GAILLAC

gaillac, a town of south-western france, capital of an arrondissement in the department of tarn, on the right bank of the tarn, 15 m. w. of albi on the railway from that city to toulouse. pop. (1906) town, 5388; commune, 7535. the churches of st michel and st pierre, both dating from the 13th and 14th centuries, have little architectural importance. there are some interesting houses, one of which, the maison yversen, of the renaissance, is remarkable for the rich carving of its doors. the public institutions include the sub-prefecture, a tribunal of first instance, and a communal college. its industries include the manufacture of lime and wooden shoes, while dyeing, wood-sawing and flour-milling are also carried on; it has a considerable trade in grain, flour, vegetables, dried plums, anise, coriander, &c., and in wine, the white and red wines of the arrondissement having a high reputation. gaillac grew up round the benedictine abbey of st michel, founded in the 10th century.