LAVALDIEU, LE BEZU and BLANCHEFORT ( near RENNES LE CHATEAU )

LAVALDIEU

History :

The area of Rennes le Chateau and Rennes les Bains, with the inverted mountain of Bugarach, ruined Cathar castles, hot springs and powerful earth energies has always had a mysterious and sacred history.
The impressive rocks that the hamlet of Lavaldieu are built on are evidence of its megalithic origins. The old paths, lined with huge slabs of stone date from Celtic times and one can follow in the footsteps of the ancient ones (or even those of the dinosaurs). The excavations in progress take us to the 11th.C vaulted foundations of a chapel and to the then owners the Knights of St. John of the Cross. When the Knights were dissolved Lavaldieu became the property of the Abbey of Fontfroide ( approx. 1290) with the names Vallis Dei ; which became in occitan "La val (de) Dieu (in ancient occitan the preposition "de"; was left out ). In the early 1800 there were 5 houses and families here and after the 1st. World War Lavaldieu fell into ruin, the fate of many rural properties.
In 1984 the slow restoration of the ruined hamlet and Lavaldieu s land was undertaken and is now presently owned by a company.

Where is Lavaldieu :

Lavaldieu is in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south-west France in the Haute Vall?e de l'Aude (altitude 500m.), 45km south of Carcassonne and 5km from the enigmatic village of Rennes le Chateau.

Engraved stone

At a place called "hermitage" at the foot of the valley Lavaldieu this is a stone sign with a curious (you have to give you an idea).

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Le BEZU

At 823 meters altitude, the castle B?zu, also called Albezu, Albezus or Albedun, stands the ruins of which can still distinguish a large enclosure and the polygonal keep.

History :

It is mentioned for the first time in 1067 under the name Albedunum.

The castle B?zu has sunk a lot of ink because it was presented as a Templar Commandery by Abbe Mazieres, who dedicated a book on this controversial hypothesis. It would have been converted to 1290 by the Templars from the Mas-Deu, Commandery Catalan, following a donation of Pierre de Voisins, lord of Rennes-le-Ch?teau. Jean Markale, in his book Rennes-le-Chateau and the mystery of the cursed gold (Editions Pygmalion, 1989), indicates that the Templars were not B?zu arrested October 13, 1307, unlike all Templars of the Kingdom of France. They would then have been under the authority of the Count of Barcelona.

Map I.G.N. (Blue Series, 1:25 000, Quillan, 2347 West) said the remains as those of the castle of the Templars. Below is a rural hamlet named the Tipler, probably alteration of the Templars.

According to legend, in the wells located in the ruins of their farm Baruteaux is hidden a silver bell. It would sound the death knell each night of October 12 to 13 (the Templars were arrested in the kingdom of France Friday, October 13, 1307 ...). A row of ghosts then leave the cemetery and headed towards the castle ...

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BLANCHEFORT

It is not easy to find this ruin. If you do not have an accurate map, you can pass without seeing her. She is on a peak, on the road between Rennes les Bains, direction Peyrepertuse. This "beauty of stone is in the" triangle of Cathar castles.

Access to the ruin is difficult, because the vegetation is dense, pathless climb.

History :

* In the 10th century a fortified position is built by the Visigoths.
* In 1067, the "castrum BLANCAFORT" is mentioned in the presentation of tribute to the Lord Count of Barcelona.
* By 1100, the castle belonged to the abbey of Jaffus (now defunct). It seems that a turf war is contrasted with that of Alet.
* In 1119, the castrum appears in the bull of Pope Calixtus II. The "castrum BLANCAFORT" belongs to the abbey of Alet. But this was not in agreement with the lord of the castle.
* In 1125, Bernard Blancafort (lord of the castle?) Submits to Viscount Bernard Aton, freezing and its rights Blancafort the benefit of Alet.
* Around 1130, a story (but is it true?) Claims that the Templars were invited by the lord to exploit the gold mine. The mine was an excuse to justify production of precious metal "processing". Some say that gold came from the cast ingot in treasury Wisigoth; which was found in a cave. (Templar, however, Treasury -> What a great story! ... Do not you remember anything with Rennes le Chateau close ?.... But is this true?).
* By 1209, the beginning of the crusade against the Albigenses, the castle was conquered by the troops of Simon de Montfort.
* Around 1230, Lord William of Blancafort is forced to flee the royal forces. He joined the ranks of "faidit.
* By 1231, the companion in arms of Simon de Montfort, Pierre de Voisins, seized the castle and territory as property of the crusade. He became the new lord of Blanchafort (her new name), and made to pay heavy taxes to the people of this region.
* In the 14th century, it seems that the castle is built and consolidated. The expansion tank should result from this era.
* In the early 16th century with the arrival of guns and the Renaissance, the fortress seems to be more useful and discomfort makes it unbearable for the new century.
* In 1659, with the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees (defining the border between Spain and France), the fortress lost its role as a rear guard border. It is abandoned.
* In 1713, Roussel card identifying the castles and fortresses of France did not mention the Blanquefort.
* The time is his work and the fort gives way to ruin inaccessible (except for you in this virtual tour).

