20 The Hall 23 16th century house, former Baillage Constructed on (bailiwick) the site of the In the 16th century, the bailiwick was where justice was Church of Saint served in the name of the king. This is where the lieutenant- Martin, the Hall bailiwick of the mountains of Auvergne resided. Amongst is a beautiful his powers was the ability to judge criminal affairs at first example of a instance. According to local historians, the bailiwick was metal structure. actually located behind the Maison de la Faune. Completed in The edifice has four floors. Each floor is marked by a cornice. 1891, it was The windows have moulded framework and the sides are restored in 1988. finely carved. There is a beautiful moulded door witha It was during the central, carved pattern, in the rue de l’Argenterie. time of Napoleon th Discovery of Old Murat During the time of Colbert (17 century), this was the gold III that this type workers quarter, unequaled in the art of cutting amethysts of Hall, called a which, according to legend, “warded off intoxication.” “Baltard”, came into being because new technology allowed Murat Walking Tour the mass production of iron and enabled the carrying 24 capacity of this type of structure to be increased. Former Wheat Place, In the Hall, where space was needed, metal columns called “place aux bleds” replaced walls creating more space for the market. Also, The law allowed the people of Murat to stock up on salt from another important advantage of using iron was that it is fire the Poitou region which, because it was less expensive than resistant and, as can be observed here, the metal structure salt from the Languedoc region, favoured the installation of allowed for superb arched windows, unknown before this butchers who consumed it in large quantities. The town thus time. affirmed itself as a commercial crossroads. On the ground floor were located the “Docks à fromages”. The salt tax collector also lived in the square.

21 The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame 25 La Maison de la Faune, des Oliviers House of Fauna In 1926, to create Located in a former 16th century space around the private residence which became church and to the sous-préfecture of the Cantal construct a square between 1827 and 1926, this in front, some museum houses collections of old houses were both local and exotic fauna. Three destroyed. One floors of themed rooms present of these had a insects, birds, mammals and fish watchtower, and to in their different ecosystems. preserve this testi- From the Maison de la Faune, mony to the past, down the stairs, is located the it was incorpora- Hôtel de ville where you can ted into the church admire the roofs and small towers wall, to the left of of this beautiful building. the southern en- trance. Within the 26 church can be seen Le cornet de Murat statues, some of (The “horn” of Murat) which are classified As long as those with a sweet as historic monu- tooth have been around, Murat ments. Also, there has made cornets. These are five altarpieces artisanal biscuits are rolled as This walking tour will guide you through the town of Murat and unveil its secrets through from the 17th and soon as they come out of the a series of panels. This guide is a translation of those panels. 19th centuries. oven and then filled with sweet To begin, the history of Murat goes back to at least 270 AD when St. Mamet came to creams. evangelise the territory. Murat, in Celtic, means steep or pointed rock. 22 On the 3rd Sunday in September, Place Gandilhon Gens d’Armes more than 10 000 people come Murat appears again in the 11th century when a viscounty was created. During this era, Formerly the Butcher’s quarter. Extracted from the register to enjoy the cornets and of deliberations from the Murat Municipal Council in 1832: Murat was fortified several times with three successive fortifications to protect itself from participate in the festivities “Considering the establishment of a public slaughterhouse armed bandits, looters and epidemics. The walls include seven doors with towers and a which include a market selling would be certainly useful and assist in the cleanliness of the pastries,local products, cornets chapel. The centre was preserved during this period while the exterior, or faubourg, was town (…), in Murat, there are 14 beef butchers and 4 pork with a huge array of fillings, a often burnt down and destroyed. The walls were no longer maintained from the beginning butchers who in one year slaughter 220 head of cattle, as cooking contest and children’s th many pigs, 2170 calves and 4770 sheep or goats. The but- of the 18 century. activities. chers do not have personal slaughter facilities or scalding Murat also had an imposing castle that was a stronghold for many years. It was destroyed pots and slaughter in the street in front of their shops and in 1477, then rebuilt and destroyed again in 1633 on Richelieu’s orders. Despite its butcher their meat and burn the pigs.” grandeur, absolutely nothing is left of the castle. The railway arrived in Murat in 1866. Since WWII, the local economy has developed around tourism, teaching, hospital services, and more recently remote work or “télétravail.” Murat, is located at the base of the Rocher de Bonnevie between the Rocher de Bredons with its 11th century Romanesque church and the Rocher de Chastel sur Murat with its 12th century Romanesque chapel. All three of these “rochers” have spectacular views of 1 Tourist Office the Monts du Cantal. These mountains were once one giant stratovolcano. Today they Place de l’Hôtel de Ville – 15300 MURAT comprise several summits: le Puy Mary (1 787 m), le Plomb du Cantal (1 855 m), le Puy +33 4 71 20 09 47 Griou, (1 690 m), le Puy Violent, (1 592 m), le Puy Chavaroche (1 739 m) and le Puy de www.officedetourismepaysdemurat.com Peyre-Arse, (1 806 m).

