Vichy

**Vichy** () is a *commune* in central France, in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, along the Allier river. It is the *commune* in the department with second largest population after Montluçon. It is in the historic province of *Bourbonnais*.

## History
Vichy has lots of Spas and resorts. This site was inhabited before the Roman conquest of Gaul.

In 1861, Napoleon III visited Vichy several times.

During World War II, it was the capital city of Vichy France.

## Geography 
The *commune* of Vichy is on the southern part of the Allier department. The city is on the right side of the Allier river.

The *commune* has an area of , and its average altitude is ; at the city hall, the altitude is .

The distances from Vichy to other cities are:
* Paris, the national capital - ;
* Lyon, the regional capital - ;
* Reims - ;
* Bordeaux - ;
* Toulouse - ;
* Montpellier - ;
* Strasbourg - ;
* Nantes - ;
* Marseille - .

Vichy is surrounded by the *communes* Creuzier-le-Vieux, Cusset, Le Vernet, Abrest, Bellerive-sur-Allier and Charmeil.

### Climate 
The Köppen climate classification type for the climate at Vichy is an "Oceanic climate" (also known as Maritime Temperate climate) and of the subtype "Cfb".

## Population
The inhabitants of Vichy are known, in French, as *Vichyssois* (women: *Vichyssoises*).

With a population of 25,279, Vichy is the second largest city of the Allier department. It has a population density of  inhabitants/km2.

**Evolution of the population in Vichy**

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 bar:1968 from:0 till: 33506
 bar:1975 from:0 till: 32117
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 bar:2006 from:0 till: 26108
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 bar:1975 at: 32117 fontsize:S text: 32,117 shift:(-15,5)
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 bar:1990 at: 27714 fontsize:S text: 27,714 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:1999 at: 26528 fontsize:S text: 26,528 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:2006 at: 26108 fontsize:S text: 26,108 shift:(-15,5)
 bar:2014 at: 25279 fontsize:S text: 25,279 shift:(-15,5)

## Administration 
Vichy is a subprefecture of the Allier department since 1941; before that year, the subprefecture was in Lapalisse. It is also the capital of the *arrondissement* of Vichy and the administrative centre () of two cantons:
* Vichy-1 formed by 3 *communes* and part of Vichy, with 18,420 inhabitants (2014).
* Vichy-2 formed by 2 *communes* and part of Vichy, with 18,763 inhabitants (2014).

It is part of the intercommunality *Vichy Communauté*.

### Sister cities 
Vichy is twinned with:
*  Wilhelmshaven, Lower Saxony, Germany
*  Bad Tölz, Bavaria, Germany
*  Rhein-Neckar-Kreis, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
*  Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland
*  Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
*  San Giuliano Terme, Tuscany, Italy

## Gallery

File:Hôtel de ville Vichy - Allier.JPG|City hall of Vichy.
File:Rue de l'hôtel des postes.jpg|''Rue de l'hôtel des postes*, pedestrian street.
File:Allier a Vichy.jpg|The Allier river in Vichy.
File:Vichy-eglise-st-blaise-innen.JPG|*Saint-Blaise* church, Vichy.
File:Castel franc.jpg|*Castel Franc'', Vichy.

## Related pages
* Arrondissement of Vichy
* Communes of the Allier department
* Capital of France

## References
## Other websites
* Ville de Vichy council website 
* Official Website of the Tourist Office of Hydrotherapy and Vichy