1911 Encyclopædia Britannica/St Affrique

ST AFFRIQUE, a town of Southern France, capital of an arrondissement in the department of Aveyron, on the Sorgues, 68 m. N.N.W. of Beziers on a branch line of the railway to Clermont Ferrand. Pop. (1906) town, 4473; commune 6571. An old bridge over the Sorgues and some megaliths in the neighbourhood, especially, the dolmen at Tiergues, are of antiquarian interest. There is considerable trade in wool and Roquefort cheese.

St Affrique grew up in the 6th century around the tomb of St Africain, bishop of Comminges. In the 12th century a fortress was built on the neighbouring rock of Caylus. The possession of St Affrique was vigorously contested during the wars of religion. It was eventually occupied by the Huguenots till 1629, when it was seized and dismantled by a royal army.