Travel Guide Bruère-Allichamps

Bruère-Allichamps is nothing less than the center of France. Work carried out by Adolphe-Laurent Joanne in the 19th century officially determined this feature. A 3rd-century milestone marks the geographical center of the Hexagon. It once indicated the three directions of the Roman road: Avaricum (Bourges), Aquae Neris (Néris-les-Bains) and Médiolanum Castrum (Châteaumeillant). It's no coincidence that the ancient village of Allichamps, now part of the commune of Bruère, stands on what was once a Roman cemetery... and then a medieval one. Finally, this commune, bordered by the Meillant forest, offers a superb panorama of the Cher valley. Take a look at the 15th and 16th century houses with turrets, a reminder of a medieval village whose fortified castle was burnt down in 1412, leaving few traces. A little further along the Bruère-Allichamps road, in Châteauneuf, a building catches the eye. This is the prieuré d'Allichamps which, despite its deterioration, ranks as one of the major Romanesque churches in the Cher region. This place of worship was built in the5th century on the site of a Gallo-Roman villa, as evidenced by the sarcophagi found there. In the 12th century, it became a real priory with a Benedictine choir, capitals and astonishing modillions. During the French Revolution, Allichamps became a small parish. The building was listed as a Monument Historique in 1926.