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Noel CorbuIn 1946, Noel Corbu purchased in life annuity a house called Villa Bethania in the small central French village of Rennes-le-Château from Marie Dénarnaud - the former housekeeper of the late town-priest Abbé Bérenger Saunière. After the death of Marie Dénarnaud in 1953, Corbu converted the house into a restaurant which he opened on Easter Day 1955. Later, he also turned the house into a hotel called "Hotel de La Tour". Soon the hotel ran into some economical trouble due to its remote location, and Corbu - who was an amateur albeit unsuccessful detective story writer - was in need of some marketing strategies. He tinkered with a story about the former inhabitants of the Villa Bethania: Abbé Bérenger Saunière was a mysterious rich man - or so Corbu claimed. The Abbé must have discovered a secret which led him to prosperity. He must have found something during the refurbishment of the local church in 1886. The story was bought by a local newspaper, and a long interview with Noel Corbu was printed in the January 12th and January 14th 1956 issues of "La Depeche du Midi". Corbu claimed that Abbé Saunière had found the treasure of the wife of Louis VIII, Blanche of Castille (1188-1252). Once the story spread, Corbu's hotel was flooded by people carrying axes and spades in their luggage and ready to hang on every word he said. His goal had been achieved: his business was thriving. However, this is just a little prelude to what followed.
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