Historical notes on the borough, villages and hamlets, which form today the parish and the district of la Monselie

La Fage de Murat

Close to the castle of the same name, under the wood of la Devèze, facing north, la Fage de Murat is the coldest village of the parish, but it is noteworthy by the quality and the abundance of its water. Beautiful sight on the Chastel rock, entrance to la Sumène valley, and on the basalt columns of Bort.

The beech, in Celt "fô", in Latin "fagus" gave its name to la Fage, Fau, Fayet, very common names in Cantal. The name recalls the village woodland origin. There are many others in our country.

In 1757: 11 houses

Fossanges

Quite big village overlooking the small Broc valley. Noble Aymery de Claviers, landlord of Murat which had acquired Afdar de Fossanges located in this chatellenid, gave it in 1260 to the convent of Valette in Limousin, for the sake of his soul. It is around this time that the Broc abbey was established under the dependency of Valette.

The Water Mill of Fossanges

Hamlet located down the hill, nearby the Broc brook, an impetuous torrent that can overflow during heavy rains and cause serious damage in the Vebret plain.

Water-mill with oil and grain.

Montmailler

Big village located at the east of the borough. The name of Montmallier indicates a Celtic monument (Mons malli).

The Celts known as Pallontiers, held all their assemblies, both civil and religious, in sanctuaries. They rendered justice in open country, close to the altars of the gods (history of the Celts Book IV, chapter 2, section 29)

The place where they gathered for this purpose was named "mallus" (Boule, Gallic antiquities, page 257).

This mallus or sanctuary was usually situated on a mountain or hill, where the divinity that fills the universe can have an open and free passage.

In an uncultivated place where one cannot see anything but the work of nature, where neither the plough nor the scythe can get through. In forests, as loneliness and darkness inspire man with a religious fright...

"... Near a lake or running waters, because they needed water for abductions and practicing their divinations... " Idem... Section 6.

Montmalier meets at its best all these conditions; it stands on a high plateau. On one side the Grand wood, opposite the lake Menet at its feet, the inexhaustible source of Coulanges.

"... Let’s check for any field named the vitalines, vitalnes"

The Celtic word "vitlne" means water diviner, magic spell, malignant spirit.

Some ancient weapons were found in Montmailler.

The "saignes" are noteworthy: immense plains, the old dried out ponds of the castle of Murat.

In 1757: fourteen houses.