Rennes-le-Château · The Priest Who Suddenly Had Money

Rennes-le-Château is a small village in the Pyrenees. At the end of the 19th century the village priest, Saunière, was on a small income, yet he restored the church, repaired the roads, and built a villa and a tower; the whole village could not work out how he paid for it.

He was later suspended by the diocese and talked about by the villagers, and died in 1917 in unclear circumstances. His own explanation was: I found a treasure.

For more than a hundred years since, the story has produced countless versions: the treasure of the Knights Templar, the bloodline of the Merovingians, and even a bestselling novel and film.

Historical Mysteries / Aude · France / 1885