Foreign Perspectives

The Da Vinci Code books and films has placed a number of sights in the Pyrenees firmly on the tourist circuit.

Of these, by far the easiest to get to is the village of Rennes le Chateau which is about 15 minutes drive from Quillan on the Carcassonne road.

Not so long ago, there was one relatively small car park which would have held at most 20 cars yet when we went recently we found a stream of car park signs starting about a mile before the village. However, the main rush of tourists following the release of the film has now died down so even on a public holiday there weren’t the crowds that these car parks anticipate.

The principal Da Vinci sights are the church and the museum, both open every day but note that the church is only open three hours in the afternoons (free admission). In the church, the statue of the devil is just inside the door on your left. Although the “no flash photography” signs are largely ignored, you’ll find that your photographs turn out much better without it, just be sure to remember to bring along a small tripod to steady your camera. Around the church is the graveyard but the grave of the priest Sauniere isn’t among those and you’ll find his grave within the grounds of the museum.

The museum (admission charge around EUR 5) is right beside the church and is housed in Sauniere’s former house and its grounds. Due to the terrain, these are often buffeted by winds so it’s best to visit on a calm day if you can arrange to do that.

Inside the house the rooms are arranged as a series of themes broadly based on those made famous by the Da Vinci Code book. Two of the rooms are setup as they were in his day and the small chapel is still there, of course. The view from the small castle ramparts is quite spectactular but easily missed as you enter via a conservatory which seems like the end of the tour. Amongst the exhibits are Sauniere’s original headstone (now replaced by a much more modern one) and the pillar in which he found the scrolls.

Stained glass was obviously pretty popular in the village and you’ll find examples of it in the house itself and several others around the town.

There’s a small but well stocked gift shop on the way to the church but don’t miss the larger shop just a few hundred yards further along on the road heading out of the village. The museum has a smaller selection than either of these.

This is part of our Pyrenees Guide.