Da Vinci code French village tired of ‘treasure hunts’

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

A historic French village is tired of its tourists following the spate of “treasure hunts” which has given rise to illegal excavations and vandalism in the area.

Recently, the residents have found out a metre deep hole beside a church in Rennes-le-Château which is a small commune near Carcassonne in southern France, but the suspects remain at large.

Deputy Mayor Marcel Captier said the hole-digging brought back memories of earlier attacks by vandals.

All these ‘treasure hunt’ is attributed to an intriguing tale which is associated with St. Mary Magdalene Church. Legend has it that a nineteenth-century priest, Abbe Saunière, became rich after uncovering royal treasure from inside one of its pillars. He then reconstructed the dilapidated church. The story inspired Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, who named a character in the bestselling novel after the Roman Catholic cleric.

Tens of thousands of visitors are received at the scenic hilltop village every year, many of whom are no doubt drawn by the allure of stumbling upon a hidden fortune. Since 1900s, the treasure hunt has been continued by researchers, mediums, amateur excavators and has marred with the landscape. By 1960, the mayor called a ban on unauthorised digging. However, the travellers are yet to curtail their curiosity.

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