Rennes-le-Chateau has always been a mysterious magical place to us since our first visit in 2002 when our children were young and my Dad was with us. At the time we knew very little about this intriguing village but for all of us it's story has captured our interest, as it has with many others including the author Dan Brown.
The mystery surrounds Bèranger Saunière who in 1885 became the priest of this very poor village located at the top of a hill with access via one road. The story is that he discovered something in one of the church's pillars which made him very very rich.
What is was is still unclear but it believed to have been a parchment that would turn Christian religion upside down, did he find the Holy Grail?
What is known it that after his discovery the priest visited the bishops in Paris and returned a wealthy man. He used the money to renovate the village church but in quite a unusual way ... how many churches have the Devil greeting you on entry?
Inside the church is decorated with statues and pictures depicting the stations of the cross and other statues but they all differ slightly from Christian beliefs.
Many books have been written on the meaning behind Bèranger Saunière's decorations. It is rumoured he is telling the story of the Knight's Templar, Cathar treasure or the Ark of the Covenant, others say he was an imposter who gained his wealth by selling masses to worshippers.
In 1917 Bèranger Saunière died taking his secret with him. It is said that only his housekeeper Marie Dénarnaud knew and although she promised to tell she had a stroke a few years before her death in 1953 and so the secret remains.
The money Bèranger Saunière made or was given disappeared, he left everything to Marie but years after his death she was seen burning 1000s of bank notes: this was because when the French franc currency changed all paper money could be exchanged at a bank only with evidence of its source, something Marie could not, or would not, divulge.
We had a super day revisiting Rennes-le-Chateau, especially being able to share its mystery and intrigue with the new members of our family.
It does however make me want to rematch The Da Vinci Code, reread The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail and watch Henry Lincoln's videos on YouTube.
As well as Bèranger Saunière's life there are many theories about the geographical position of this mysterious village in line with other historic locations nearby .... but that's another story!
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