Discover Murol

Murol combines castle and art history with volcanic landscapes and trails by Lac Chambon. Château de Murol, the MÉM, Eglise Saint-Ferréol and the various routes each offer a different focus. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between cultural sites, lakeside trails and longer excursions: options range from a short out-and-back walk to several-hour hikes and a cycling tour with stated elevation gains.

Culture and history in Murol

Château de Murol features reconstructed living quarters and guided tours with guides in historical costumes. Jousting tournaments are also part of the program, which may vary depending on the time of year. If a tournament is an important part of your trip, check the dates in advance.

The MÉM, the Musée des peintres de l'École de Murol, presents works by around a hundred Post-Impressionist artists. These artists gathered in Murol in the first half of the 20th century. The focus is therefore on both the works of art and the artists’ historical connection to the town.

Eglise Saint-Ferréol contains nine large murals, each measuring 12 m², depicting episodes from the New Testament. There are also stained-glass windows by Félix Gaudin dating from around 1900. The church thus combines large-scale mural paintings with stained-glass windows by a named artist.

Volcanic landscapes and nature at Lac Chambon

Lac Chambon is a reservoir of volcanic origin, formed after the eruption of Volcan du Tartaret. A lakeside path with boardwalk sections passes through wetlands. The Voie Verte du Lac Chambon is 4.5 kilometers long and suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and strollers.

The hiking route at Lac Chambon crosses the basalt hill of Murol and passes the rock pinnacle known as “la dent du Marais.” Parc du Prélong offers a different focus on nature: this botanically diverse park covers 3.4 hectares and has around 700 recorded trees. Auvergne Escapade activities focus on topics such as fauna, flora, landscape observation, volcanism and mountain environments.

Compare hikes and cycling routes

The easy circular route at Lac Chambon is 7.5 kilometers long and takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes. Roche-Romaine is a moderately difficult circular hike starting in Murol, covering 10.5 kilometers and taking about 3 hours and 15 minutes. The loop at Lac Chambon is therefore shorter and easier; Roche-Romaine takes around an hour longer and is rated moderately difficult. Weather can affect access to both routes.

For a shorter outing, consider the hiking trail to Volcan du Tartaret from Murol: it is an out-and-back route of about 45 minutes. Seasonal conditions can affect access. The easy orienteering course at Volcan du Tartaret offers another way to explore the landscape: it has 10 checkpoints, covers 4.5 kilometers and includes 210 meters of elevation gain; it takes about two hours.

There are also specific details for cycling routes. The cycling tour to Col de la Croix-Saint-Robert starts at the Murol Tourist Office, at an elevation of 785 meters. The route to the summit covers 13.5 kilometers and includes 623 meters of elevation gain. The pass is seasonally closed in winter. The “Circuit du Cézallier – Autour du massif du Sancy” cycling loop runs near Lac Chambon and away from Murol.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Sauviat, Beaumont, Servant, Saint-Cirgues-Sur-Couze, Saint-Anthème, Villosanges, Auzelles, Saint-Flour.

Back to the main travel overview: Puy-De-Dôme.