Top 10 culinary specialities in Vichy

People come to Vichy for its thermal baths, mineral water springs and gentle way of life… But also for its gastronomy, steeped in the flavours of the Bourbonnais region! The beauty of the Auvergne extends right down to the plate. There’s always a story behind some of Vichy’s best specialities. The locals, proud of their identity, will be happy to tell you all about it over a glass of Saint-Pourçain wine or a cool spring water…

Vichy is also a town full of sweet treats! Behind the minty taste of the eponymous pastilles hides an age-old recipe to help your digestive system function properly. And with such satiating culinary specialities as potato pâté and andouillette from Saint-Pourçain, it won’t go amiss!

Finally, the natural landscapes that surround Vichy produce a wide variety of vegetables and fruit in large quantities. As a result, Vichy’s best specialities are produced by local producers. All of which makes Vichy and the Bourbonnais duchy well worth the trip.

What to eat in Vichy Our selection of 10 Vichy specialities

During your stay in the heart of the Allier and Bourbonnais regions, you’ll be able to sample quality products and, above all, rustic fare. Gourmets who love good meat will be delighted. The Allier is home to Charolais beef, Bourbonnais chicken and lamb, and Jaligny turkey. These are exquisite, quality-labelled meats that meet strict specifications! You’ll have the chance to taste them one by one, in their native land, accompanied by local condiments and a spoonful of Charroux mustard.

1. Vichy carrots

These tender carrots, with their semi-salted butter and fresh herbs, will accompany many dishes during your stay. However, the basic recipe probably didn’t originate in Vichy. Vichy water, renowned for its digestive properties, was simply used to cook the carrots. On your plate, the carrots are presented in thin slices, evenly coated with a delicious butter sauce.

2. Stuffed cabbage

Here’s a speciality that won’t go unnoticed at the centre of a Vichy table. Stuffed cabbage retains its whole leaves and its beautiful natural colour (or slightly blackened after cooking). The leaves leave a few centimetres of pink stuffing at the top. Then there’s the background: Vichy stuffed cabbage is a rustic local recipe, stuffed with a mixture of meats, vegetables, breadcrumbs, eggs and herbs. The list of ingredients used to enrich the flavours is as extensive as the stuffed cabbage itself. A must-try in a typical Auvergne restaurant.

3. Bourdonnais meats

Spotlight on Bourbonnais Charolais chicken, lamb and beef! These 3 species are renowned in the duchy for their fine, high-quality meat. Bourbonnais chicken is a hardy breed, reared according to strict rules and traditions. The meat is served with local Charroux mustard, of course! Le Bourdonnais farm lamb has the “Label Rouge” label. It is reared for a long time, exclusively by its mother, until it is slaughtered. This ensures that the meat retains its exceptional quality and tenderness. Finally, IGP and Label Rouge Charolais beef from the Bourbonnais… The star meat of local gastronomy. You’re bound to have seen the herds that are spread throughout the Vichy region. Thanks to their presence, the meadows of the Allier are preserved. Preserving the lush green landscapes as far as the eye can see.

4. Cabbage soup

Here’s a recipe as old as the town itself (or almost). In the old days, it was customary to keep some cold meats (salted pork, sausage and potatoes) for breakfast after looking after the animals. It is said that one rainy evening, someone stopped at a Bourbonnaise inn and asked what was on the menu, to which the maid replied “there’s soup, meat and vegetables: a real meal”. Thus was born the Vichy cabbage soup.

5. Potato pâté

Potato pâté is by far the most popular speciality in the Allier! It’s a hearty, tasty dish that’s easy to make, making it a popular Sunday lunch dish. You can easily find this imposing pâté in the bakeries of Vichy. It is similar to a potato and cream pie, which the locals like to accompany with slices of cured ham. Enjoy it as a starter or main course, depending on your appetite.

6. La vichyssoise

La vichyssoise is a milky-coloured soup made with leek and potatoes, cream and fresh herbs. Traditionally served cold, it’s not unusual to enjoy a hot version, especially after a hard winter’s day! Served with a few crispy garlic croutons, the thick texture of vichyssoise could well satiate more than one person.

7. Piquenchâgne

In the Bourbonnais region, it is customary for festive occasions to be accompanied by a brioche (or other sweet speciality) to share with friends. So it’s highly likely that the piquenchâgne was born out of this spirit of culinary conviviality. Even if its shape can lead to confusion, the piquenchâgne is indeed a cake. The pastry is a mixture of sugar, cream and alcohol, topped with macerated pears, quinces or apples. Before baking, the fruit is placed straight into the pastry, as if it were “poking an oak tree into the ground”. Hence its name and its pretty, raised crown shape.

8. Vichy pastilles

This ancient sweet with digestive properties is made from the thermal waters of Vichy. These waters are rich in mineral salts, which are dried and ground before being mixed with glucose. The pastilles are then naturally flavoured with mint, lemon or aniseed. The recipe for Vichy pastilles has remained the same since the very beginning! Beneficial for the body, they were once sold in pharmacies before being marketed as confectionery. In the 19th century, Empress Eugenie was very fond of pastilles, to the point of recognising their originality by imperial decree!

9. Fruit jellies

The traditional multicoloured fruit jellies from Auvergne are so pretty. This sweet treat is a childhood memory for most people in the Bourbonnais region. This age-old recipe continues to delight locals and travellers alike. Especially as Vichy fruit jellies are of the highest quality. The paste is made from the pulp of Auvergne fruits: quince, raspberry, blackcurrant, blueberry, strawberry, plum, apricot, pear, apple, cherry, redcurrant… Each colour represents a very specific taste and highlights the regional produce. More Vichy delicacies to take home in your luggage, don’t you think?

10. Spring waters

Vichy is one of the most famous spas in the world. Known since ancient times, it was in the 17th century that the reputation of the Célestins spring reached a turning point. At that time, Vichy had new royal fans, including Louis XV and Madame de Sévigné. Later, Napoleon III frequently visited Vichy as a health cure, and left many traces of his stay in the town. The Vichy Célestins spring was even recognised as being of ‘public interest’ by an imperial decree, giving it an international reputation and guaranteeing year-round ‘wellness’ tourism. For all these reasons, we recommend that you opt for a Vichy mineral water ‘diet’ for the duration of your stay. Your body will thank you!