Discover La chapelle, Allier: Auvergne's hidden gem

This trail begins in the village of La Chapelle, where a small chapel once stood in the woods. La Chapelle takes its name from an ancient chapel built by the abbesses of Cusset. The commune boasts a number of beautiful landscapes and viewpoints to discover along its hiking trails.

This circuit offers stunning panoramic views of the Monts de la Madeleine and the fir forests of the Bois Noirs massif. Since 1530, Molles has maintained its tradition of holding a fair every May 1st. Farmers present hundreds of different breeds of sheep. On the culinary side, the flan au thym is the subject of a competition presided over by a jury of connoisseurs.

Varied, undulating route: extensive views from the crests, villages with many flowers, ponds, Sichon valley. The Doyat mill bears witness to the former presence of the Doyat family. Son of Hugues, Jean de Doyat was the family's most famous child, serving as minister to the king of the time, Louis XI.

Leaving from the villages of Aronnes, Ferrières-sur-Sichon or La Chapelle, this loop takes you through fields and forests and plunges you into the meandering Sichon river. Don't forget to stop off at the pretty village of Aronnes and its Cluniac church.

Arronnes, a village that hosts the bread festival every July 14, boasts beautiful landscapes along the banks of the Sichon. With its shady undergrowth paths and views over the Allier valley and the Bois Noirs, this trail guides you in the footsteps of former bagpipers, the last of whom died in 1920.

Between the Besbre valley and the plateau above, this hike takes in farms, pastures and hedge-lined paths. Leaving the village, where the Jolan flows through meadows, the route takes you to another valley, more wooded and more enclosed: the Besbre valley.

This circuit follows the old Tacot track, the train that once linked the Montagne Bourbonnaise to Vichy. Nizerolles is well known for its dynamism, with its cabling factory established some thirty years ago. Local producers of beef, sheepmeat and snails also offer their products at the farm.

Departing from the Saint-Clément, Nizerolles or Châtel-Montagne lakes, this loop will take you through numerous hamlets in the Montagne Bourbonnaise and into the heart of nature. A superb panorama overlooking the village of Châtel-Montagne awaits you at the summit of Puy du Roc.

Leaving from Le Mayet de Montagne, Saint-Clément or Nizerolles, this route in the heart of the Montagne Bourbonnaise takes you along the old "tacot" road and to the Saint-Clément dam. Don't forget to say hello to the Guguss, the emblematic wooden mannequins, as you pass through the village!

Portion of the Via Sancti Martini route between Nizerolles and Abrest This stretch, between the farming village of Nizerolles and Abrest, takes you through the heart of the Montagne Bourbonnaise and its foothills, then on to the banks of the Allier.

15th-century renovated barn, authentic, which combines modern and old properties. It is surrounded by a flowered garden, with a viexwon the rolling countryside and a lake for fishing.

The team at the lake offers water sports activities. Stand-up paddle (we do not give lessons). We provide all equipment and safety instructions.

Do you like to travel through time and history? Discover Vichy at the pace of Françoise's prestige car. You'll be delighted by the different options and themes on offer. Do you like to travel through time and history? Discover Vichy to the rhythm of the "Rive d'Allier" horse-drawn carriages, on a refined and elegant tour guided by Françoise, a professional coachman and former student of the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. The 8-seater prestige carriage - which can be privatized - will offer you comfort and an intimate atmosphere. The tours on offer will enable you to discover the Queen of the Spa Towns in a personalized way, with the option of exploring in greater depth the themes of Vichy's spa industry, the Second Empire or the 1940/1944 period. Tours can last 35 minutes or one hour. Commentaries are available in French, English and, by prior arrangement, Spanish or German. Les Calèches "Rive d'Allier" also makes its other carriages available for groups (by reservation), weddings, or any other event (village festivals, Christmas markets, company or family celebrations...). Les Calèches "Rive d'Allier" has been awarded the "Qualité France Energie Animale" label for its horse-drawn services (respect for regulations and animal welfare). Depending on climatic conditions (heatwaves, etc.), services may be subject to modifications, in order to respect animal welfare.

Today, the complex offers 14 clay courts, 4 of which are covered, in a privileged setting close to Vichy town center, near the golf course and along the redeveloped banks of the lake.

