Moulins, Allier

Moulins
View of Moulins and its cathedral
Moulins
Administration
Country France
Region Auvergne
Department Allier
Arrondissement Moulins
Intercommunality Moulins
Mayor Pierre-André Périssol
(2008–2014)
Statistics
Elevation 202–240 m (663–790 ft)
(avg. 220 m/720 ft)
Land area1 8.61 km2 (3.32 sq mi)
Population2 19,760  (2008)
 - Density 2,295 /km2 (5,940 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code 03190/ 03000
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Moulins is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department.

Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.

Contents

Geography

Moulins is located on the banks of the Allier River.

History

Before the French Revolution, Moulins was the capital of the province of Bourbonnais and the seat of the Dukes of Bourbon. Its documented existence may be traced back at least as far as the year 990. In 1232, Archambaud VIII, Sire de Bourbon, granted a franchise to the village's inhabitants. The town achieved greater prominence in 1327, when Charles IV elevated Louis I de Clermont to Duke of Bourbon. Either Louis or the later Peter II, Duke of Bourbon and of Auvergne moved the capital of the province from Bourbon-l'Archambault to Moulins.

Note: This article in French suggests Pierre II moved the capital, while the local tourism website (also in French) suggests it was Louis I.

In February 1566 it became eponymous to the Edict of Moulins, an important royal ordinance dealing with many aspects of the administration of justice and feudal and ecclesiastical privilege, including limitations on the appanages held by French princes, abrogation of the levy of rights of tallage claimed by seigneurs over their dependants and provisions for a system of concessions on rivers.

Moulins was where the famous dress designer and fashion leader Coco Chanel went to school as an orphan. It was also the birthplace of the great 19th-century operatic baritone and art collector Jean-Baptiste Faure.

Population

Historical population of Moulins, Allier
Year 1793 1800 1806 1821 1831 1836 1841 1846 1851 1856
Population 13,249 13,509 14,101 13,697 14,672 15,231 15,377 17,110 17,318 18,069
Year 1861 1866 1872 1876 1881 1886 1891 1896 1901 1906
Population 17,581 19,890 20,385 21,774 21,156 21,721 22,665 22,215 22,340 21,888
Year 1911 1921 1926 1931 1936 1946 1954 1962 1968 1975
Population 21,990 22,968 23,306 22,225 22,369 23,254 24,441 23,909 25,979 26,067
Year 1982 1990 1999 2008
Population 25,159 22,799 21,892 19,760

Transport

Moulins-sur-Allier station, in the centre of the town, has direct trains to Paris-Gare de Lyon taking around 2 hours 25 minutes.

Montbeugny Airport is a small airport located near Moulins.

Personalities

See also

References

External links