The city of Montluçon is located in the Allier department in the Bourbonnais region (Auvergne Rhône-Alpes). We went to discover the medieval city with the favorite photographer in November 2023, for a stay at the Château Saint-Jean, a magnificent 5-star Relais & Châteaux hotel, which I tell you about below. In this article, I invite you to explore this beautiful establishment, but I also take you to discover the attractions of Montluçon and some other great addresses in the city.
Practical Information
- Getting there by train from Paris: allow for about 4 hours from Paris Austerlitz station / Getting to Montluçon from Paris is a bit of an adventure (but it’s possible!) from Austerlitz station. At the time of our visit, there was a train problem, so we had to finish (or start for the return) the journey by bus. On the way there, we went to Vierzon to take a replacement bus that took us to Montluçon (3h20 journey). On the way back, the bus took us to Saint-Amand-Montrond and then we took two TER trains to get back to Paris via Bourges (4h15 journey).
Table of Contents
The Château Saint-Jean, hotel & spa
This luxury hotel is a Relais & Châteaux 5-star establishment located on a legendary site in the city of Montluçon. A former Commandery of the Templars in the 12th century, then of the Knights Hospitaller in the 14th century, the castle was transformed into a hotel in 1929. Unfortunately, in the 2000s, it fell into ruin and was no longer used. It was Jean Claude Delion, owner of the Réserve Beaulieu (a very beautiful establishment next to Nice that I have already told you about on the blog), who decided to buy the place in 2016 and turn it into the magnificent establishment we discovered. It opened its doors in 2019 after more than two years of work. To enhance the stones and highlight the history of the place, the Delion family called on the Jouin Manku agency. I had already appreciated the taste of the designer Patrick Jouin who had worked on the Abbaye de Fontevraud hotel, which is an establishment that I particularly like.
In terms of decoration, a theme with 3 colors was used in the hotel: black, copper, and wood (to recall the industrial history of Montluçon). We also find a very natural decoration, with warm and enveloping tones and the use of quality materials: volcanic stone; parquet flooring made from wood from the Tronçais forest located not far from Montluçon (and which is considered the most beautiful oak forest in Europe); creations from Aubusson; and the showcasing of local producers and artisans. And obviously, the hotel’s welcome is on par with the venue, with attentive service that we found extremely pleasant. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the entire Château Saint-Jean team for the wonderful time they allowed us to experience.
Walking idea: Do not hesitate to go for a walk in the Parc Saint Jean which covers 3 hectares and is located right in front of the Relais & Châteaux. This park was once attached to the castle and became a public park in 1929. It is just a few steps from the castle and is a perfect option for a short stroll. It features a small pond (a refuge for ducks and a couple of black swans) and about 400 trees of various species, several of which are centuries old.
The Château Saint-Jean
Avenue Henri de la Tourfondue 03100 Montluçon
Room prices: from €151 per night
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Our Junior Suite
The establishment contains 19 rooms and suites spread over the three floors of the castle. In the contemporary part of the place, we find the 6 suites and the classic and superior rooms. For our part, we were lucky enough to stay in a Junior Suite with a view of the Parc Saint-Jean. We even had a small balcony to admire the landscape. In the morning, we also decided to have breakfast in our room, in order to make the most of our beautiful Junior Suite.
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The Spa
This bright space dedicated to relaxation consists of a very beautiful heated indoor pool with a jacuzzi area, a hammam, a sensory shower, and finally, a fitness room. It is freely accessible to hotel guests during their stay, and we spent a pleasant moment of relaxation and zenitude there.
Spa Château Saint-Jean
Open from 8 am to 8 pm
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The bar
The bar is the perfect cozy place to get together, with its central fireplace, which gives a very cocooning atmosphere for the winter season. I highly recommend you go and sit there to have a little cocktail before dinner or a digestive (for us it was more of an herbal tea) after your meal. The bar also offers musical evenings on Saturday nights.
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The gastronomic restaurant La Chapelle
In the kitchen since the opening of the establishment, we find Olivier Valade, the starred chef of the Château Saint-Jean. After a tour of France during his career in the restaurant industry (and in particular his star in Saint-Malo in 2017/2018), the chef set down his bags in Montluçon for a new adventure. He confessed to us that the Bourbonnais region was not particularly a land of gastronomy and therefore it was sometimes difficult to work only with local products. However, this leaves greater freedom to the chef and his cuisine, which is known for its land-sea combinations. The chef nonetheless moves towards searching for short circuits when possible and now works for his restaurant with several local producers.
