アリエの洞窟・トップ20

A marvel of our beautiful Bourbonnais mountains

The name Fourchaud seems to come from “Fourche”, as the Gallo-Roman road branched off there, coming from Bourges and leading either to Lyon or Clermont-Ferrand.

Montgilbert Castle is a ruined medieval fortress dating back to the 13th century. Visitors can explore the remains of the two concentric walls, the towers, the chapel, and the seigneurial residence, and imagine the lives of the lords and soldiers who inhabited this strategic site. The castle is located on a rocky hill overlooking the Vareille Valley and offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Montgilbert Castle is open to visitors year-round and admission is free.

The keep of the former Bourbon palace is still standing today. Next to it, however, is the beautiful Anne de Beaujeu Pavilion, built at the end of the 15th century (1497 to 1503). It was built for Duchess Anne de Beuajeu (1461 - 1522, also Anne de France), daughter of King Louis XI - and was the first building in France to be designed in the style of the Italian Renaissance.

nice view

Very beautiful village with beautiful hikes to discover

The name Fourchaud seems to come from “Fourche”, since this is where the Gallo-Roman road which came from Bourges and went either to Lyon or to Clermont-Ferrand separated.

Duke Louis II of Bourbon decided in 1378 to install the ducal court of accounts in Moulins, making the city the capital of the Duchy of Bourbon; it will remain so until 1532, the date of the duchy's attachment to the Crown. After the devastation at the start of the Hundred Years' War, Duke Louis II had the Château de Moulins rebuilt between 1366 and 1375. King Charles VIII wanted to assert his rights over the Kingdom of Naples and began the First Italian War, between 1497 and 1499. During this time, Charles VIII entrusted his sister, Anne de Beaujeu and her husband Pierre II de Bourbon with the regency of the kingdom which will be exercised from Moulins. The French discovered Italian Renaissance art during this war. Following this discovery, around 1500, Anne de Beaujeu and Pierre II de Bourbon had the architect Marceau Rodier build one of the first buildings of Renaissance architecture in France to close the courtyard of the castle. The presence of Pierre de Beaujeu's monogram on the pavilion suggests that it was completed before his death in 1503. After the duchy was attached to the Crown, the castle was only occupied sporadically and was poorly maintained. In 1755, a fire ravaged the wing of Anne de Beaujeu's pavilion. In 1774, the state of the castle had it classified as a ruin. In 1839, the Anne-de-Beaujeu pavilion became a gendarmerie. It was saved by its classification as a historic monument in 1840. The entire pavilion was restored, completed with annex buildings, in 1907, to house a museum following the donation from Louis Mantin. The Anne-de-Beaujeu pavilion has housed the Moulins art and archeology museum since 1910, with the Mantin house.