Allier in the context of "Cher (department)"

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⭐ Core Definition: Allier

Allier (UK: /ˈæli/ AL-ee-ay, US: /ælˈj, ɑːlˈj/ a(h)l-YAY; French: [alje] ; Occitan: Alèir) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region that borders Cher to the west, Nièvre to the north, Saône-et-Loire and Loire to the east, Puy-de-Dôme to the south, and Creuse to the south-west. Named after the river Allier, it had a population of 334,872 in 2021. Moulins is the prefecture; Montluçon and Vichy are the subprefectures. Its INSEE and post code is 03.

Before 2018, the inhabitants of the department did not have a demonym. The inhabitants of the department have officially been known in French as Bourbonnais since 2018, a reference to the historic province of Bourbonnais. Until then, the unofficial term Elavérins had been used.

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Allier in the context of Bourbonnais

The Bourbonnais (French: [buʁbɔnɛ]; Occitan: Borbonés) was a historic province in the centre of France that corresponds to the modern département of Allier, along with part of the département of Cher. Its capital was Moulins.

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Allier in the context of Vichy

Vichy (/ˈvɪʃi, ˈvʃi/, French: [viʃi]; Occitan: Vichèi [viˈtʃɛj]) is a city in the central French department of Allier. Located on the Allier river, it is a major spa and resort town and during World War II was the capital of Vichy France. As of 2022, Vichy has a population of 25,702.

Known for its mineral springs since the Roman times, Vichy had become a major destination for the French nobility and the wealthy by the late 18th century. The town developed further under the patronage of Napoleon III. Following the 1940 armistice, the pro-German collaborationist government headed by Philippe Pétain was set up at Vichy, which remained the de facto capital of the French rump state for the next four years. After the war, the city experienced a period of great prosperity but went into decline from the 1960s.

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Allier in the context of Moulins, Allier

Moulins (French pronunciation: [mulɛ̃] , Molins in Bourbonnais oïl dialect) is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department. It is located on the river Allier.

Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin, the Anne de Beaujeu Museum, and The National Center of Costume and Scenography.

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Allier in the context of Bourbon-l'Archambault

Bourbon-l'Archambault (French pronunciation: [buʁbɔ̃ laʁʃɑ̃bo]) is a spa town and a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in central France. It is the place of origin of the House of Bourbon.

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Allier in the context of Montluçon

Montluçon (French: [mɔ̃lysɔ̃] ; Occitan: Montleçon [munləˈsu]) is a commune in central France on the river Cher. It is the largest commune in the Allier department, although the department's prefecture is located in the smaller town of Moulins. Its inhabitants are known as Montluçonnais. The town is in the traditional province of Bourbonnais and was part of the mediaeval duchy of Bourbon.

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Allier in the context of Gergovia

Gergovia was a Gaulish town in modern Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in the upper part of the basin of the Allier, near present-day Clermont-Ferrand. It was the capital of the Arverni. The city of Gergovia had strong walls and was located on a giant raised plateau surrounded by hills.

It was the chief town (oppidum) of the Arverni and the site of the Battle of Gergovia in 52 BC. The battle was fought between a Roman Republic army, led by proconsul Julius Caesar, and Gallic forces led by Vercingetorix. Caesar marched south with six legions to take the hill town of Gergovia. The Gauls won the battle, which led to increased cavalry support for Vercingetorix's campaign for future battles. This was a significant failure in Gallia for Caesar and the Roman army.

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Allier in the context of Creuse

Creuse (French pronunciation: [kʁøz] ; Occitan: Cruesa or Crosa) is a department in central France named after the river Creuse. After Lozère, it is the second least populated department in France. It is bordered by Indre and Cher to the north, Allier and Puy-de-Dôme to the east, Corrèze to the south, and Haute-Vienne to the west. In 2020, the population of this department is 115,995, while the official estimates in 2022 is 113,711.

Guéret, the Prefecture of Creuse has a population approximately 12,000, making it the largest settlement in the department. The next biggest town is La Souterraine and then Aubusson. The department is situated in the former Province of La Marche. Creuse is one of the most rural and sparsely populated departments in France, with a population density of 21 people/km (54 people/sq mi), and a 2019 population of 116,617 - the second-smallest of any Departments in France. The land use is mostly agricultural and the department is well known for its chestnut and hazelnut production, and for the Charolais and Limousin cattle breeds.

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Allier in the context of Nièvre

Nièvre (French: [njɛvʁ] ) is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, central-east France. Named after the river Nièvre, it had a population of 204,452 in 2019. Its prefecture is Nevers.

Covering an area 6,817 square kilometres (2,632 sq mi), Nièvre is landlocked between six other departments: Yonne to the north, Côte-d'Or to the east, Saône-et-Loire to the southeast, Allier to the south, Cher to the west and Loiret to the northwest.

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Allier in the context of Moulins Cathedral

Moulins Cathedral (French: Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Annonciation de Moulins, lit.'Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Moulins') is a Roman Catholic church located in the town of Moulins, Allier, France. It is also known as Notre-Dame de Moulins.

The cathedral is the seat of the Bishop of Moulins. It is a national monument.

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