Autry-Issards is located some west of Moulins and north-west of Souvigny. Access to the commune is by the D134 from Bourbon-l'Archambault in the north-west to the village and also the D104 goes to Souvigny in the south-east. The D58 comes from Saint-Menoux in the north-east and passes through the village before continuing south-east to join the D11 east of Gipcy. The D293 comes from Saint-Menoux in the north-east and passes through the north of the commune before turning south to join the D58 west of the commune. The D73 passes through the commune in the south going from Gipcy to Souvigny. Apart from the village itself, there are the hamlets of:
Ardennes
Les Barons
La Basse Troliere
Beau Merle
Beau Soleil
Bordiere
Boucheron
Les Burches
Champ Juvenier
Les Chaumes
Charbonneau
Chateau d'Issards
Chateau du Plessis
Les Chenardeieres
Coulette
La Croix de Fromenteau
Les Etanieres
La Foultiere
Fromenteau
Les Genivres
Le Grand Bigut
La Grand Mouillere
Jaliere
Le Livrot
La Loge
Le Mai
Malleret
Le Moulin de la Pirouette
Les Noisettes
L'Ouche
Les Pechoirs
La Peliere
Les Perolles
Le Petit Bigut
Le Petit Mai
Les Planches
Provencheres
Rancy
Les Renauds
Rimasoir
La Rouche Coupee
Saint-Priest
La Troliere
La Tuilerie de Malleret
Les Ulferts
Vilban
Villard
Virjolais
The commune is mostly farmland with a few scattered patches of forest. The Ourts river rises in the south of the commune and flows north-east to join the Burge south-east of Couzon. The Rose rises in the south-west of the commune and flows north-east to join the Ours.
Neighbouring communes and villages
Administration
List of Successive Mayors
From
To
Name
Party
Position
2001
2014
Jean-Pierre Laloue
2014
2020
Bernard Debeauvais
2020
Current
François Regnault
Demography
In 2013 the commune had 345 inhabitants. The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known from the population censuses conducted in the commune since 1793. From the 21st century, a census of communes with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants is held every five years, unlike larger communes that have a sample survey every year.
Culture and heritage
Civil heritage
The commune has a number of buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
The Chateau du Plessis. The Chateau has one item that is registered as an historical object:
*A half-plane relief: pregnant woman
The Chateau d'Issards. The chateau has an old part dating from the end of the 15th century and a part built between 1862 and 1870 by the architect Jean Moreau for Count Louis Gabriel Carré d'Aligny.
The Rouche Coupée Farm
A Farmhouse
The Champ Bouca Farm
The Amorins Farm
A House at La Loge
The Ecalits Farm
The Jalière Farm
The Vilban Mill
Houses and Farms
The Plessis Farm
The Croix Fromenteau Farm
The Benêts Farm
The Villard Farm
The Chateau de La Trolière. The Chateau contains one item that is registered as an historical object:
*A Roof Ornament depicting a pigeon
Boucheron Manor
Petit Bigut Manor
Ardennes Manor
Religious heritage
The commune has many religious buildings and structures that are registered as historical monuments:
The old Benedictine Priory of Saint-Maurice. The Priory contains three items that are registered as historical objects:
The Church of the Trinity The Church of the Holy Trinity is a Romanesque church which dates from the early 12th century which has a magnificent portal and a carved tympanum and bell tower. It is typical of the Middle Ages with decorative influences from Cluny Abbey combined. The decor of the portal is strongly reminiscent of some decorative elements of the Abbey at Chezal-Benoît which was built in the first half of the 12th century. The steeple topped by its stone spire is one of the highest in the department. The Tympanum has two angels holding a Mandorla which surrounds Christ in glory which is also found in the nearby church of Meillers. This is a very rare instance of the artist signing his work: "Natalis me fecit". They are surrounded by arched ways with hanging lamps.
The church contains many items that are registered as historical monuments:
A Bronze Bell
A Bronze Bell
A Plaque commemorating the foundation of Masses by Jacques de Dreuille and Elisabeth Deculant, his wife
Pierre Lacorne, notary, born in 1940 at Autry-Issards and President of ASF France Aviation Sans Frontières.
Christian Chalmin, publisher, born in 1947 at Autry-Issards and Mayor of the commune from 1989 to 1995.
Sanne Spangenberg, French/Dutch born at Moulins in 1993, elected Miss Auvergne 2012 at 19 years old. She participated in Miss France 2013 on 8 December 2012 in live coverage on TF1TV station.
