Rennes-le-Château, Medieval commune in Aude, France.
The village sits on a rocky hilltop at 435 meters elevation, offering extensive views across the Aude Valley and surrounding limestone plateaus.
The area evolved from a Roman settlement to a Visigothic stronghold in the 6th century, later becoming a strategic location for the Counts of Toulouse.
Father Bérenger Saunière's extensive church renovations between 1887 and 1897 generated numerous theories and inspired over 700 published books.
The site welcomes 120,000 visitors annually and provides access to multiple hiking trails connecting to other locations in the Cathar Country.
Researchers discovered fossilized dinosaur eggs dating back 70 million years within the municipality's limestone formations.
Location: canton of Couiza
Location: Aude
Location: arrondissement of Limoux
Elevation above the sea: 442 m
Shares border with: Bugarach, Couiza, Espéraza, Granès, Rennes-les-Bains, Saint-Just-et-le-Bézu, Sougraigne
Address: 11190 Rennes-le-Château, France
Phone: +33468740584
Email: mairie.rlc11@orange.fr
Website: https://rennes-le-chateau.fr
GPS coordinates: 42.92722,2.26361
Latest update: August 15, 2025 15:12
Occitanie encompasses an architectural and natural heritage that reflects many centuries of history. Medieval villages are nestled in valleys and on heights, while castles and monasteries tell of the era of the Cathars and religious orders. The region also features remarkable geological formations: deep gorges, waterfalls, potholes, and caves decorated with prehistoric paintings. Among the sites to visit, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie overlooks the Lot Valley with its stone houses and narrow streets. The Peyrepertuse fortress stands at 800 meters above sea level on a rocky spur in the Corbières. The Navacelles cirque reveals a canyon carved by the Vis River, while the Gorges de la Jonte provide trails through a habitat for vultures. The Lagrasse Abbey maintains its medieval architecture on the banks of the Orbieu, and the Niaux Cave houses Magdalenian paintings dating back 14,000 years. Natural curiosities like the Gouffre de l'Oeil Doux and the intermittent Fountain of Fontestorbes complete this territory where history and geology meet.
Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine de Rennes-le-Château
120 m
Villa Bethania
110 m
Tour Magdala
149 m
Château de Blanchefort
4.1 km
Dinosauria
3.7 km
Château des Ducs de Joyeuse
2.1 km
Castle of Rennes-le-Château
85 m
Château de Saint-Ferriol
5.1 km
Castle of Coustaussa
1.8 km
Château de Serres
5.3 km
Château de Bugarach
9.1 km
Église Saint-Michel
3.5 km
St-André
4.4 km
Pont d'Espéraza
3.6 km
Fontaine de Montazels
2.5 km
Église de Bugarach
9.2 km
Église Saint-Sébastien de Campagne-sur-Aude
4.8 km
Église Saint-Loup-de-Sens de Fa
6 km
Église Sainte-Léocadie de Luc-sur-Aude
3.5 km
Church of St John the Baptist
1.9 km
Église Saint-Laurent de Serres
5.4 km
Église Saint-Pierre de Coustaussa
1.8 km
Église Sainte-Eugénie de Saint-Just-et-le-Bézu
5.4 km
Église Saint-Louis de Saint-Louis-et-Parahou
10 km
Église Saint-Nazaire et Saint-Celse de Rennes-les-Bains
4.7 km
Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste du Bézu
4.9 km
Église Sainte-Cécile de Montazels
2.4 km
Musée de la Chapellerie
3.9 kmReviews
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