Moulins, Administrative center in Allier, France.
Moulins is a town on the banks of the Allier in central France that serves as the administrative seat of the Allier department. The urban area spreads across both sides of the river with several bridges connecting the neighborhoods and offering views across the flat valley around.
A settlement arose here in the 10th century and later became the capital of the historic Bourbonnais province. The town experienced its golden age under the rule of the Dukes of Bourbon, who held court here and built churches and residences.
The name comes from the watermills that once lined the riverbank and shaped the town's early life. Today the stone bridges crossing the Allier connect the old center with the newer districts and form a popular walking route along the water.
The train station sits close to the town center and offers connections in several directions, while the motorway runs a few kilometers away. Most sights and shops are located in the center and are easy to reach on foot.
A young girl named Gabrielle Chanel spent her childhood here in an orphanage before becoming the world-famous fashion designer known as Coco Chanel. The town keeps this memory quietly, without large signs or museums pointing to that early period.
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