Andrew Gough's Arcadia

August 29th 2006

The region known in ancient times as Occitania is ripe with esoteric lore. I recently spent some time there, and in the company of some remarkable people. In hindsight, I must say that one 24 hour period in particular stands out in my mind as quite extraordinary. Here’s how it played out.

8 pm | 27 July | Le Baulou (West of Foix)

I’m in the crypt of Louis de Coma, the mysterious priest who preceded Berenger Saunière by 30 years. Like Saunière, de Coma’s most famous building project was dedicated to Mary Magdalene and was funded, in part, by the same shadowy Countess of Chambord. His estate (named Carol) was dynamited by the Bishop in 1956 for reasons that have never properly been explained.

The entrance to the recently opened crypt of Louis de Coma
(The entrance is on either side of serpent figure that guards the crypt.)

The subterranean crypt is spectacular, and huge. It’s also incredibly eerie. Inexplicably, it feels emotionally charged and volatile. I’m alone, but sense a presence, and not a welcoming one. What are these strange looking orbs on my photos? Clearly they are anomalies of flash photography, but nevertheless, they are adding to my growing paranoia. I want to stay longer, but depart hastily when my torch begins to fade. This is not a place I want to be standing when the lights go out!

Strange orbs in the crypt of Louis de Coma
(Deep in the crypt – facing the dual entrances.)

Figure of Christ, turning away form the tomb of Louis de Coma
(The entrance to the tomb can be seen in the lower right.)

Back at the Carol Estate, now a B&B on the grounds adjoining the crypt, a chance encounter with a stranger has opened my eyes to a whole new aspect of the Louis de Coma saga. Watch this space.

8:20 am | 28 July | Puivert Castle

After an hour or so on the road I’ve stopped to have a walk around Puivert, a wonderfully austere Cathar Castle, not far form Montsegur. It’s closed, but that suits me just fine. The last time I was here it was packed with tourists, and now I have it all to myself. The twelfth century castle has strong links to the Troubadours, and in 1170 a Troubadour by the name of Peire d'Auvergne presented an Occitan poem to the Viscount of Carcassonne that concluded with the words: ‘Lo vers fo fats als enfobatz puich-vert tot jugan rizen’: This poem was composed to the sound of bagpipes. At Puivert among song and laughter.

The Path of the Troubadour – Puivert.

My friend, the writer Philip Coppens, who I am en-route to see, has reminded me that Puivert is the castle featured in the Johnny Depp film, The Ninth Gate. With or without Depp, there is no disputing that Puivert is awfully cool.

The Wonderfully Austere Cathar Castle of Puivert.

10:00 am | Notre-Dame-de-Marceille (near Limoux)

Philip Coppens and Andre Douzet, authors of the The Secret Vault, have kindly offered to show me around the basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Marceille, as well as its renowned underground vault, as featured in their book. Joining us is Marie-Helene Courtat, who previously managed Nexus Magazine in France, and has now launched a new magazine, Sacree Planete.

Readers will recall that Notre-Dame-de-Marceille is connected to the Rennes-le-Château legend in a couple different ways. Firstly, Saunière’s Bishop, Monseigneur Felix Arsene Billard, with whom Saunière appears to have been very close, purchased the basilica in 1893 (from an individual who had acquired it on 17 January earlier that year). Secondly, Saunière’s friend, colleague and arguably mentor, Abbe Boudet, had written about it in his 1886 book on the origins of the Celtic language, which Saunière would have undoubtedly been be familiar with.

The sublime basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Marceille.

I’ve been to Notre-Dame-de-Marceille before, but this is special. Andre and Philip lead us on a meandering 20 minute trek around the back of the basilica, through the underbrush, and finally to our destination, the ‘secret vault’. The chamber is fascinating, and a first hand inspection brings Andre and Philip’s hypothesises to life.

Philip, Andre and Marie-Helene at the Secret Vault.

We venture back along the cobbled stone ‘sacred path’, past the ‘healing well’ and up to the basilica. Having sweltered in the 100+ degree sun for the better part of an hour, I am anxious to cool down in the dark, ominous and strangely ‘masculine’ interior of Notre-Dame-de-Marceille. The caretaker is familiar with Andre and Philip’s research and thus is happy to provide a behind the scenes tour, including a rare, unobstructed viewing of the basilicas famous Black Madonna.

Close up of the Black Madonna of Notre-Dame-de-Marceille.

Philip and Andre have consistently produced some of the best and most original research in the genre for years now, and their insights into Notre-Dame-de-Marceille are no exception. I thanked them both for their hospitality and head south on the D118 for Rennes-le-Château; air conditioning on full blast!

1:12 PM | Henry Lincoln Interview | Rennes-le-Château

I’m in town to visit my friend Jean-Luc Robin, and to interview him for a segment of 17 Questions. Jean-Luc is one of the most respected Rennes-le-Château researchers on the scene and has recently published his first books in France. He once lived in Saunière’s home, where he served as caretaker, and that has afforded him many unique insights into the mystery.

Jean-Luc’s good friend Henry Lincoln is also in town, and I am keen to speak the to the Rennes-le-Château icon at all costs. As I don’t exactly have an appointment, a cunning plan will have to be devised. To that end, I head straight to Jean-Luc’s restaurant and seat myself in the garden as close to Henry’s table as possible. Henry is spending his longest stint in Rennes-le-Château to date and on this occasion he is joined by his family, who are in town for a fortnight. Pretty much everyone is camped out in Jean-Luc’s restaurant – and why not; this wonderful setting was once the garden of Abbe Berenger Saunière’s Villa Bethania.