The chef’s cuisine also adapts to the place, whose beauty is found inside. Already, from the first moments, you feel in a magical, timeless moment. The dining room of the restaurant La Chapelle is installed in the former chapel of the Templars which dates from the 12th century. An incredible setting, particularly well highlighted to accommodate the cuisine of chef Olivier Valade. The Jouin Manku agency outdid itself by adding a contemporary and airy design to the monument without distorting it, through a gigantic bell that cuts the echo of the nave where the tables for 22 guests per service maximum are arranged. This is only my personal experience of course, but I believe it is for me the most beautiful restaurant room that I have had the opportunity to see and experience so far… The chef and his team also pay particular attention to the art of table setting, which is intended to be pure, in resonance with the place and which was imagined in collaboration with Haviland (a porcelain factory in Limoges).
We tasted: scallop; royal langoustine; segment of turbot; veal sweetbread; chocolate dessert; blackberry dessert.
Restaurant La Chapelle
1 Michelin Guide star
Open every evening from Thursday to Saturday and for lunch only on Saturdays and Sundays
Price: “Plaisir” menu in 3 courses at €130; La Chapelle menu in 4 courses at €155 or 5 courses at €195 / wine pairing between €24 and €64 depending on the number of glasses
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Bistrot Saint-Jean
The Bistrot is really in the continuity of the gastronomic restaurant La Chapelle that I just told you about. Indeed, the same products are used for both restaurants, but with different work. Which is very sustainable because, in this way, the products are used in their entirety. So the result, having lunch or dinner at the Bistrot Saint-Jean is really a very good plan, because you benefit from the know-how and products of a starred table (it is still chef Olivier Valade who designs the menu) for a much more affordable price and the table remains of very high quality as well. At the bistro, we find 25 covers, arranged under a large glass roof overlooking the Saint-Jean park and an open kitchen where you can see the team busy at work.
Bistrot Saint-Jean
Price: single menu at €49 with starter + main course + dessert / wines by the glass between €9 and €12
What to see and do in Montluçon?
I already recommend that you go and discover the narrow streets of the medieval city. The old town of Montluçon winds around the château des Ducs de Bourbon, perched on a rocky outcrop and overlooking the Cher. You will discover half-timbered houses and beautiful private mansions (sometimes a little abandoned, unfortunately), witnesses to the great times of the city. Indeed, Montluçon was an important place in the Middle Ages and then in the 19th century with the first industrial revolution. Below, as usual, I offer you a small selection of things to do and see if you visit Montluçon or the region.
To see: the Saint-Pierre church and the Notre Dame church in the medieval quarter; the Sacré Cœur Chapel, known as La Croix Verte (if it is open, which was not the case when we were there); the Wilson Garden; the esplanade of the Old Castle (again, these two green spaces were closed at the time of our visit because there was a storm warning).
Tourist Office of the Vallée du Cœur de France
67 ter boulevard de Courtais 03100 Montluçon
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Visit the Mupop, Music Museum
Inaugurated in 2013 for the Fête de la Musique, the MuPop is a must-see place to discover if you visit Montluçon! It houses the largest collection of musical instruments and objects in France. Passing from one room to another, you will dive into the heart of music, according to your desires and your mood, from bal musette to rock, from traditional music to brass bands, there is something for everyone! The museum presents pop music (in the popular sense) from the 18th century to the 90s. I particularly liked the part on folk music of the countryside of the 19th and early 20th centuries. By installing this museum in the heart of the medieval city of Montluçon, in the former Charnisay and Méchain private mansions, restored and rehabilitated, the architects took the gamble of combining modernity and tradition.
The museum is super interactive, with a modern scenography and an audio guide that suggests we discover plenty of pieces of music throughout the two paths (I think it’s even the first time I danced in a museum, it was so catchy!): a musical path and an instrumental path. A favorite and a museum that must be discovered!
Mupop
3 rue Notre-Dame 03100 Montluçon
Rates: €7.50 / reduced €5 / children from 7 to 12 years old €3 / free for children under 7 years old
My other recommendations in Montluçon
As usual, you will find below my selection of good addresses in Montluçon (another accommodation and several restaurants) that we had the opportunity to test during our stay with the favorite photographer. These addresses often offer to discover local products and some regional specialties to taste if you come to the Bourbonnais region.
