Montricoux (; ) is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Occitanie region in southern France. It is located along the banks of the Aveyron, between Nègrepelisse and Bruniquel. The written history of the commune dates back to the eighth century. The , built by the Knights Templar, now houses the Museum, which preserves 130 drawings, pastels, watercolors, oils, and frescoes by this artist, a resident of the town. Geography On the right bank of the Aveyron, Montricoux, with an area of 2644 hectares, lies in lower Quercy where the river leaves the limestone gorges of the Massif Central for the plain. Thus its nickname, “Portes des Gorges de l’Aveyron”, (Gates of the Aveyron Gorges). Etymology The first known name of Montricoux was “Mormacus” then “Mons-Riculfi“ which in langue d’Oc became “Mont-Ricolf” and later “Mont-Ricos”, which means “rough, harsh mountain.” History The nearby site archaeological site of in Saint Antonin dates to the end of the Upper Paleolithic (Magdalenian). Flints from northwestern France and the ]Périgord have been found in Montricoux and a number of other sites in the Aveyron valley, providing evidence for the travel of ancient nomads through the region. Stone axes have been found in nearby St Laurent, and these and the cave dwellings, flints, dolmens and a tumulus known as the Tombeau du Géant (Giant’s Tomb) in the nearby forest of Bretou indicate a human presence since very early times. An Iron Age tumulus has been discovered in a Montricoux locality named "Quartou” and a line of dolmens, possibly Bronze Age, stretches from Montricoux to Puylaroque. Several Roman roads passed through the municipality: to l’Albenque from Albi to Cahors via Montricoux from Cos to Cordes through Réalville, Bioule, Montricoux, Bruniquel, and Monceré The town was known as Mormacus in this period, and archaeologists have found Roman coins there stamped with this name. It was still known as Mormac in 767 when King Pepin the Short, honoring a vow made before his victory over Waiofar the Duke of Aquitaine, donated the land and the monastery of Saint Antonin to the monks who lived there. The 13th-century keep of the dominates the cityscape of Montricoux. The Vaour commandery of the Knights Templar built it on land they had obtained in 1181 in a land swap with the monks of Saint Antonin. Article 13 of the city charter of January 6, 1277 forbade the townspeople from fishing in