Where?

France with the Rennes-le-Château area highlighted

The locations associated with the mystery of Rennes-le-Château can be found in the French Languedoc-Roussillon area. Roughly the area is marked by the city of Carcassonne in the North, the Pyrenees in the South and Perpignan on the Eastern perimeter.

Rennes-le-Château and Perillos areas

The two main areas of focus in the mystery are the region around Rennes-le-Château and Rennes-les-Bains (RED rectangle) and the Perillos region (BLUE rectangle).

Rennes-le-Château area

The most important place is Rennes-le-Château itself. Here you’ll find the Estate of Father Saunière, the church of St. Mary Magdalene that he renovated and refurbished as well as the Château Hautpoul, once home to the important Hautpoul-Blanchefort family that appear to be at the root of the mystery.

The Château de Blanchefort and the Château de Bézu, both play a role in local legends involving the Knights Templar.

Montazels is the birthplace of Father Saunière.

Rennes-les-Bains is the place where Father Boudet wrote his enigmatic work The True Celtic Language and the Stone Circle of Rennes-les-Bains in which he allegedly hid 12 hiding places of treasure. It is also the village where you’ll find Mount Cardou, the Devil’s Armchair, the Source of the Circle, the Source of the Madeleine and the enigmatic tombs of Father Jean Vié and Paul-Urbain de Fleury.

In Coustaussa you’ll find the ruined Château de Coustaussa and the church and presbytery once inhabited by Father Gélis who’s violent murder was never solved and might have a relation to the mystery.

Mount Bugarach is the most prominent landmark in the area, steeped in mystery and legend.

Location of Rennes-le-Château on Google Maps

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