A little to the north of Moulins, at Villeneuve-sur-Allier, designed over 200 years ago in the English style, i.e. not formal, but in this case avoiding Brownian landscapes and vistas. It is now very well developed, in fact overgrown in places, which adds to the charm.
That area between Nevers and Moulins is lesser-known these days, thanks to the Autoroutes, which have rendered obsolete the old N7, still mostly single carriageway. One passes restaurants and small towns which still put out the tables waiting for the Hispano-Suizas to stop for lunch. Unfortunately even newer Autoroutes and satellite navigation fill it with thundering lorries which at night are decked out with lights and neon crucifixes like circus wagons.
Comment