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Bastide (planned town)Lot

Labastide-Murat

Labastide-Murat

Dimensions
The castle of Labastide-Murat, also called the réduit de Labastide, once surrounded by ditches, with its great tower which served as a prison; the church of Sainte-Catherine, of ogival style, rebuilt in 1869-1875 through the generosity of the Murats, with windows by L.-V. Gesta; the Murat museum in the marshal's birthplace; the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Goudou out in the country.
Period
Foundation in 1238, customs confirmed in 1266; exchange of 1290 and sale of 1299; houses burned in 1593; church rebuilt in 1869-1875.
What stands there
A bastide of the Gourdon family, chef-lieu of a canton since 1802 in place of Montfaucon. It has borne since the Second Empire the name of Joachim Murat, king of Naples, born in the village.

At the heart of the causse de Gramat, on the road from Cahors to Paris, Labastide-Murat was called for six centuries Labastide-Fortunière, after its founder Fortanier de Gourdon. In 1238 this lord established there a fortified country dwelling intended to receive the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela and of Rocamadour; his vassals gathered around him, the church was built, and the village was protected by walls and a castle. Wikipedia also presents it as an Aquitaine bastide founded in 1290 on behalf of Edward I, the year in which the Gourdon exchanged the town for other lands. The village is known above all as the birthplace of Joachim Murat, son of an innkeeper and postmaster, who became a marshal of the Empire and king of Naples; Napoleon III gave it by decree the name of Labastide-Murat. The castle, the church of Sainte-Catherine and the Murat museum are its landmarks.

Further reading

Getting there : Free access to the village. The Murat museum can be visited under its own conditions.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

See it on the map OpenStreetMap Directions

Ambient sound

Labastide-Murat
rene boulay · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

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In the same department

All places — Lot (15).