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Origin and history

The Musée de la Haute-Auvergne, located in Saint-Flour, Cantal, has its origins in the gathering of municipal collections since 1967. These varied and rich collections cover fields as diverse as archaeology, fine arts, ethnology, local history and natural sciences. The museum is housed in the old bishopric, a 17th-century building located at the foot of St Peter's Cathedral, giving it a remarkable historical and architectural setting.

The vaulted rooms of the former Episcopal Palace house archaeological collections, while the bishop's private chapel houses the religious statuary dating from the twelfth to the nineteenth centuries. The capitular hall, on the other hand, exhibits the treasure of the cathedral, and the former apartments are dedicated to furniture and popular art of the Haute-Auvergne. These spaces showcase identity objects, witnesses to the history and traditions of this highland region.

Among the topics discussed are national archaeology (protohistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval periods), religious art (stature, goldsmithy), performing arts (cinema), fine arts (painting, sculpture, photography), as well as ethnological aspects such as costumes, furniture, crafts and tools, and even practices related to the production of Cantal cheese. The museum also has collections in natural sciences, including entomology, mineralogy and ornithology.

The museum is labeled "Musée de France" and is located at 24 rue Sorel, in a building that was once the bishopric and which now also houses the town hall. His interest lies as much in the collections he presents as in the building itself, which reflects the religious and civil history of Saint-Flour.

The former Episcopal Palace, built in the 17th century, is a major architectural element of the city. Its location at the foot of St Peter's Cathedral makes it an emblematic place where religious history, artistic heritage and collective memory intersect. The museum's collections, which have been gradually gathered since 1967, offer a complete panorama of the life and traditions of the Haute-Auvergne.

Finally, the museum is distinguished by its identity approach, highlighting objects and know-how specific to this mountainous region. Visitors can discover unique elements, such as tools related to the Cantal production, or traditional musical instruments, which illustrate the cultural and historical richness of this territory.

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