Treasure of Rennes-le-Château 28 July 2011

Pech d'en Couty, Sougraigne


Paul Smith

On 28 July 2011 a French author announced on French Internet Forums that the “treasure of Rennes-le-Château” was located in a cave in the region of Sougraigne called Pech d'en Couty, on a piece of land belonging to the father of the Mayor of Sougraigne.

Various French Newspapers have covered this story, including a news item on the French channel TF1. This story was also featured in The Telegraph dated 29 July 2011 amusingly called Indiana Jones meets The Da Vinci Code in tiny French village.

As of today, 27 August 2011, one month later, the French archaeological body of France the Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (DRAC) has taken no interest in this story. There are no professional archaeologists officially surveying the cave, no fieldwork activity is taking place in the area, no-one has pitched tent outside the cave, do digs are being planned on behalf of the French Government and this can be described as another false trail in this subject matter (amongst a long list of other false trails dating from the mid-1950s).

The subject matter of the treasure of Rennes-le-Château is not part of real history, but belongs to the world of fantasy and mythology. But this recent legend for the village of Rennes-le-Château acts as a positive factor for the local commune; stories like this attract more tourists.

Like archaeologists, professional historians have also avoided this subject matter, realising it is all a fabrication.