Country France Department Allier Population (2012) 18,959 Local time Sunday 8:18 PM | Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Arrondissement Moulins Area 8.61 km² | |
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Intercommunality Urban Community of Moulins Weather 12°C, Wind W at 8 km/h, 82% Humidity Points of interest Centre National du Costume, Musée Anne de Beaujeu, Moulins Cathedral, Musée de l'illustration jeunesse, Musee du Batiment | ||
The city of Moulins ([mu.lɛ̃]) is a commune in central France, capital of the Allier department. It is located on the Allier River.
Contents
Map of 03000 Moulins, France
Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin, the Anne de Beaujeu Museum and The National Center of Costume and Scenography.
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. It appears in documented records at least as far back 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 Mills, 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.
This was the birthplace of the great 19th-century operatic baritone and art collector Jean-Baptiste Faure. In the 20th century, Coco Chanel went to school in Moulins as an orphan, before moving to Paris, where she became a fashion designer and major innovator in women's clothing.
Twin towns
Moulins is twinned with:
Transport
Moulins-sur-Allier station, in the centre of the town, has direct trains to Paris Paris-Gare de Lyon, which take about 2 hours 25 minutes.
Montbeugny Airport is a small airport located near Moulins.