The Club Nautique de Vichy is an association under the French law of 1901, and comprises three sections: Sailing, Water Skiing and Wakeboarding and Stand Up Paddle. Three sections: - Introductory and advanced sailing from age 4, as well as free practice (rental). - Water skiing and classic wakeboarding, slalom and baby skiing from age 4, - Stand-up paddle, for free practice, supervised practice or as a walk from age 11. Situated on a 100-hectare lake in the heart of the town, the water sports center also offers towed buoys. All activities are supervised by qualified, registered staff. Approved by the French Ministry of Education and the Allier Departmental Directorate for Social Cohesion and Population Protection.

If you want to try out a fun, easy-to-access sport, go for it!

Discovery with a federal activity leader (equipment included)

Close to Vichy, this 18-hole, PAR 72 (5,893 m) course lies in the heart of a forest of hundred-year-old oaks, and has a teaching structure suitable for all. Slightly undulating, enhanced by water features, the course will appeal to the most demanding golfers. Club House (bar; 7/7 lunchtime restaurant).

Isolated house for a festive weekend.

By the Besbre river and a 3 ha floral park, near the town centre, half-shady campsite with 6 chalets.

15th century castle, visible from outside.

The Boulodrome Roger-Dromard has 8 long sets.

Mound built in honour of the soldiers of the Estern army, after the fall of Fort Malakoff and the taking of Sabestopol during the Crimean War.

The tower of this romanesque church is circular on a square plan. The choir and its capitals are romanesque.

This museum traces the history and urban development of Cusset in one of the last vestiges of the fortifications built in the 15th century at the request of Louis XI (ISMH 1996). Built between 1476 and 1483, this artillery tower was spared destruction in modern times thanks to its use as a prison until 1957. In modern times, the tower has played an important role, with historical accounts of Napoleon III's visit at the end of the 19th century. Today, the tower houses the town's museum (since 1980), offering visitors the chance to discover the history of Cusset through its lapidary collections, as well as paintings, sculptures and engravings. An exhibition of medieval artillery (owned by the town of Montluçon) highlights the 15th century, when the town was an influential religious center under the protection of the King of France. The self-guided tour of the museum is combined with a guided tour of the underground passages (the starting point for the guided tours is at the museum reception desk).

Although the original plans for the Parc des Bourins, developed between 1905 and 1910, included a bandstand, it was not until 1928 that the Compagnie Fermière had the old Kiosque de la Restauration bandstand moved there from the Parc des Sources, where it had mostly hosted children's dances. A replica of the bandstand at the Source de l'Hôpital, it was designed in 1910 by the Compagnie Fermière architect, Gustave Simon. Maintaining the octagonal plan, it has only one entrance; instead of musical scores, the railings here are decorated with geometric motifs inset with shells spouting water. In 1986, this bandstand narrowly escaped demolition and was listed in the Supplementary Inventory of French Historic Monuments. Between 2004 and 2011, it was restored as part of an educational project involving several hundred apprentices, students and teachers from technological and vocational training establishments run by Clermont-Ferrand Educational Authorities.

Vichy's development was intimately linked to its railway station. 19th-century Europe saw a boom in the spa industry, with high society elites flocking to spa towns from the world over to enjoy both the cures and the wide range of entertainments on offer. In Vichy, the construction of the railway station was part of a wider project to modernise and reorganise the town, started in the mid-19th century. The train, a symbol of progress, would facilitate access to the spa town and encourage tourism. The project took shape under the impetus of Napoleon III who, on his first visit in 1861, had to complete his journey by horse-drawn carriage from Saint-Germain-des-Fossés; by 1862, it took just eight hours to travel from Paris to Vichy. The town was soon attracting visitors from all over Europe, who were greeted on arrival by a majestic station with a neoclassical façade, a luxurious VIP lounge and several comfortable waiting rooms designed by its architect, Denis Darcy. Over the years, the station was extended, remodelled and fitted out with large overhead canopies that protected luggage being loaded into hotel carriages, which then sped through the spa town along the four large avenues radiating from its forecourt. In 2008, work commenced to restore the building to its former glory.

