Fleeting Wor(l)ds

The Land of the Cathars is full of mesmerizing legends and history for my child’s eyes. I vaguely remember to have visited some castles with my dad (I even got a Knight diploma!) and my mum has always nourished an unbelievable passion for Cathars, which probably goes through family then.
Yet, like a lot of my homeland’s realities, I have taken some distance for the past few years, looking for foreign mysteries on Celtic lands, forgetting my own had some unfathomable secrecy of the Beyond. This half obligated – half chosen immobility has therefore some good and opens everyone to some hidden opportunities.
As for me, it reconciles me with my childhood castle dreams that I might now gaze at with my historian apprentice’s eyes and my imagined witch’s soul.
As for me, it brings me towards this fantasized quest and leads me to the most legendary places of all, to the most mysterious lands of all, to the most secret constructions of all, through my new category: The esoteric and telluric Aude.

Thus, after a seasonal break and despite a quick encounter during lazy snoozing summer days, I finally and better met the middle queen, quieter and loving ; the one who bonds mounts to waters, who meanders from Rennes Le Château to Galamus stoping by Bugarach : RENNES LES BAINS.

Last week it was, by a beautiful and sunny winter day, one of those announcing spring as it was a potentiality and not an unreachable dream anymore. Sun was shining so bright night would turn utterly dark, symbol of a new beginning… What a better opportunity to go for a walk in order to follow upcoming promises’ lead? Who better than the other Rennes to welcome my hopes of rebirth as well as my friend’s?
Indeed, this little thermal place, swimming through La Sals’ prodigious water, crosses a few nice – and also well signposted – trail-heads in between forests and streams, bears witness several hiking maps spread into town.

MAP

After a subtle vacillation between the historic trail (closed because of previous bad weather) and the offbeat trail – far more esoteric in the end -, we finally chose the last which starts over here, in front of the leisure center.
And what a beautiful hike…
A compulsory stop on Isis’ throne to reconnect to the Earth’s mineral power. A scenic view above surrounding glens and mounts with a few glimpses toward Bugarach’s magnetic reversed poles on a blue background. A colt’s neighing like a Sun Salutation. Some sparkles of light glittering on our snack’s river. Magdalene’s wet and rusty rocks. La Sals’ fantastic crossing. A whole novel in a spread poetry… the exact and simple beauty we needed to feed our souls with telluric and pagan beliefs.

But I am getting lost into telluric thoughts when I should be writing about water, because like in Galamus, this element – and not the Earth – does earn all Rennes’ secrets… In aqueous cells travelling through both the age and ground in 15 000 years, to be precise. In La Sals’ salted filaments born in salt grounds nearby Bugarach, blending with La Blanque at the village’s entrance, to be accurate. Legends even say Queen’s baths cured Blanche de Bourbon from leper, as her husband, Peter Ist of Castille, has her exiled at Peyrepertuse Castle.
And since then, and even before, the town has proved itself in hydrotherapy. Indeed, archaeological digs testified thermal activities began as far as the first century BC, after Roman conquest over Volsques People in what will later become “Languedoc” (the area, rich in amber deposits, was inhabited since prehistorical times). But Rennes-les-Bains’ Golden Age really started in the 19th century when Romantics became so fond of nature but also as roads were built throughout French territory and cures in spa had become so trendy.

In the 20th century, Rennes-les-Bains finally benefited from the neighbor village’s weird popularity Rennes-Le-Château, which hosted my first esoteric wandering. Indeed, this notoriety touched Rennes-les-Bains only because the Abbot Saunière would have had “mysterious” relationship with the thermal town’s priest, when in reality, they barely knew each others (apparently, the Abbot didn’t even bother to attend his former colleague’s funeral!).

Today, I have come to the conclusion pagan pilgrims, exhausted by Bugarach’s polarity, moved by Rennes-Le-Château’s mysteries, found Rennes’ Bains Doux to be a sweet comfort, the one and only mineral matrix way to any attempt of renew. Never forget we are 60% made of water and our planet’s memories travel through its streams…

And, maybe quiet and sunny winter times have helped, this esoteric halt was my favorite, not because of situation (all my visits, thanks to the company, shine in my heart) but because of the peaceful and calm environment. Rennes-Le-Château’s missing wilderness, Galamus’ suffocating crowds, have made Rennes-les-Bains such a special place of meditations for me to spring… Even though only my feet swam La Sals as I crossed streams, I haven’t yet tasted its Baths’ restoring powers.
I’ll make it another time! My invisible and visible pains will heal in the Bains Doux, smoking at the village’s entrance whenever I next pass by ; my tangible and intangible hopes will dive in the Fontaine de l’Amour (the Fountain of Love), secretly falling into rocks (which might be, if you choose to, a short detour of your offbeat walk before reaching the arrival) once I have hiked Bugarach Mount during Spring Equinoxe.

In the meanwhile, I invite you to a winter’s end walk on the trail of your chosen. I invite you to revitalize your soul through your feet in one of the cold springs –  la Madeleine, le Cercle, la Fontaine des Amours or le Pontet – ; and to try a warm bath in the only accessible hot spring surrounded by Roman Empire’s souvenir, spa being closed during the pandemic.

In the meanwhile, I invite you to sink into Rennes-les-Bains’ loveliness.