Billy is a town in the Allier, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, a dozen kilometers north of Vichy.
Bordered to the west by the course of the Allier, the territory of the locality has been occupied since Gallo-Roman times, the remains of villas (farms) having been unearthed. During the High Middle Ages, a first castrum surrounded by dwellings constituted the embryo of the future commune which developed in the 12th century when a fortress was erected, soon to be the possession of the lords of Bourbon, around which the city enjoyed the status of "free city". Combined with the activity linked to the river trade, this provision ensured Billy a real prosperity which withered after the Wars of Religion. In the meantime, the village surrounding the castle and the other pole of the village, near the church, have been linked.
There remains an exceptional heritage from this rich past, in addition to the remains of the castle itself. So much so that the locality obtained in 2021 the label "Small city of character".
Billy, with its more than 800 inhabitants, is therefore an essential step during a stay in this part of Auvergne!
It is his castle is the jewel and the heart of the small city. Built in the late twelfth to early thirteenth century on a hill overlooking the course of the Allier since its right bank, taking the foundation of an ancient castrum, it was the seat of a lordship which at its peak in early sixteenth, had power of 62 parishes and 3 lordships! With 5 towers semicircular enclosure, large high walls 10 meters adorned with battlements (stone shields) and loopholes, the fortress was long considered impregnable. Let's add a monumental gate, its two massive towers, moats and a set of speakers and the addition of a watchtower and it is understood that the building has defied time, although it suffered some destruction during Religion wars. After the Duchy of Bourbon to the royal domain, it was not dismantled by Richelieu as other castles of the same type.
After its heyday, the castle became a prison and then it serves as a stone quarry. Historical Monument in 1921, it is restored by volunteers from the 1960s has attached a small stately home built in the fourteenth century, more comfortable than the main tower... This home also said "the harbor master" (as the commander instead of there lived in the absence of nobles) is connected by a walkway.
Guided tours Wednesday through Sunday from April to June and in September and October at 14h and 16h and every day in July and August at 10h, 11h, 14h, 17h 3:30 p.m. ET. Price: 5.00 and 7.50 euros. Information at +33 4 70 43 51 51.
In the village, other sites and remarkable buildings are to be seen as the old audience (which we did justice), near the entrance of the castle with a clock tower, which houses the Tourist Office and a showroom.
As for the town, it occupies the house of the guard near the door Chabotin, still flanked by two towers.
A little away from the town, the Saint-Cyr-et-Sainte-Julitte dates from the eleventh century. Its Romanesque crypt has been preserved, where once the winemakers were storing their wine. Now surrounded by a cemetery, the church originally was another center of the village, with its priory. But gradually locals prefer to settle near the castle, considered safer during troubled times.
We will walk willingly then the quaint streets and alleyways of Billy where half-timbered houses dating back to the fifteenth century some have been preserved or restored to the same.
After visiting the castle and the village, one can also enjoy the natural environment of the city also remained authentic. The Allier valley is protected from the rest for its ecosystem. Two hiking trails or mountain bike to help discover these landscapes dotted woodland, ridge trails overlooking the river and beautiful panoramic views of the castle. Maps and information on +33 4 70 43 51 51. Browse the village with the children to a scavenger hunt and enjoy the PEPIT course (free mobile application download).
