Dept 03 Rank #78 / 96
Allier
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes · Nearest city: Vichy / Clermont (~30 min)
Gentle Bourbonnais hills, Auvergne volcanoes on horizon
Why this score · reflects your priorities
Allier wins on cheap property and low flood-and-fire exposure, but remoteness from the rail network, scant tourism and flat scenery drag it down. L'Allier gagne des points avec un immobilier bon marché et une faible exposition aux inondations et aux incendies, mais l'éloignement du réseau ferroviaire, un tourisme confidentiel et des paysages plats le tirent vers le bas.
Top communes
Communes
Loading commune-level data…
Climate
Sunshine
1,981h/yr
Trend 2015-2025: lost ~9 sun hours each year.
p48 of 96
Sunny days
152/yr
days >50% sunlit
p44 of 96
Rain days
117/yr
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p42 of 96
Annual rainfall
649mm/yr
total volume
p33 of 96
Heavy rain
4/yr
≥ 20 mm/day
p44 of 96
Torrential
0.2/yr
≥ 50 mm/day
p57 of 96
Hot days >30°
29/yr
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 fewer hot days each year.
p73 of 96
Winter mildness
4/10
1.4 °C avg Jan low
Trend 2015-2025: January warming 0.3 °C per year.
p31 of 96
Wind
2.3m/s
annual mean
Trend 2015-2025: roughly flat.
p11 of 96
Muggy days
4/yr
TG≥22°C & HU≥70%
Trend 2015-2025: about 1 more muggy days each year.
p57 of 96
Avg max temperature · °C
6
J
8
F
12
M
15
A
19
M
23
J
26
J
26
A
21
S
16
O
10
N
7
D
2050 outlook TRACC +2.7°C · vs 1976-2005
Hot days ≥35°C ~+4 days · +4 so far
Tropical nights ~+11 nights · +1 so far
Frost days ~-25 days · -12 so far
Dry-soil days ~+22 days
Landscape
Landscape score
4/10
p38 of 96
Max elevation
1,287m
p65 of 96
Forest cover
17.1%
p28 of 96
Characteristics
🌾 Rural
Gentle Bourbonnais hills, Auvergne volcanoes on horizon
Identity
Allier is the birthplace of André Lwoff (biologiste).
Notable figures born here
André Lwoff — biologisteThéodore de Banville — écrivainAntoine Meillet — orientalisteSandrine Bonnaire — réalisateurGeorges Bidault — résistantValery Larbaud — écrivainClaude-Louis-Hector de Villars — ducPhilippe Honoré — artiste peintreJust Jaeckin — artiste peintreOlivier Weber — écrivain
Terroir & appellations
Allier lies within protected appellation areas, including Saint-Pourçain, Poulet du Bourbonnais, Charolais.
Saint-PourçainPoulet du BourbonnaisCharolaisAgneau du BourbonnaisBœuf Charolais du BourbonnaisVolailles du CharolaisVolailles du BerryJambon d'AuvergneSaucisson sec d'AuvergneAgneau du LimousinVolailles d’AuvergnePorc d'Auvergne
Distinctions
Plus Beaux Détours de France (2)
- Charles-Louis Philippe
- Émile Guillaumin
- Arboretum de Balaine
Station classée de tourisme (7)
Risks
Safety score
8/10
Flood risk
Very low
% communes flood-exposed (GASPAR union)
p4 of 96
Fire risk
Moderate
Copernicus FWI · fire-weather index
p54 of 96
Seismic exposure
Very high
% in a seismic zone (most of France is)
p80 of 96
Major risks present
Share of the department's communes listing each risk category
Earthquake Very high 100% p80 of 96
Flooding Low 24% p27 of 96
Dam failure Low 23% p77 of 96
Hazardous-materials transport Low 21.5% p19 of 96
Wildfire Very low 10.1% p56 of 96
Subsidence & cavities Very low 7.6% p28 of 96
Ground movement Very low 6% p16 of 96
Industrial hazard Very low 0.9% p17 of 96
Transport
Transport
4/10
3.0 h to Paris · TGV + closeness
TGV access
No
TGV via connecting city
Highways
4
A71 · A79 · A714 · A719
Work locally
32.9%
work in own commune
Nearest hubs
🏙 Nearest city
Vichy / Clermont (~30 min)
✈ Airport
Clermont-Ferrand Auvergne airport (CFE) · ~67 km
🚄 To Paris via TGV
No direct TGV
🛣 Highways
A71, A79, A714, A719
Services
Healthcare
5/10
APL 3.2
p31 of 96
Schools
5/10
Brevet 85%
p29 of 96
Fiber coverage
85%
p5 of 96
Intl schools
2schools
International programmes available
p47 of 96
People
Population
327,114
p29 of 96
Density
44/km²
Rural
-45% vs median 81
32 387
Pop trend
-0.3%/yr
-0.5 pts vs median · p12
Median income
$24,500
standard of living · $/yr
p19 of 96
Poverty rate
16.2%
below 60% of median living standard
p75 of 96
Unemployment
12.3%
active population out of work
p83 of 96
Tourism
1 bed per 49 residents
p40 of 96 · 6,709 beds
Age distribution · % of population
0-14
14%
15-24
11%
25-39
12%
40-54
14%
55-69
20%
70+
29%
Office professionals
10.5%
cadres · engineers, managers, professionals
p14 of 96
Remote work
6.1%
télétravail · works without commuting
p88 of 96
Socio-professional mix · % of occupied workers
Office
Managers & professionals
10.5%
At-home trades
Farmers
3.4%
Artisans & shopkeepers
7%
On-site · services, health, teaching, manual
Intermediate professions incl. nurses, teachers
24.2%
Clerical & service staff
29.7%
Manual workers
25.2%
Real estate
Median
$1,160/m²
$480 $2,340
House $1,150 Apt $1,320
+2.2%/yr 2023–25
Median surface
—m²
Taxe foncière
41.83%
typical commune rate · TFPB
p32 of 96
Price distribution across communes · $/m²
Loading commune price distribution…
On the market — explore listings