Video


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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,9712.msg61097.html#msg61097

Hello Hardluck,

I've put below all information on mines and rivers where there is gold in the vicinity of Rennes le Chateau

The major gold regions of France are: Brittany, Normandy, Massif Central, the Pyrenees, the Alps and the eastern region.

Regarding the region of L'Aude reindeer whose party is the castle, there are:

The mine's Golden Salsigne, located north of Carcassonne and south of Black Mountain, the plant operating Gold Mines of Salsigne was installed along the river Orbiel.
Mining site dates back to antiquity; extraction of iron, copper, lead and silver made the region one of the mining centers of the most important "Narbonne".
But the discovery of the presence of gold dates back only to 1892.
Since then, some 120 tonnes of the precious gold were extracted.
In 1936, the operation generates approximately 1 600 kg of gold and the size of the mine is 1 200.


Between 1940 and 1945, the Society of Mines and Mills Salsigne provides many jobs to escape the STO (Obligatory Service labor during the war). Moreover, production of arsenic trioxide, only known weapon at the time to combat the beetle which devastated plantations of potatoes, save the country from famine. Mine Salsigne then the world's largest producer of arsenic.

The mine is still in activity but the yield is low.

Currently the department is the only commercially operated through the Mines Salsigne. The river Aude carries nuggets on most of its course, and it must be the same for all streams descendants of the Black Mountain north of Carcassonne. In 1672 already, Colbert had created a company in order to study the problem. There are many signs of work done while in the region of La Boussole and Scorbe.

In 1156, the Templars claimed reusing valuable gold mine of exhausted Blanchefort.They did not use the local workforce, setting in place a colony of German workers who could not communicate with the public. Mostly, however, for we learn that the founders were not minors.

Catel in the history of Languedoc indicates that 1633 began mining gold in the diocese of Alet and near the Baths of Rennes.
Sieur de Serre, near Arques, Yves Michel, presented a remonstrance to the Duke Gaston of Orleans, on rich and abundant gold mines that was exploited for the benefit of the King and he could not make shipments.
In 1667, "Caesar Arcon, with the direction for the service of King of mining research in Languedoc, said Mines metal Lanet," Monseigneur Colbert Adviser Regular King said: "Some people have assured the king and Monseigneur Colbert as if it pleased His Majesty to work in the mines of Mas de Cabardes and Prade, on the Black Mountain and those of Lanet and Danezau (Davejean) in the Corbieres in Languedoc, one could in four months and at a cost of 14,400 pounds, take 800 kilos of lead and 300 marks of silver, copper addition.

The mine of Encantados

Upstream of Couiza on the road to Rennes le Chateau.
The basement consists of large gypsum deposits, contains a wealth of original karst caves, discovered in As the mining excavation. Entry visible from the road.
The mine was operated until 1914 and after 1940 by Castel, then by Siau.
(F?di?) former general counsel of the Aude visiting a small part at the end of last century. He traveled more than five hundred meters until you have seen the end. The mine passed, some think even beyond the Casteillas located over 2,000 meters, and other, communicated by winding casings with Rennes le Chateau.
Its operation was abandoned after the roof was collapsed to a great length at its end Couiza later, burying a workman called Spanish Clement, his team and his horse.

The Mine of CAPTAIN BOYER
Under the Hameau de Montferrand
It is under Montferrand behind Picou in Rennes les Bains.

The mine of BOUDET
It is located in the Serba?rou about ten meters from the thimble dolmen. It is noteworthy that a cross and a focus are at the top of this rock and make a line through the steeple of Rennes les Bains and Blanchefort.

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,9712.msg61119.html#msg61119

Hi SUE

Thank you Sue for your testimonials, effectively ruined, holes and sinkholes there are many in France, between Christmas and New Year I do if I find enough time in the woods near my house in the Landes, a ruin of a church and a former Templar Commandery not mentioned on maps but in texts of a researcher in 1850. Then you see the old stones still attract.
Yours sincerely

Luc


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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,9712.msg61147.html#msg61147

Hi Hardluck
I also think like you, because this region by his past record is one day or another we reveal its cultural or monetary wealth. I am convinced

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http://www.thunting.com/smf/index.php/topic,9712.msg61263.html#msg61263

Hi Luc

What a nice post  Sue said it all 

Best regards
Xavier

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Xavier