Lauze is a flat, hard stone used for roofing houses. It can be up to 80 cm wide and 4 cm thick. Lauzes are cut in the shape of scales, decreasing in size right up to the ridge. They overlap and interlock like the scales of a fish. The weight(…)
Lauze is a flat, hard stone used for roofing houses. It can be up to 80 cm wide and 4 cm thick. Lauzes are cut in the shape of scales, decreasing in size right up to the ridge. They overlap and interlock like the scales of a fish. The weight of a roof is around 100 kg per m², requiring a sturdy framework. This material is still a masterful way of enhancing the most typical houses in the Haute Auvergne region.
An example of this type of architecture is the town hall in Murat-le-Quaire, which in the 18th century was the seigneurial residence. Built in 1720 from the stones of the former feudal castle, which was destroyed during the French Revolution, it is a building full of character.
It now houses the town hall and tourist office, and hosts year-round exhibitions of paintings, sculpture, watercolors, lace…
A 30-minute to 1-hour discovery trail allows you to stroll through the village and discover its architecture. Numerous numbered, explanatory markers (Château farmhouse, fountains, barns, church, ramparts and promontory, bread oven and washhouse, small mill… ) take you on a tour of the village’s built heritage and history, with beautiful views over the countryside.
How to get there :
Start in the courtyard of the Mairie. Free map available from the tourist office.
Updated on 18 March 2026 by Office de Tourisme du Massif du Sancy