The tour begins outside of the Tourist Office of the Pays de Murat Length of the tour : 1h30

Photos: Gilles Chabrier, photographer in Murat Création et réalisation Imprimerie Champagnac SAS - R.C.S. Aurillac 315 907 25 8 Tour du Bon Secours or Tour Molinier/ 15 Volcanism and construction Bon Secours Tower or Molinier Tower Basaltic columns, trachyte and phonolite are the three tradi- One of the seven tional stones of construction in Murat. town doors was The basaltic columns: when cooling, the lava formed long situated here. You hexagonal crystals. This very hard, dark grey stone is simply are now entering removed and then used in its natural state. the old town. The Trachyte: known as Pierre de Murat, comes from the Cunes house facades are quarry which is still being worked today. A very resistant, light rich in details: grey stone, it can be sawed or finely cut and is a cousin of decorated polished stone. doorways (some Phonolite: used for stone roofs because it is extracted in of the coats of large pieces. These pieces can weigh up to 200 kg. Exploited arms were taken since the Middle Ages, it has the characteristic of producing a down during the Revolution to remove any connection to the “ringing” sound when hit hence its name “phono”lite. nobles and corporations); windows with crosses with carvings of delicate or grotesque faces. 16 Gargoyles and Saint Esprit (Holy Spirit) This is a good spot for admiring the gargoyles of the church, 9 The Béral family home Notre Dame des Oliviers, built in the 15th century. This family provided several famous doctors to the kings of On the facade of number 28, above the balcony jutting over the France. house’s lovely front, is an astonishing wooden dove in a niche • Pierre de Béral, ennobled by Louis XIII, was doctor to with a cross above it. Could it be the symbol of the Saint Esprit Henri IV for 32 years. or Holy Spirit for which the street and the door are named? • Pierre Hugues de Béral was doctor to Louis XIII. In 1964, several scenes from Henri-Georges Clouzot’s film, The street, rue Jean de l’Hospital, owes its name to the “L’Enfer” (Hell), with Romy Schneider and Serge Reggiani Constable of Bourbon, father of the chancellor Michel de were filmed here. l’Hospital (1507-1573). 17 1 An important intersection in the heart of the Some of Murat’s population took an active part An Historical Residence 10 The Jacquemart of the Gaudron home th glacial valley of the river Alagnon, Murat “the Acquired by Jean de Traverse in the 15 century, the house in the protection of persecuted Jewish people. A “jacquemart” is an automated piece of art with one or more blue”(a reference to its royal past) is still evolved toward a Renaissance architectural style. Guillaume Three of these people have been honoured with characters sculpted in wood or metal that tells the time by covered with magnificent stone tiled roofs. the title of “Juste parmis les nations” or “The Just de Traverse, counsellor and doctor to Charles VII was ennobled hitting a bell with a hammer. In 1938, Charles Gaudron had th During the middle ages it was home to a thri- in 1459. His son, Jean, was also a doctor. In the 16 century, among nations”: this clock made to immortalise his children in traditional Au- ving population of artisans, shopkeepers and Poncet de Traverse was a lawyer. • Alice Ferrières, maths teacher at the girls’ vergne dress. The children dance “la bourré”, a traditional lawyers protected by the thick city walls. It On the ground level, is a shop with its characteristic store primary school, recognised in 1964, Auvergne dance, the clock tells the time and the rooster crows was renowned for its medieval fairs, cheese, front and shelf. Above is a window decorated with life-like • Marie Sagnier, Headmistress, 1985 the twelve strokes of noon by way of a three bell chime. wheat and livestock. • Marthe Cambon, French teacher, 2003. stone heads and ornate columns. Seven buildings, classified or registered in 11 Tower of Saint Peter On the facade to the left, at the base of the tower enclosing 4 a circular staircase, is a magnificent doorway with a double the Supplemental Inventory of Historical Council Meeting House The town protected by three walls th lintel. To the right of the house, is a Chabassou fountain in the Monuments, testify to the architectural This 14 century house with its magnificent facade and seven doors was described Louis XIV style. richness of Murat. was registered in the Supplemental Historical as “a fortress abutted to the This picturesque visit with 26 stops invites Monument Inventory in 1927. It has remarkable rock of Murat- Castrum apud you to discover Murat’s treasures. renaissance windows framed by stacked archways. castrum”. This defensive tower The wooden door is decorated with engraved formed part of the old walls. panels resembling pleated material. In French, a local expression The large semi-circular window on the ground or play on words because all of floor likely testifies to a commercial past. the words are pronounced the For three centuries, it was home to the Chabanon same says “un mur mura Murat family, seven of whom were councillors. et Murat murmura” meaning “a wall walled Murat and Murat 5 Jean-Baptiste Pagès-Allary, 1863- murmured.” 