Rennes le Château

Rennes le Château is a medieval castle village in the Aude département, in the Languedoc area in southern France, an area known for its towering mountains, deep gorges, forests, caves, wild remote plateaus and access to the Mediterranean.

This predominately rural area has a very rich history as evidenced by its castles, cathedrals, vineyards and museums. Mountains frame both ends of the region - the Cevennes[?] in the northeast and the Pyrenees in the south. Jagged ridges, deep river canyons and rocky limestone plateaus with vast caves beneath make it one of the most scenic spots on earth.

Over the centuries religious and political conflicts have caused much havoc. The ruined castles which cling precariously to hilltops played a leading role in the struggles between Cathars at the beginning of the 13th century. Others guarded the volatile border with Spain. Whole communities were wiped out during the merciless campaigns of the Catholic to rid the area of the Cathar 'heretics', and later when Protestants fought for religious freedom.

The area has become the focus of conspiracy theories involving the Knights Templar, the Priory of Sion and the Holy Grail, Noah's Ark, the treasures of the Temple of Solomon, the Ark of the Covenant, leylines[?], geometric alignments on the land, Nazi treasure hunters, and others.

External Links

• Rennes le Château Homepage (http://www.connectotel.com/rennes/)
• Mysteries of Rennes-le-Château and the Prieure de Sion, by Steven Mizrach (http://www.dreamscape.com/morgana/metis.htm)
• The Priory of Sion (http://www.fiu.edu/~mizrachs/poseur3)