Vichy, Queen of spa towns
In Vichy, the Parc des Sources, laid out under Napoléon III, lines up bandstands, iron galleries and water-drinking pavilions. People stroll under magnolias and chalets, glass in hand. The Spring Hall gathers the town’s iconic waters. Around it, the Art Nouveau Vichy Opera, the grand villas and the casino form a postcard setting, perfect for a first date with assumed elegance.
From Allier lake to pastilles
On the edge of town, the Allier lake, created in 1963, offers walks, sailing and rowing right in the city. The Esplanade and its Allier-side park invite walking or cycling together. Food lovers will take home Vichy pastilles, little octagonal mineral-water tablets invented here in the nineteenth century. A light gift that gives an excuse for the next coffee, and perhaps the one after.
Néris and Bourbon-l’Archambault
Two other spa towns complete the picture: quiet, green Néris-les-Bains, and Bourbon-l’Archambault, cradle of the Bourbons with its medieval fortress and hot waters. On Lyad, people from the Allier share their favourite walks; it is up to you to find someone to push open the door of a pavilion or a guesthouse for a real weekend together.
Date ideas
- Vichy
- Parc des Sources
- Vichy Opera
- Spring Hall
- Allier lake
- Vichy pastilles
- Néris-les-Bains
- Bourbon-l’Archambault
