Menu mysteries Bérenger Saunière

Works and the constructions of Bérenger Saunière To recover the menu "works and cinstructions of Bérenger Saunière" The Villa Béthanie

It is some between 1900 and 1901 that Bérenger Saunière got involved in the construction of the Villa Béthanie. He addressed architect Caminade for the realization of the plans of the Villa entirely thought for himself. Elie Bot, limonadier of Luc-on-Aude, but also mason was put in charge of the realization and the direction of the teams of the yard. Het was one of the most faithful of Bérenger Saunière and we can emit the hypothesis, without too to take risk, that Club Elie was one of the rare to know the secret of Saunière. However that may be, we can think that the long years passed with Saunière especially marked it, it is sufficient to see his tomb of Luc-on-Aude. (To see the page that is dedicated to him).

The Villa Béthanie, all as the set of the priest's constructions, has been financed entirely on his own deniers. On the other hand it is important to note that Bérenger Saunière bought the lands on which he achieved his constructions, in the name of Marie Dénarnaud, his maid. This point is important! Finally, he financed the works and constructions that would never belong to him, except that au death of Marie, if she had to die before him. The family Corbu, who inherited Marie Dénarnaud recovered two wills of bequeaths reciprocal between the priest and the maid.

It is from the month of May 1901 that the Béthanie villa seems finished to the level of the big work.

After having acquired the set of the lands in the west of the village, Bérenger Saunière started its realizations with the Villa Béthanie. To this time the tray of the village was desolate in this place. The elevation of Béthanie hit of as much more the minds. It seems obvious that to this moment, the inhabitants of the village became aware that their vicar had to his disposition of the disproportionate means to his condition of priest of a village as poor as the one of Rennes-Le-Château. Certainly, they are accustomed to their vicar's pranks, since already in 1891, he made construct, to his expenses, the gardens of the church and March 12, 1892 the city council complains about the his machinations in the cemetery. But there, he builds, he doesn't conceal a certain wealthiness.
Gradually, the Villa Béthanie stands on the tray, all as, a few farther the Tower Magdala.

The Villa Béthanie is a construction of a style can appreciated nowadays. It is constituted of four levels. A basement, a ground floor, a first and a second floor. This last being partially arranged in attic The basement is constituted of two pieces serving cellars and a kitchen of summer. This part of the Villa is not, on this day, visitable. It is in these cellars that the cousin of Marie Dénarnaud pretended to have seen, at the time of one of these visits to her cousin, of the ingots of gold aligned on shelves.

The Ground floor is constituted of the lounge, the dining room, a kitchen and a passageway giving access to stairs. It is also to this level that one finds the door of entry of the Béthanie villa (currently closed, the entry making itselfby the verandah). Besides, it is in the passageway of the entry door that the body of Bérenger Saunière was exposed after its intervening death in the presbytery. His body was donned of one red cover decorated with woven acorns. The villagers who came to do a last homage to their defunct priest pulled these acorns to keep a memory of this moment.

Just above the door of entry Bérenger Saunière made calm two stained glass windows representing two flaming c.urs of the most beautiful effect when they are illuminated by the sun

When you visit the lounge and the dining room, it is important to know that the painted papers and the paving is those of origin that put Bérenger Saunière made

Our visit continues by the first floor. For that to make, we will borrow the staircase. During numerous years a picture of Alfons Mucha was exposed in this place. It is not more currently. This picture is astonishing because when one looks well at it, one discovers a hidden devil there. The first floor is constituted of two rooms, of a piece having served office and private vestry. Currently, the two rooms are visitables. One of her has been put back in situation with bed, cabinet and chair as well as the ministerial dresses. However, let's remind ourselves that Bérenger Saunière never lived at the Béthanie villa.

The second room is arranged in religious museum. A staircase, giving access at the second floor is closed currently to the public. Himself second floor doesn't visit itself therefore. It is besides a pity, because one of the rooms of this floor possesses a cabinet of toilet that is placed right behind the Christ's statue that one can see outside. This cabinet of toilet possesses the fenestrous (small window in Occitan) that permitted to see what happened outside and on the whole village without being seen. Decidedly, Bérenger Saunière liked the discretion.

Of the outside, the Villa Béthanie presents the aspect of a well-off house of the time of Bérenger Saunière. Certainly, the term of "Villa" can appear pompous, but it is important to replace it in his/her/its context of the time. It is true, that its new and massive aspect denoted with the modest and poor houses of the village.

It is on the giving facade on the street that the access to the villa made itself by the main door. One sees, above this last, the stained glass windows of the flaming c.urs. The attention is drawn by the dog house that is located to the level of the last floor. In this dog house is erected a Christ in majesty seeming to bless those that enter in the building. On hisr chest we recover an identical flaming heart to those of the stained glass windows of the entry door. The marquee of the dog house is engraved of the name of the Villa" Villa Béthanie" in Uncial style.

The facade opposed, giving on the presbytery doesn't have a particular interest.