Figeac is at the crossroads of the ancient roads of Rodez and Auvergne. The monks of Conques built an abbey and a parish church there and developed the city around them. Market places grew from the 12th century, such as the herb market (vegetables) in front of the very door of the abbey. Sites dedicated to wheat and oats also brought the merchants together. Cloth, wool, hemp, and later wine trades developed in Figeac, where wealthy merchants settled and participated in its prosperity.