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In the Northeast of Auvergne, in the heart of the Allier and Bourbonnais area, the land of the Dukes of Bourbon, the ancestral home of eight of the last Kings of France, welcomes art and history lovers. Water, humble and salutary, floods this land of prosperous history with its blessings.
Vichy, declared the “Queen of the Water Towns” at the beginning of the 20th century, is truly the emblematic spa town.
Many famous people, including Madame de Sévigné and Napoléon III, came to this elegant city to treat their stomach ailments. In this ‘Cambridge of the Auvergne’, the spas are found alongside quiet private mansions.
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The Grand Casino is a reminder of the lively “Belle Époque”. The Parc des Sources, laid out under a decree issued by Napoléon I, is located at the heart of the spa life and its entertainments. Further north, just a few kilometres from the Forest of Tronçais, Bourbon-l’Archambault is another famous town. Its waters are recommended for treating rheumatism. This spa town flourished in the 17th century. Distinguished “curistes” (notably the Sun King’s mistress) came to take the water and were very much at home here. |
A visit to Bourbon-l’Archambault is also a trip into the history of the Bourbons. The ruins of the medieval fortress, founded by the first Lords of Bourbon, continue to bear witness to them.
Three towers and the ramparts of the château remain. The visitor will be amazed by the “Qui Qu’en Grogne” tower, raised by Louis II to look over the town.
 The second essential stop in the footsteps of the Bourbons is Souvigny.
Here you will find the most moving memorial of the Dukes. Louis II and his wife, Anne of Auvergne, lie in a chapel of Saint-Pierre priory. Souvigny is also known for its Bible, a masterpiece of medieval art in the Bourbonnais region.
Lastly, to close this evocation of seven centuries of their reign over the centre of France, you must visit Moulins, capital of the Dukes of Bourbon.
Today, all that remains of the palace built by Archambault is a square tower called “La Mal Coiffée”, the Dukes’ private chapel and Anne de Beaujeu’s Pavilion, now an art and archaeology museum.
   
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