Wed, May 18, 2016: Here in the land of Mary Magdalene you hear numerous stories, myths and legends about Mary Magdalene, her companions and the impact she had. The rumor mill went into overdrive indeed with the village priest of Rennes-le-Château, at that time, finding himself with unexpected wealth. According to legend, he supposedly found a treasure beneath the church of Mary Magdalene.

The first settlements in the area of Rennes-le-Château and Rennes-les-Bains, which we visited today, go back to the time of the Romans where they already used the hot springs to cure disease. The small village is more than tranquil and it seems like the time had been standing still. Together with our guide Stephanie, who knows her way around here very well, we hiked up a hill to view the legendary stones and a source containing iron. For those in our group who have read Kathleen McGowan´s “Expected One” it was a great pleasure to visit the historic castle in Arques afterwards.

We spent today´s evening in a beautiful winery where we indulged in delicious French cuisine. Tomorrow we will leave our hotel to continue on towards Toulouse.