Saunière and Marie in the garden of the Villa Bethania
(now the restaurant of Jean-Luc Robin).

I muster the courage to approach Henry’s table, which is guarded by Sopranos looking members of the Saunière Society, including John and Joy; founders of the society that Henry is president of. As I advance, I am taken aback at just how serious and intimidating they all look. ‘Um, hi. My name is Andy Gough; I’m a member of the Saunière Society and a fan of Henry’s. Would it be all right if I joined you?’ Not a dickey bird. To be honest, I felt more comfortable the night before in the crypt of Louis de Coma! However, not to be discouraged, I sat down and squirmed my way into the conversation. Jean-Luc would soon join us, and before long, Henry graciously agreed to an interview.

Henry had been working in the garden most of the week, putting the finishing touches on his English translation of Jean-Luc’s first book, Rennes-le-Château: Le secret de Saunière, and seemed happy to take a break.

Henry, putting the final touches on Jean-Luc’s first book.

Henry’s bark has always been worse than his bite and on this occasion I found him charming, articulate, and refreshingly candid. However at 76, he’s looking back over his illustrious and controversial career with some anxiety. He regards his discovery (pentagonal geometry at fixed measures in the landscape) as the only thing ‘provable and demonstrable’ in the entire story, yet appears frustrated that it has not achieved greater acceptance, or has been sufficiently advanced.

Pentangles at fixed measures in the Landscape.

A full transcript of Henry’s fabulous interview can be found on 17 Questions, including (thanks to the design wizardry of Mark Foster) a Podcast of the some of the juicer bits. Some of my favourite quotes include:

I am still waiting for genuine discoveries after all these years. Everything has been wishful thinking and guess work.

Nothing in the story of Rennes-le-Château is reliable. Absolutely everything is either heresy or invention. There are no facts.

I don’t know anything about Berenger Saunière apart from his name. Everything else is heresy. Totally unreliable. (Strong words from the president of the Saunière Society!)

I am longer interest myself in Berenger Saunière or hypothesis about Jesus and Mary Magdalene. Pure fairy stories! If you want to believe it, believe it. It is nothing but a hypothesis which Richard Leigh and myself conjured in my back garden…What bloody screaming rubbish!

And when asked about Dan Brown’s ‘The Da Vinci Code’, Henry concludes: Pity it’s not better!

I need to be honest here; I love this guy!

4 pm | Jean-Luc Robin Interview | Rennes-le-Château

I have known Jean-Luc for years and am pleased that he has emerged as a leading voice in Rennes-le-Château research. But this is not the Jean-Luc I know and love. He seems distant and worried, and understandably so, for he is about to have his restaurant license revoked in an act that many believe is motivated by the mayor’s desire to be rid of him. The growing controversy surrounding the mayor of Rennes-le-Château has recently been documented, should you not be familiar. The interview went really well and will be featured on 17 Questions after Henry’s.

Jean-Luc with Henry; weighing his options.

7pm | Dinner and Lecture | Rennes-le-Château

I’m enjoying sitting at Jean-Luc and Henry’s table.

At Dinner.

As the main course is served as I am deep in conversation with Henry’s daughter in-law, a lovely lady who lives with Henry’s son in the town next to mine, back home! Suddenly, I am interrupted by a woman across the table. I must have been consuming more wine than I had realised because I was now musing on about Leonardo Da Vinci, and the possibility that the feminine looking figure sitting to the right of Christ in ‘The Last Supper’ could possibly have been a self portrait of Leonardo; in effect, Leonardo’s ‘two fingers’ to the church of Rome.

‘Clearly you know very little about Leonardo Da Vinci’, the mystery woman interjected. ‘Sorry?’ I replied, conscious that about a dozen people were now listening and I was about to receive a public flogging for my half hearted hypothesis. She continued, ‘If you had properly studied da Vinci you would realise that the figure you reference is more likely to be his mother!’ Relieved that her theory was only marginally less speculative than mine, I quickly replied, ‘I see. I like it!’

It turns out the woman is Henry’s ex-wife. She shared that in the days before the Holy Blood and Holy Grail, Henry had access to the Vatican Library. One book in particular, which had stuck in her memory, was an ancient work about Mary Magdalene. She recounted that the book not only portrayed Mary as being special, but also having spoken in tongues! After the success of the Holy Blood and Holy Grail, Henry's access to the library was revoked. I wondered if that’s what he meant in my ‘17 Questions’ interview when he says ‘maybe some of the answers are at the Vatican’?

Jean-Luc, in his element at the summer lecture.

But the evening belonged to Jean-Luc, who was the night’s featured presenter. As dinner concluded Jean-Luc took centre stage in the garden, and was greeted with rapturous applause. I mean, people were absolutely riveted on his every word. The intensity of the debate and degree of audience participation was astounding. Over the course of the evening Jean-Luc was joined by several members of the audience, included a villager whose great grandfather built the Tour Magdala. Shame my French is so weak that I was only able to understand a few words here and there, but never mind – I got the gist of it!

The evening was forced short by a tumultuous summer shower, but even that couldn’t dampen a glorious day; one that reaffirmed that Occitania has lost none of its mystique, or its people their charm.