The « Da Vinci Code » was born in the High Valley.

version française

 Septembre 24^th, 2006. In Limoux’s movie theatre, called L’Elysée, the “Da Vinci Code” movie is being shown for the third time. It was adapted from Dan Brown’s best seller which had been translated in 44 languages and had sold 50 million books before the movie’s release.

As it happens only so rarely in the world of literature, this book has provoked worldwide enthusiasm: no one is left indifferent to it; you either love it or hate it. People everywhere talked about it, at work, at home. In any case, it had been a long time since the church had caused such interest. In so doing, it made people curious about religion, knowledge, the arts.

To quickly sum up the central theme of this crime fiction novel (and it is useful to point out that it is fiction), Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a daughter together and her descendants led to the lineage of the Merovingian Kings. The Priory of Sion and the Vatican knew about this lineage, which did not become extinguished. The Priory transmitted this knowledge to the initiated, among whom Leonardo Da Vinci (who was once Grand Master of the Priory) and protected both the lineage and its secrecy. Consequently, they were opposed by the Vatican and the Opus Deï because this knowledge would question the Catholic Church’s dogma, as well as the whole concept of divinity, even the existence of Christ and Mary Magdalene’s role.

It seems to me that the church did not intervene very much when the novel came out, at least it did not do so in the media. Concerning the movie, which was presented in Cannes in May 2006, the controversy was more acute: the movie was booed by journalists.  However, it is true that in Cannes it is considered polite to denigrate popular movies. All in all, the controversy was not as serious as expected. Which is all for the best because our Dear Lord would not appreciate being worshipped by idiots.

            The last thing I want to do is to talk about the reasons why the « Da Vinci Code” was so popular. The intrigue is based on a historical- esoteric saga, and people have accused the author of transmitting, via his novel, ideas, information or revelations that are considered erroneous. Indeed, the process is not new, neither is the controversy. But what is new is that, for the first time, the public learnt that works of art, of architecture, books, or paintings may reveal cryptograms, enigmas, anamorphosis only meant for the initiated.

What is the relation between the Da Vinci Code and the area of Limoux, and the high Aude Valley in particular?

   Robert Langdon, professor and symbolism specialist, and Sophie Neveu, police agent specialised in cryptology are called to the Louvre because the body of Jacques Saunière, curator in chie,f has been found in a strange position, with a coded message by its side. This is the message that Bézu Fache, police inspector, is asking them to break.

 What a surprise!! The name Saunière reminds us of Rennes le Château’s enigmatic priest. And the police inspector’s name is very similar to that of one of the villages that make up the commune of Saint Just and le Bézu, and its very presence is evocative of the castle that allegedly belonged to the templars.

 In fact, without ever mentioning its name, the novel refers to Rennes le Chateau, or at least to what is called today the mystery of Rennes le Chateau.

Driven by the different clues, the investigation brings the characters to the church of Saint Sulpice in Paris. The church is crossed by the Paris meridian, which is materialised in the building. If the meridian goes through the Roslyn Chapel in Scotland, it also goes through Aude : in Serres, in Rennes les Bains and in the Pontils in the village of Peyrolles, right next to the place where was built the exact replica of the tomb depicted in the painting Sheperds of Arcadia by Nicolas Poussin.

            Dan Brown talks about Nicolas Poussin.

 Saint Sulpice day is celebrated on January 17th and it is on that day that the “Blue Apples” phenomenon occurred in the church of Rennes le Chateau.

 The name of the British billionaire Sir Leigh Teabing is an anagram of Leigh and Baigent. Together with Henry Lincoln, they wrote The holy Blood And The Holy Grail, published in 1982.

 A close study of the bibliography on this case would indeed be very interesting but it is during that period that in the mythology of Rennes le chateau was born the idea that the secret Saunière discovered was linked to Jesus and his descendants. The British authors were attracted to this idea like moths to light.

 Dan Brown’s inspiration indeed comes largely from books on Rennes le Chateau, as Holy Blood, Holy Grail, The Messianic Legacy, by the same three authors, The Holy Place, The Templars’ Secret Island and especially The Templar Revelation, by Prince and Picknett. There’s everything in those books : the templars, Leonardo Da Vinci, The Priory of Sion, Jesus Christ, the merovingians, and more. Another veiled message, but in the movie this time, can be found in the scene where Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu are on a bus, going to the Templars Church in London: the characters sitting with them on that bus are the authors of The Templar Revelation.

Who would have thought it possible just a few years ago that one of the small villages of our valley – with an undeniable rich history since around 800 A.D. it became the capital of the Razès County, to which it has given its name, but which was a little forgotten up to the day when Gérard of Sède wrote in 1968 “The Gold of Rennes” – would one day reach an international dimension. It all started with a handful of people looking for a treasure that belonged only to the local legends, who were then joined by a very discreet mob of researchers, and it ended up being a philosophical-religious story captivating audiences worldwide.

 If at the time of the Da Vinci Code, Rennes le Chateau is probably, and unwillingly, the most famous French village in the world, one must note the striking contrast between the international attention it gets and the lack of interest on behalf of the local population for the “case of the billionaire priest”: many have never even set foot in the village.

However, if one is to remain sceptical ( and that is very likely what the anglo-saxon theories want us to do), and keep a cool head, the story of Rennes le Chateau is an enthralling one and deserves our attention. Berenger Saunière’s little story is only a small fragment of its larger history. The site is remarkable, it’s a magnificent belvedere from which one can have a partial view of the territory of 52 villages of the High Valley of Aude, and for this only the village is worth the detour.