The history of the region where the current Rennes-Le-Château is situated, once Rhédae, is so ancient that it losts even through the oral tradition.
Celts and the subsequent "Latinization" suffered by them from the Roman Empire, even before the Visigoths, who inhabited that land.
This without taking into account the fact that archaeological surveys carried out in the territory, have abundantly proved the existence of man since prehistoric times, and then again through the Palaeolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic.
From this melting pot of ancient civilizations, we begin to unravel some fog.
It's from this premise that we can understand the very esoteric reality of the place, which boasts indigenous sense primarily by Celtic and Druidic traditions.
Still other sites can be visited today, where you can admire the Cromlecks and other indeterminable age structures, up to Celtic or rear; the entire area extends also below the ground, through a network of caves, natural and artificial tunnels, which lead to the nooks and places at one time and we are certain still, ritual sites for esoteric ceremonies.
Only by this introduction, you can start giving a dimension to Rennes-Le-Château, in a historical and mystical tradition profile and secondarily to imagine the influence that this place has had over the Priory of Sion under an initiatory profile, having been also a past headquarter of the Order.
Historians have established that Rhédae was a big city, at least from its Celtic times, and then continued to be so after the arrival of the Visigoths; although in all probability, it was already a major center still earlier.
Thanks to the mild climate, characterized by more moderate winters and a more enjoyable summer weather than the valley as well as the abundance of the region's resources; the fine geographical position of Rhédae, dominant over the valley, made the ancient Rhédae met all the requirements that led it to be at that time undoubtedly a nerve center of the Celtic civilization and then Visigoth of those times.
It was later subsequently to the Crusade against the Albigensian in 1209, that in twenty years Rhédae led to a debacle which later demonstrate being irreversible.
Then rebuilt in part, he was subsequently and gradually abandoned by the people who began to move downstream.
In Rennes-Le-Château, as already mentioned, there is indeed an underground network that hosted some population as well as activities of esoteric groups over time, and it was in those tunnels and caves that over the centuries was found a good shelter to hide treasures also, without take into account the presence of gold mines throughout the area, the last of which closed in 2004; It is by all these factors and situations that were born the legends, then arbitrarily connected to the Knights Templar and the Priory of Sion.