A mid-mountain municipality at the foot of the Mounts of Cantal, in the Alagnon glacial valley, Murat is a Station Verte-certified "green resort" in the Massif Central. At the crossroads of Haute-Auvergne, this picturesque medieval town backs onto the basaltic rock of Bonnevie, which towers over the historic centre. In the Middle Ages, Murat was a fortified town and a major road hub, which encouraged trade. Many fairs and markets were held there. Two other volcanic mountains surround it, the Bredons Rock and the Chastel-sur-Murat Rock.
Many old houses, some of which are listed Historic Monuments, provide a reminder of the medieval and Renaissance period. Must-see sights on a walk along the streets of the old town: the consular house, one of Murat's gems with its 15th-century façade; the old bailiwick house from the 16th century on Place de la Boucherie; the Collegiate Church of Our Lady of the Olive Trees (Notre-Dame-des-Oliviers), built between the 12th and the 14th centuries, with its statues and altarpieces from the 17th and 19th centuries; the Hurgon House on Rue du Bon-Secours. The old town with its grey roofs and Bonnevie Rock, with the statue of Our Lady of Haute-Auvergne towering over it, form a beautiful group, where the buildings are mainly made of natural materials from the region, such as wood, flagstone and volcanic stone.
Based in a superb 16th-century mansion, the House of Fauna will delight lovers of butterflies and beetles, with 8,000 species on show. A collection of stuffed birds and mammals, shown in their natural habitat, is also on display.
