L’Allier, my own Dolce Vita

Allier, in the north of Auvergne is a territory marked by the epic of Bourbons. More than 570 castles, cities of atmosphere and villages of character, Romanic churches; Renaissance, Art Nouveau or Art deco architectures and places of interest as the The National Center of Costume and Scenography, Paléopolis, the castle of La Palice and Souvigny , without forgetting the local gastronomy. Remarkable natural spaces as the rural Val of Sioule, the peaceful Bocage Bourbonnais, the majestic forest of Tronçais, the surprising Bourbonnais mountains and the wild Valley of Allier; plans of water and rivers are some of the many grounds of adventure and fun: on foot, on horseback or by bicycle without forgetting to keep fit in one of the three thermal spas as in Vichy, the queen of health resorts.

Must dans l' Allier

• The forest of Tronçais, the most beautiful oak grove of Europe
• The nature reserve of the Valley of Allier, the last wild river of Europe
• Vichy, the queen of health resorts
• Moulins, the pearl of the Bourbons
• The National Center of Costume and Scenography, the most beautiful « wardrobe » of the world.

Le Grand Café & Coco Chanel Registered on the inventory of historic monuments, Le Grand Café on place d’Allier in Moulins, has preserved its 1899s Art Nouveau’s decoration : the woodwork, the mirrors which are infinitely reflected, the clock…The charm of the place is also explained by its history. In the 1900s, this old café-théâtre would have seen a young Moulinoise, a needle woman, who was there to decorate the stage while waiting for the artists to return. Gabrielle Chanel sang then « Who has seen Coco in the Trocadero? ». This nickname stayed with her.