Boulevard de la République

Vichy is a spa town in the Allier department, in the Auvergne, and one of the most distinctive urban landscapes in France. Its identity was shaped by the thermal springs, which people have used since Roman times, and by Emperor Napoleon III, who visited several times in the 1860s and had the town laid out as a model resort, with parks, covered galleries, promenades and elegant buildings. The Boulevard de la République belongs to the town's central spa quarter, and walking it is a way to see the pedestrian-friendly layout that has made Vichy a place for strolling and taking the waters.

The details of the boulevard itself are sparse, so it is best understood as part of a larger district. Close by are the Parc des Sources, the long green park beside the Allier, with its covered galleries, bandstand and the Source des Célestins, where visitors can still taste the mineral water. The Hall des Sources, a glass and iron building from the early twentieth century, houses the main springs. The Casino de Vichy, whose first building dates to the 1860s and was designed by Charles Badger, was extended around 1900 with an opera house in the Art Nouveau style, and it is among the finest of its kind in France. The Jardin des Sources and the Église Saint-Louis, a church of the late nineteenth century, are also in the quarter.

Vichy has a darker chapter in its history that is part of any visit. In July 1940, after the French defeat, the National Assembly met in the Grand Casino and voted full powers to Marshal Pétain, and the government of the so-called French State was installed in the town's hotels, including the Hôtel du Parc, until 1944. The name of Vichy became associated with collaboration, and the town has taken a measured approach to remembering this period in local exhibitions. Behind the story is the fact that a spa town had the hotel rooms and telephone lines the government needed.

Vichy is also known for its mineral water, sold in bottles worldwide, and its pastilles, the small mint sweets made here since the nineteenth century. The streets of the centre have shops, cafés and restaurants, and the thermal baths remain in use, with modern spa treatments in the Centre thermal des Dômes.

The boulevard suits visitors who like architecture, spa culture and quiet walks. It is public and open at all hours. Allow a couple of hours for the quarter, including the park.