THE MYSTERIOUS ARIEGE

The village, built on a rocky outcrop, is made up of very old, tightly-packed houses. It overlooks two valleys, the Aude and the Sals, in the Razès region, a hilly landscape punctuated in places by “puechs” (rocky mountains).

Thanks to this strategic location, the site has developed into a major town at the crossroads of the two valleys. From the belvedere on the terrace of the Domaine de l’Abbé Saunier, you can enjoy an exceptional panorama which, on a clear day, offers a magnificent view of the Pyrenees.

The history of Rennes le Château, beyond the mysteries surrounding its famous parish priest, is rich and chaotic, just like the towns linked to Catharism.

The first Count of Razès, Guillaume de Gellone, took part in the battle of Ronceveaux alongside Roland, both companions of Charlemagne.

From 1170 onwards, Rennes le château went through a troubled period, with part of the town and its defenses destroyed by the King of Aragon, who claimed the county of Razès. Miraculously, Simon de Montfort, the armed wing of the kingdom of France against the followers of Catharism, spared the village during the Albigensian Crusade. However, looters led by Henry II of Castile destroyed the ancient town and fortifications, leaving nothing but ruins. The town never regained its prestige, and Rennes le Chateau became a modest village, which did not prevent it from losing its church during the Wars of Religion.

Today, Rennes le Château has been restored to its former glory, and every year thousands of tourists flock to visit Abbé Saunière’s estate.

Thanks to Bérenger Saunière, the parish priest, the town’s physiognomy and its attraction for the hypothetical treasure it might contain were about to be turned upside down.

Indeed, before the arrival of this parish priest, the church was in a state of disrepair, with cracks in the structure and a roof in need of repair.

From 1885 onwards, the new abbot embarked on a major refurbishment of the church and never stopped, modifying and developing the village with his own funds. This is the origin of the various legends about the treasure the parish priest is said to have found.

There are many hypotheses, all without any proven historical basis. Those most often put forward are the treasure of the Volco-Tectosages from the looting of the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi; the treasure of the Visigoths, who brought back the treasure from Jerusalem after the sack of Rome; the treasure of the Templars, sheltered at the time of the trial against the rich and powerful Order of the Temple, which owned temples in the region… and many others.

On the other hand, what has been documented is the embezzlement of funds and trafficking in masses that Abbé Saunière practiced, and for which he was condemned by the bishopric following a complaint from local residents about damage and looting in the cemetery.

Places to visit:

• The Renaissance Villa Bethany, now a museum.

• The neo-Gothic Magdala Tower, with its terrace, is linked to a spectacular glass structure.
  A beautiful park with a garden containing many exotic plants.

The rumors surrounding the mystery of Rennes le Château have been amplified by books, TV shows and now websites, bringing over 30,000 visitors to the village every year, especially as it’s so close to Bugarach, another emblematic site of esoteric hypotheses.