LAVAUR, chief town of an arrondissement in the department of Tarn, France, 25 miles E.N.E. of Toulouse, stands at a height of 460 feet on the left bank of the Agout (a tributary of the Tarn), which is here crossed by a bold bridge of a single arch of 160 feet span. The most interesting monument of Lavaur is its cathedral, which dates from the 14th and 15th centuries. In front of it is an octagonal bell-tower, without a spire, 131 feet high; a second smaller square tower contains a jaquemart (a metal statue which strikes the hours with a hammer) of the 16th century. In the bishop’s garden is the statue of Las Cases. The chief industry of Lavaur is sericulture, but wool-spinning and tanning occupy some of the people.

The town has 75C0 inhabitants. It was taken by Simon de Montfort during the war of the Albigenses, and several times during the religious wars of the 16th century.