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A cheese shop in Montluçon? Le Comptoir aux Fromages
Do you know my passion for cheeses!? So we went to this cheesemaker (who is the one who supplies the star-rated restaurant of the Château Saint-Jean that I told you about a little earlier) to stock up on local cheeses and we were not disappointed! This boutique belongs to a cheesemaker and her father.
Le Comptoir aux Fromages
23 place Bretonnie 03100 Montluçon
Open from Tuesday to Saturday
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A chocolatier in Montluçon? Au Bon Chocolat
This artisan chocolatier, Adrien Le Roux, established in Montluçon since March 2016 in the Saint-Pierre neighborhood, makes his own chocolate paste and offers very good products. He has also won several awards for his chocolate-praline hazelnuts which he makes with French hazelnuts. In addition, the welcome is particularly friendly and they will explain all the quality of the chocolatier’s products to you. For information, the chocolate factory also has another address in Néris-les-Bains.
Au Bon Chocolat
3 rue Porte Saint-Pierre 03100 Montluçon
Open from Tuesday to Saturday
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Where to eat Italian in Montluçon? Il Gusto Di Napoli Montluçon
This address, open since January 2023, offers good pizzas, cooked in a real chrome Neapolitan oven. Here we find pizzas, but also panuozzo, a kind of sandwich made from pizza dough, or Pizz’Bowl, salads also presented in a dough ball.
We tested: the pizza Gusto with tomato sauce, arugula, raw Parma ham, cherry tomatoes, balsamic vinegar cream, and olives (€13.90); the pizz’bowl Bella Ciao with salad, mortadella, burrata, and balsamic vinegar cream (€7.90); for dessert the classic tiramisu with coffee (€3.90); for a drink an Italian Moretti beer (€3.50).
Il Gusto Di Napoli Montluçon
88 Bd de Courtais, 03100 Montluçon
Open 7 days a week
Price: pizzas between €11.90 and €15.90 / pizz’bowl €7.90 / panuozzo €5.90 / desserts between €2.90 and €3.90
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A cocktails and tapas evening in Montluçon? Bar La Grinta
This bar, opened recently, offers a festive setting to go out and have a drink in Montluçon. We sat upstairs, in the more “chill” part of the address, to have a little cocktail and enjoy some tapas to share! The evening becomes more festive as the time advances, and if you want to end the night dancing, it is quite possible!
Bar La Grinta
4 Rue Porte Bretonnie, 03100 Montluçon
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An address open on Sunday in Montluçon? Au Bureau
The Parisian chain had just opened an address when we passed by (it had been open for only a few days). Plus, if you are staying at the Originals hotel (which I will tell you about just after), the address is located just across the street. And besides, it’s open on Sundays and that’s quite rare in Montluçon apparently…
Restaurant Au Bureau Montluçon
41 avenue Marx Dormoy, 03100 Montluçon
Link to the establishment’s website
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Where to stay near the Montluçon train station? Hôtel The Originals
This arty and committed hotel is located right in front of the Montluçon train station, which is extremely practical. The 48 rooms of the hotel all offer a different universe and some are dressed with original graffiti creations by artists. For our part, we were in a more classic room, because not all of them are “arty” if you don’t like that. In the morning, the hotel offers a buffet breakfast that makes the effort to offer some local products (like Auvergne cheeses) and also loose-leaf tea (which I particularly appreciate).
The hotel’s perks:
- A small gym with some equipment is also freely accessible to hotel guests between 7 am and 11 pm.
- The hotel also has a spa with a hammam, jacuzzi, and sauna (1 hour: €10 per person).
- The hotel also offers a massage service in partnership with an independent masseuse “Les Massages de Loli“. I tested her one-hour signature massage (€74) which is truly a pure moment of relaxation. The masseuse is extremely qualified, her gestures are precise, and everything is done to relax (relaxing music, heating table, olfactory ambiance…). If you want to test a quality massage, I highly recommend this experience.
The Originals Hôtel Montluçon
38 avenue Marx Dormoy – 03100 Montluçon
Room rates between €59 and €149
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Thanks to the Château Saint-Jean and DK Consulting for the invitation to discover this beautiful establishment and, at the same time, the city of Montluçon.
I hope that with all this, I have made you want to visit Montluçon, and if you also have your own tips and recommendations for this destination, don’t hesitate to share them in the comments below!
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization required before any use
