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| Bourbonnais - Moulins (Departments 71 Saône-et-Loire & 03 Allier) |
| Water, water everywhere… two of the last ‘wild’rivers in Europe, lakes, canals and thermal spas; organic farming and outdoor pursuits, plus the seat of the Bourbon Dukes… |
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What you find within the Bourbonnais section
Property prices in the Bourbonnais area
.gif "Properties Bourbonnais - Lancy - Moulins BURGUNDY 4U France")
Accessibility
By road, Bourbon Lancy est à 4h (312 km) from Paris; 9 h 15 (814 km ) from Amsterdam and 8h 30 (709 km) from Cologne. Moulins is served by the A77 which is being improved all the time so the journey from Paris is 3hr 30 (300 km); from Amsterdam 8hr 45 (800 km) and from Cologne 9 hr (770km). By air, Limoges, Lyon and Paris airports are around 3 hrs drive. By rail there’s the super smart Corail Téoz train from Paris Gare de Lyon to Moulins-sur-Alliers on the Clermont Ferrand line.
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Worth discovering
Lovers of unsullied nature, this is for you. The Loire and Allier are often referred to as the last remaining ‘wild’ rivers of Europe; they are natural and non-commercialised. Add to that the small rivers and numerous lakes, the canals and open countryside, and you have a playground for fishermen, walkers, cyclists, riders, ornithologists, canoers and boating enthusiasts. |
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Digoin
Digoin, known as the ‘town of water’ is a boater’s haven. With a marina for 100 craft, here the Canal du Centre, Canal Latéral à Loire and Canal Roanne à Digoin converge. Probably the strongest visual image is that of the Pont-Canal, an aquaduct which crosses the Loire and joins the Canal du Centre with the Canal Latéral at a great height. Watch all the activity from the Observaloire centre on the bank or go on one of the river trips on offer from the Port de Plaisance. |
.jpg "Surroundings Bourbon-Lancy Burgundy France © Barbara vd Poel")
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Bourbon-Lancy
Like Digoin, Bourbon-Lancy is also a water town but this time it is due to the hot mineral springs which have brought wealth and well-being since the Gauls and Romans. The town is named after the Celtic god Borvo and the healing waters comes from four separate sources at temperatures consistently between 56 and 60 degrees C. At the top of the hill is the medieval town with its ramparts dating back to 1495, there is the little walled garden of the Collégiale, geranium clad windows and shady squares. It is small and charming with its half timbered houses, a choice of restaurants and many photo opportunities. Thanks to the large workforce at the FTP Powertrain factory on the outskirts of town, there is a prosperous youthful element to the boutiques in town ranging from decoration, to fashion and food.
The spa is at the bottom of the hill and if you want to relax and take the waters, head to Celtô, a recently opened well-being centre. Beyond this there is the casino with a new hotel adjoining, a large area of parkland with a smart well laid out campsite, large supermarket and the Plan d’eau du Breuil, a lake with watersports and good fishing.
Around Bourbon-Lancy there is a nine hole golf course at Givalois, and more good fishing on the Etangs de Givallois and the rivers Loire and Somme. Cyclists can enjoy the Voie Vert which will shortly continue on to Digoin, and there are plenty of opportunities for horse riding and walking in the area. The majestic Château de Saint Aubin lies 7 km south west of the town and welcomes visitors from mid June to mid September.
Leaving the territory of the Dukes of Burgundy behind us, we cross the border on the left bank of the river Loire to the land of the Dukes of Bourbon, entering the Allier region in the Auvergne and an area called the Sologne Bourbonnaise. Lying between the Loire and the river Allier this is open countryside scattered with small lakes, rivers and Charolais cattle. Poultry is prominent in this region too with ducks, guinea fowl, turkeys, geese and chickens being reared with a big emphasis on ‘bio’ or organic methods. At the Abbaye de Sept-Fons at Dompierre-sur-Bresbre, the Trappist monks, a strict order of the Cistercian order, work the farm supplying wholemeal flour and ranges of bio jams, biscuits and honey. You can visit their shop, or even go on a retreat there to get away from it all.
For another charming visit, head to St Martin Des Lais and the Domaine de Chantalouette. Bruno and Elisabeth Ricour have a dried flower farm here, bursting with colour during the season and beyond, as the bunches dry in the barn.
For children, there’s Le Pal, a water park and zoo near St. Pourcain-sur-Bresbre, and for the boys at heart, there’s the airport at Moulins-Montbeugny with microlighting (ULM), ballooning and fixed wing flying.
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Moulins
Moulins is the capital of the Allier region with imposing buildings, many of which serve as administrative offices. The centre of town is undergoing something of a facelift – the exterior of the Cathedral Notre-Dame, the restoration of the dungeons la Malcoifée and the covered market in Place d’Allier. An excellent shopping area, this is the cultural heart of the region too with a good theatre, restaurants and activities. As a starting point, head to the Jacquemart, the clock tower which has been the pillar of the town since the Middle Ages. From here, visit the Tourist Office, the Musée Anne de Beaujeu in a splendid Renaissance building, and the Cathedral. Don’t be put off by the rather dull interior of the church, the prize lies within, a triptych by Jean Hay, a Flemish painter, who was known as the Master of Moulins, commissioned by the Dukes of Bourbon. The colours, the detail of the robes and portrayal of the jewels are exquisite.
Other highlights in this region which must be mentioned include the Arboretum de Balaine the oldest private English-style park in France; Château du Riau; the medieval town of Bourbon l’Archambault with its spa and famous medieval fair in August each year; the Eglise Prieurale St. Pierre de Souvigny and the wine growing area of Saint Pourçain. There’s much to discover… |
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