1926; a renowned person In 1283, a charter was signed giving Murat’s citizens the right to This archaeologist, geologist and charachter, President use the walls. In return it was their responsibility to close the of the Pre-historical Society of France, lived here. doors and windows in case of attack. At the end of the 19th century, he became interested in deposits of diatomite fossils and 12 The Teillard Family Home began the first mining and transformation of what The Teillards, an old Murat family, played an important admi- is still called “the white gold of the Cantal”, a nistrative, judicial, political and economic role in the city. 2 “Rocher de Bonnevie” product rich in silicon. Marguerite Teillard-Chambon, (1880-1959), obtained a docto- The imposing “Rocher de Bonnevie” is the rock He also participated strongly in the industrial rate, was a Director of the Notre Dame des Champs Institute towering above the old town. The perfectly development of the town. in Paris, a member of the women’s right to vote committee, 18 Maison des Templiers/ Templars House aligned basaltic columns, amongst the finest Today, a factory in Murat still transforms and a writer and the recipient of some prestigious literary prizes. The Templars were a militant religious order whose original in Europe, supported the fortress of Murat’s exports the diatomite for the filtration of beer, In the tower is a beautiful renaissance door with two unequal responsibility was to protect pilgrims from brigands. The order viscounts. Property of the royal families of Murat, wine and the insulation for space shuttles, etc. nailed panels. Above the door is a carved seal. This type of was created in 1129 and dissolved in 1312. Cardaillac, Armagnac, and the Bourbons, the sign, round or oval often indicated a notary’s or legal office. The Templars observed religious regulations similar to those 6 th fortress was destroyed upon Richelieu’s orders in 16 century houses of the Benedictines however, the fasting was not as severe 1633. The demolition lasted six months and used Typical of the construction of this town, these 13 The Doors of Murat so as to ensure these warrior monks were not too weak to be many tons of explosive powder. On 18 June 1878, houses had one room and one window per floor. To the left, is a handsome circular tower with beautifully called to battle. Notre Dame de la Consolation (now Notre Dame The ground floor was used for working, the first decorated double doors. Many other beautiful doorways can Above the door, a stone with the coats of arms of the Templars de Haute Auvergne) was constructed; a metal floor for eating and the second floor for sleeping. be found throughout Murat. can still be seen: a cross with 8 points. statue of the Virgin measuring 8 metres high and The gallery, formed by arches supported by weighing 13780 kgs. columns, would have run the entire length of the 14 A Renaissance House 19 street and been used during bad weather. Birth Place of Philippe Marcombes A magnificent renaissance house rich with decoration: 3 Remembrance Politician and doctor, Philippe Marcombes (1877-1935) was 7 sculpted cornicing, a projected watchtower supported on a deputy mayor of Clermont-Ferrand for more than twenty years. Murat became the symbol of deportation in the Tribunal de Murat/ corbel, pillars with Tuscan columns, mullioned windows and Concerned with public health, he developed dispensaries, Cantal because of the events that took place here The Court of Murat a double-vaulted modillion. Above the doors, can be seen ordered the construction of public baths, fought for public on the 12th and 24th June 1944. The “Memorial des This former Dominican convent was burnt down in carved triangular lintels with coats of arms. hygiene by installing sewer systems and built a velodrome. He déportés de Murat” (The Memorial to the deportees 1771 and reconstructed in Louis XV style. During The fountain of the place Royale is incorporated in the steps died on 13 June 1935, at the opening of a Council of Ministers of Murat) opened in 2009 to tell their stories. the Revolution, it became the Court of Murat for to the house. at the Elysées palace, whilst Minister of Public Instruction. The departmental deportation monument on the three centuries. In the Middle Ages the term “échauguette” designated a Beside the 15th century door at number 7 in this street, is a Place du Balat, the main square, was inaugurated on On the facade, two small niches with spiral co- watchtower. On the house opposite is a pigeon loft in a similar nice font. The facade, with the basaltic columns, has small, 14 November 1948. The War Memorial was given to lumns, characteristic of Louis XIII style, are loca- form with an oeil de boeuf or bull’s eye. obstructed monolithic windows. the town of Murat on 24 June 1951. ted above the door to the chapel. Discovery of Old Murat