a permanent collection of paintings, sculptures, and ceramics. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is home to one of the most important Gothic painting in France: the Triptych of the Master of Moulins. This masterpiece, by an unknown artist, dates from around 1500, and was declared a National Historic Monument in 1898; its three panels were reunited in the 19th century, and incorporate portraits of the work’s Bourbon patrons, flanking a radiant Madonna and Child. Moulins also offers two interesting museums, the National Centre for Stage Costume, and an Illustration Centre, and the Bourbonrama is a unique way to discover the area and its history: 5 itineraries between 60 and 90km take you around the principal sites accompanied by downloadable MP3 guidebooks exploring the saga of the Bourbons.

Bourbonnais Vichy Palais des Congres
Vichy, Palais des Congrès, Opéra © Jérôme Mondière / CDT 03

Upriver from Moulins is the famous thermal spa of Vichy, famous for “Vichy water”, but also associated with a dark chapter in France’s history. The Armistice at Rethondes, signed on 22 June 1940, marked the end of the German offensive in France and effectively divided the country into two: occupied northern France, and “free” southern France. The boundary went through the Allier département and Moulins, and Vichy was eventually chosen to be the capital for the new government. More happy associations however are evoked by its Belle Epoque mansions and villas, and the town, known to the Romans centuries ago as Vicus Acquis Calidis, is world-famous for its spa facilities and treatments. The Vichy Opera, known as the “French Bayreuth”, is also renowned; there are guided visits, evening guided walks, and in July and August a series of concerts, children’s activities, and other performances known as “Summer Thursdays” bring the evenings to life.

Château de Montluçon © Rémy Lacroix / CDT 03

Montluçon, on the site of an 11th century fortress, is overlooked by a Bourbon castle built in 1370 by William, the son of Archimbaud IV of Bourbon. It was renovated by Louis II, and now houses a Museum of Popular Music. Montluçon’s medieval past is preserved in its half-timbered houses and Romanesque churches, especially in the St-Pierre district. It was the heart of the local steel industry from the end of the 18th century, facilitated by the opening of the Berry canal. There are arts festivals in the castle, and the Medieval Festival of the Dukes of Bourbon is held every year.

Château de Billy © Rémy Lacroix / CDT 03

The Allier landscape is strewn with Romanesque churches and medieval fortresses and villages, notably at Hérisson, the Château de Busset, and the 11th century village/château of Billy. The Val d’Allier Nature Reserve, run by the Office National des Fôrets (04 70 44 46 29) offers signposted walks throughout its 1450 hectares south of Moulins, with a large bird sanctuary with some rare and remarkable species. The Fôret de Tronçais encompasses 11,000 hectares of rich forestland, with some exceptional individual centuries-old trees, including the Sentinelle oak from 1580. Wood from the forest was used to fuel the Montluçon iron industry, and there are signposted walks throughout, visiting sites of human habitation going back two millenia. The Montagnes Bourbonnaises, formed by the Bois Noirs and the Mont de la Madeleine between the valleys of the Allier and the Loire, is an area rich in unspoilt countryside, with walking trails and panoramic views from Puy de Montoncel, its highest point at 1287m.

Château de Busset © Rémy Lacroix / CDT 03

Other interesting discoveries dot the region: the prehistoric site near Châtelperron, discovered in 1867, with its audiovisual presentation “Prehistorama”; the Buddhist statue and pagoda at Noyant d’Allier, erected in the 1950s by a community of descendents of French and Vietnamese after the end of the first Indochina War, and the world’s largest ball-and-water clock at Lavoine.

Forêt de Tronçais © Franck Lechenet / CDT 03