The Lardy spring, drilled in 1844, bears the name of one of its two discoverers, Henri Lardy, in partnership with his brother-in-law Pierre Ménot Saint-Ange; the water was also nicknamed "Vichy tea" due to its reputation for being easily digestible. The 1848 griffin sculpture was placed in a circular basin made of Volvic lavastone, topped with a glass bell jar, and soon covered with a kiosk. Another thatched-roof kiosk sheltered drinkers, while a third covered the bottling operations. These pavilions were removed in 1902, when the current gallery was built by Antoine Percilly. The drinking gallery was redesigned in the fashionable Art Deco style in 1925, when the Généreuse spring started to be piped in. In the late 19th century, various buildings were converted, both for the production of salts and lozenges and to provide entertainment for visitors (bandstand, Ludo game, billiards, restaurant, etc.). In 1864, Madame Lardy had a small spa establishment housing some thirty or so cubicles built just below the spring. Purchased later by the Compagnie Fermière, together with the spring and its grounds, this was replaced by the third-class thermal baths, built by Charles Letrosne in 1937. After its closure in 1965, this building was converted into a university centre in 2000.

The Post Office, inaugurated by French Minister Georges Mandel in 1935, was built by architect Léon Azéma, a winner of the Grand Prix de Rome, who had been appointed Post Office architect seven years earlier. The previous post office stood in the former Cercle du Commerce et des Étrangers (Trade and Foreign Nationals Club) in the Passage de l'Opéra. However, the growing popularity of spa establishments, allied with an increasing influx of foreign visitors and the modernisation of communications systems, meant this office had become obsolete. The choice of this location, close to the train station, ideally placed between the spa district and the Town Hall, and its total footprint (2,150 m²) demonstrate the important status of the post office in a spa town such as Vichy. The building is designed in the Art Deco style that was very much in vogue in the 1930s. Its architecture combines functionality and attractive design, with an imposing yet understated facade, adorned with geometric patterns, made with vibrated concrete using yellow gravel from the Saône River, mixed with sand and grey gravel from the Allier to achieve a light tone. In addition to the usual services, the Post Office offered a letter-writing salon, as well as a summer telephone cabin room and a winter public room, with attendance and usage varying according to the season. Today, the Vichy Post Office symbolises the golden age of the spa industry, testifying to the town's ability to adapt to the demands of a modern, cosmopolitan clientele.

This is a well covered with a roof from the 17th century. The site was named after the passage of the famous thief Louis Mandrin on December 22nd 1754 through Le Breuil hostel. He attacked policemen but succeded to flee.

Bar-restaurant

Cuisine from near and far. Customised meals available on request. Grocery shop.

A cosy bar-restaurant where homemade food is king, right down to the charcuterie. Chef Benoît trained as a pork butcher and caterer.

Situated near Lapalisse town center, on the Road N7. Frindeliness and love of good food garanteed ! Tarditional and refined cooking in a vintage atmosphere.

Situated on a rest area in the nice, warm and relaxing surroudings of a landscape garden and a pond.

By historical N7. On the premises and to take away.

Home-made biscuits. Grocery shop, patisserie, roastery, bar and tearoom. Monthly workshops on homemade and 0-waste products. Free knitting and sewing sessions on Thursday afternoons.

In front of the castle, have a break and feast with our local products. Reservation advised. Theme evenings (see social networks).

Bar-restaurant with a warm, friendly atmosphere, with a terrace at the front and one at the back, where you can relax and enjoy yourself. Suggestion: beef rib (meat from France, home-made chips cooked in beef fat...).

Semi-gastronomic home-cooked cuisine from A to Z based on traditional revisited dishes.

15th-century renovated barn, authentic, which combines modern and old properties. It is surrounded by a flowered garden, with a viexwon the rolling countryside and a lake for fishing.

Large holiday house (130m²) in the bourbonnaise countryside, situated near a farm, near a large pond which offers the possibility of fishing, and near hiking pathes, le Pal and historic sites

Great and quiet holiday house with a pleasant view.

18th-century arge house with its centenarian trees park. Sunbathing, nap in the shade of a horse chestnut, soothed by song of the birds... Relaxation and serenity garanteed.

Settled in a centenarian trees park of a 18th-century large house. Sunbathing, nap in the shade of a horse chestnut, soothed by song of the birds... Relaxation and serenity garanteed.

Quiet and shady meadow, nearby the animals. Guided visit and alone, farm shop.

Renovated old farm on Droiturier heights, with a wonderful view on Montagne Bourbonnaise.

Renovated old farm on Droiturier heights, with a wonderful view on Montagne Bourbonnaise.

By the Besbre river and a 3 ha floral park, near the town centre, half-shady campsite with numerous equipment. Camper vans services (emptying and water) in town centre.

Isolated house for a festive weekend.