The origins of the village are hazy but it is known that it was inhabited in the gallo-roman period. In 1952, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Agout river today known as Sainte Juliane, a farmer hit what appeared to be a large rock with his plough, when he tried to dig it up he found a sarcophagus containing a human skull and other bones. 19th century archeologists had already shown that the site had been inhabited by celtic tribes. Recent excavations have found stone cisternes, steps and sarcophagus as well as other objects such as pots, rings, nails, keys, spurs. These are all exposed today in the Goya museum in Castres. The first written trace of Sainte Juliane goes back to 1448, although excavations show that it existed well before this.
In fact this sacred mountain, perched at 315 m, which was both a religious and funeral site, was occupied successively by the Celts (5th to 2nd century BC), the Visigoths (5th century after Christ), the Cathars (12th century) and then by different christian communities.
The site of Sainte Juliane, its church and other buildings were destroyed in the Albigeois crusade against the Cathars led in 1210 by Simon de Montfort.
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In 1229, Philippe II de Montfort, built a chateau on this rock which dominates a bend in the Agout river. This chateau became known as "roca curva" or curved rock, an allusion to the curve of the river around the rock. Roquecourbe was thus born and the village developed on the opposite bank of the river.
The chateau fell victim to the religious wars that ravaged the region and was destroyed twice in the 14th and 17th century. Today nothing remains except a small section of wall visible from the old railway station.
The Seigneurie of Roquecourbe was associated with many famous names over the centuries such as Trencavel, Montfort, Vendôme, Bourbon, Armagnac, Boffile de Juge...
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The bridge was built in the 13th century and improved and strengthened after the son of Eléonore de Montford was swept from it in a flood in the 14th century.
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The religious wars deeply affected the village and the region. Roquecourbe was alternatively protestant and catholic up to the signature of the Edict of Nantes by Henry IV. Today both religions are represented with the protestant temple built in 1871 and the catholic church built in 1840. The bell tower was rebuilt in 1947 after it collapsed (see photos with old and new bell towers).
Roquecourbe has contributed several personalities to the history of France.
Alba Lasource - in 1791, the protestant minister of Roquecourbe, Alba Lasource, was elected as deputy for the Tarn at the Assemblée Nationale and then the Convention.
Emile Combes - born in 1835, Emile Combes became in 1902, Prime minister and several times minister. He was the author of the law separating the French state from the Church.
Alibert - in 1882 this poet-herborist published his "Poésies"
Raoul Salan - born in 1899 at 17 des Allées Charles de Gaulle (a commemorative plaque can be seen on his birth place today), he fought in both World Wars and became Commander in Chief of French Forces in Indonesia and then Military Commander of Paris. He later became head of the O.A.S. (secret armed movement against the independance of Algeria) and was involved in an unsuccesful putsch in Algers in April 1961. He was condemned to death in 1962 but finally pardoned and died in Paris in 1984.