Château de Murol in France’s ‘land of castles’

High on a basalt hill in the Puy de Dôme department sits a majestic symbol of feudal Auvergne — Château de Murol. Our recent visit to the fortress includes lunch in the village of the same name, where I try a local specialty: la truffade.

Château de Murol

Construction of Château de Murol began in the 12th century on a site that probably contained a primitive fort. The location was, of course, strategic, overlooking roads to Besse and Chambon. Adapted over the following centuries, the castle was spared by Richelieu after the French Revolution and became a prison, a den of thieves and eventually a stone quarry. In 1890, its last owner, Henri-Guillaume de Chabrol gave the fortress to the Puy-de-Dôme department, which in turn gave it to the town of Murol in 1950.

Château de Murol sits on a mountain of basalt.

View of volcanic mountains from the ramparts of Château de Murol

We enter the château through the lower courtyard and take the path through the former farm, where we see a smattering of agricultural equipment and beehives. After passing the archery field, we arrive at the northern gate.

Beehives on the grounds of Château de Murol

Stairs to the northern gate at Château de Murol

Just off the high courtyard, we check out the Honor Room and the Hall of Arms. The views of the Sancy mountains and across the Couze valley are amazing on this crystal clear day.

Honor Room at Château de Murol

What the fashionable knight wore at Château de Murol

High Courtyard at Château de Murol

Architectural detail at Château de Murol

Atop the ramparts at Château de Murol

Our self-guided tour includes a peek inside the castle’s kitchens and bakery and finishes up with a little fashion exhibit. 

Fashion display in the cellar of Château de Murol

Although we avoid sightseeing trips when schools are out (I’m not good with crowds) a visit to the Château de Murol in the summer allows visitors who don’t mind braving the winding mountain roads after dark to enjoy a nocturnal spectacular on Tuesdays and Thursday through the end of August (reservations are required). Details about Château de Murol’s hours, tariffs and tour options are available on its website here.

Time for lunch

The village of Murol, a couple of kilometers from the château, holds its own charms. We’re ravenous after our castle visit, so we head directly to lunch. I had seen la truffade on the menu of several regional restaurants and I decide to give it a try. My arteries are surely happy that I rarely eat food this hearty. The delectable dish is made from potatoes and a lot … a whole lot … of cheese (specifically tomme fraîche du Cantal).

La truffade is a traditional dish from the Auvergne region.

After a meal like this — and no, I couldn’t finish it — we take a walk through the village. 

A sign in Murol contains a vintage village photo.

That same street view on the day of our visit to Murol

Château, church and charming house in the village of Murol

Murol is located in the valley Couze Chambon on the eastern slopes of the Massif de Sancy. About a three-and-a-half-hour drive from our home in the Lot-et-Garonne, a trip to the Auvergne region is worth the drive. The closest city to Murol is Clermont-Ferrand, about 45 minutes to the north. Thus far, we’ve made two trips to France’s Massif Central and we’ve explored just a tiny bit of this breathtaking region. There are 43 castles open to the public along la Route Historique des Châteaux d’Auvergne. And of course, there’s the cheese. I’m already looking forward to our next trip.