.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}@media all and (max-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{width:auto!important;clear:none!important;float:none!important))You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (December 2008) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the French article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Varennes-sur-Allier]]; see its history for attribution. You should also add the template ((Translated|fr|Varennes-sur-Allier)) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.

Varennes-sur-Allier
Commune
A view within Varennes-sur-Allier
Coat of arms
Location of Varennes-sur-Allier
Varennes-sur-Allier Show map of France Varennes-sur-Allier Show map of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Coordinates: 46°18′47″N 3°24′08″E / 46.3130°N 3.4022°E / 46.3130; 3.4022
Country	France
Region	Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
Department	Allier
Arrondissement	Vichy
Canton	Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Intercommunality	Entr'Allier Besbre et Loire
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Roger Litaudon^[1]
Area ¹	24.1 km² (9.3 sq mi)
Population (2021)^[2]	3,609
• Density	150/km² (390/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	03298 /03150
Elevation	228–292 m (748–958 ft) (avg. 248 m or 814 ft)
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Varennes-sur-Allier (French pronunciation: [vaʁɛn syʁ alje], literally Varennes on Allier; Occitan: Varenas) is a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes in central France.

History

In 52 BC during the Gallic Wars lived by Julius Caesar, Vercingetorix crossed the river Elave (moderne Loire), and started marching up and down the banks of the river Loire, mirroring Caesar's movements and destroying all the bridges to keep him from crossing, the purpose presumably being to destroy part of his force as he attempted to cross. Realizing Vercingetorix's plan, Caesar resolved to trick him and cross under his very nose.^[3]

Caesar one night camped near the town of Varennes,^[3] where there had previously been a bridge before Vercingetorix had destroyed it. That night, he divided his force into two parts, one part being 2/3 of the force, the other being 1/3 of the force. He ordered the larger force to march in 6 corps, as if it were in fact the full corps.^[3] He then ordered it to continue its march south. Vercingetorix, duped, took the bait and followed this part of the force.

Caesar, with the two legions still present at Varennes, speedily rebuilt the bridge that had been present there. He then sent for the other force, which during that next day stole a march on Vercingetorix, and completed a junction with the original force, and crossed the rebuilt bridge.^[3] Realizing that he had been duped, Vercingetorix set out south, to beat Caesar to Gergovia.