The Rennes-le-Château mysteries have been a background interest of mine for the past ten years. While I have not read any of the books dealing with the subject, I have probably listened to ninety percent of all the podcasts (French and English) about it.
In this scribbling I will summarize my broad opinions on the matter, without going deep into details.
The treasure is a diversion
Most of the first Rennes-le-Château researchers were looking for monetary treasures. These do probably exist somewhere in the region, however in my mind they function as a test for people looking for more. If there is a cauldron of ancient coins on the left, continue on the road and there might be some hidden knowledge ahead…
An initiation
As long as you do not stop at the first treasure or theory, the curvy road of the Rennes-le-Château mysteries will initiate you to all kinds of different and hidden ways to look at the world. Personnally, I can say that I do not have found the answer, but have discovered more mysteries along the road.
Certainly, the story has been reactivated and repackaged on purpose at different times in recent history by people who may have had the intention to spur the curiousity of those who would pay attention.
An old story and a few modern stories
When it comes to the stories of Rennes-le-Château, it is important to differentiate between at least three storylines:
- The nineteenth century story of Father Béranger Saunière, and how he got seemingly very rich while officiating in the small and remote village of Rennes-le-Château.
- The various interpretations of what happened to Saunière and what he discovered: an old treasure, or some ancient documents that would change the history of religion and maybe mankind, which he was able to negotiate for his silence?
- The meta-stories of how the original story was reactivated in recent times in books and movies, both in the English and French speaking worlds.
Reality, fiction, and fakes
If it is possible to agree upon the basic facts of the original story, the different interpretations cannot all be true at the same time. Some of these interpretations are just flawed, as most human endeavours are.
Other stories are more akin to fiction, using the original story as a stepping stone. In some ways these fictions can be true in their message, while they are factualy false: a love story can be true in the feeling it conveys, while it is completey invented.
In some instances, it has been proven that some authors have used fake evidence to make their points. Some have deliberately created these fakes, while others have been duped by them. In some instances, these fakes have taken a life of their own and may have helped ‘initiate’ new curious minds into the mysteries of Rennes-le-Château.
Are ‘secret societies’ behind the whole thing?
Considering that the Rennes-le-Château story has been used as an ‘intellectual parkour’ to let people think differently about the world, this begs the question whether the whole thing is a coordinated effort by a hidden ‘illuminated’ group. There are certainly people who think this is absolutely the case. More likely though, it is probably a mix of just good storytelling and in some cases indirect divulging of secret knowledge.