The Magic Mountain

 

Pech de Thauze is better known as Bugarach – the name of the village that sits at the bottom of its slopes. Bugarach is an impressive mountain, which has always spoken to the imagination of the local people. But today, its mystery has been eclipsed by another village, that of Rennes-le-Château, which in distance is close, but in interest, has attracted most of the attention.
Still, Bugarach has its own mystery, specifically the mysterious adventures of one Daniel Bettex, who came to the site, went on underground expeditions… and eventually lost his life in these endeavours.

Geological make-up

The entire region is limestone, and hence there are numerous caves. Bugarach has its fair share of underground caverns, some of which are unknown to the general public, some of which are known to certain “initiates” and some which have perhaps never been discovered. It is an area with large underground salt deposits, specifically in the neighbouring Rennes-les-Bains, whereas Rennes-le-Château is often said to have a large underground water tank, which might go as deep as several hundreds of metres. The underground network is complex, largely unexplored, and runs for miles. It is known that an underground river near Bugarach is connected as far west as Salses… no doubt before entering into the Mediterranean basin. The river does not appear on any maps, but underneath the surface, it runs its course.

Science fiction

Michel Lamy is the author of a book on Jules Verne, where he explores the possibility that one of the founding fathers of science fiction was aware of certain esoteric knowledge that he worked into his novels. Verne wrote about Bugarach and the existence of an underground civilisation. Lamy wondered whether he could find this access…
The tradition of entrances giving way to large subterranean networks sits within the pagan Celtic religion, in which hollow hills were deemed to be entrances to “other worlds”, specifically the realm of the fairies. These hills were not really hollow – but that is what they were labelled; other traditions described them as crystal or glass-like.
Lamy also referred to the work of Nicholas Roerich, who wrote: “After a hard voyage, if you did not lose your road, you arrive at the salted lakes. This passage is very dangerous. You will arrive then at the mountains of Bogogorch. There an even more perilous track starts…” We can only wonder about the similarity between BoGogoRCH and BuGaRaCH (the capitalisation is taken from the work of Michel Lamy).

The people of the underground

The famous underground world with its divine, otherworldly ruler exists in legend, where he ruled over a people that were sheltered from the piercing eyes of Mankind. The notion may seem strange, but the Fortean literature – and comic books such as Yoko Tsuno – is replete with stories of strange, otherworldly and/or alien civilisations hiding underneath the Earth’s surface. Some have even spun theories suggesting that the Earth itself is hollow – that this “fact” is known to a select few and thus part of a major conspiracy… and that this hollow earth would even be a hiding place for the Fourth Reich – surviving Nazis from World War II.
It is part of the mystic lore of Bulwer-Lytton in The Coming Race, in which these subterranean people use a mysterious power source, “vril”, which will one day leave its obscure hidings and enter into the light – making us into their slave race.

More science fiction

Verne drew the reader’s attention towards Bugarach, using many of the toponyms in the area in his novels. There is the reference to a “Clovis Dardentor”, which has been explained as being of interest to the mystery of Rennes-le-Château. In this novel, the hero seeks a fabulous treasure which he can find only by using geographical data and a select few documents. Alas, the deposit is impossible to locate – very much like Saunière’s.
Verne was not the only author with such an interest. There is Maurice Leblanc, Gaston Leroux, George Sand, Andre Malraux, Louis Fédié, Henri Boudet, Daniel Réju, Serge Hutin, Luc Alberny, to quote only those. It is a long list, but when one looks beneath the surface, it becomes clear that these authors belonged to various initiatory organisations, some obscure, others better known. But in all cases, the references are few and far between. Though clear works of fiction, they are nevertheless clearly “manmade”, written by a human being, conscious of what he is writing. Can it therefore be really a coincidence? Instead, is it certain knowledge that these authors are able to pass into the public conscience, who is unaware of it, and even those who are looking will never be able to say more than observe “the coincidence”, which is all that we can do here… but is it not like the magician, who is sworn to secrecy not to reveal his act, but who can nevertheless hint and point at the mechanism of his profession… so that those who are observant, will see and learn?

The Bettex affair

The death of the Daniel Bettex, in, on or under Bugarach, has become a local legend. Outside of France, it is known of, but details of the events are often scant or missing from the accounts. As such, it is largely unreported.
Bettex was one of those who, since 1960, were attracted to the mountain and carried out curious investigations. Various prospections of the area were carried out, often discreetly. Often, these expeditions led to rumours, sometimes to entire fabrications. In some cases, a written report was produced, but that did not mean there was no room for amazement or further questions. Some left behind sufficient evidence that opened up even more questions, though in all these cases, a clear revelation was never on the cards.

Most of the routes of these stories take us back to the Cathars, even though it is the story of Daniel Bettex, a Swiss citizen who was a security officer at Geneva airport. Bettex contacted the Cathar organisation that had been founded by Déodat Roché. In his correspondence with the organisation, he enquired about places where he could begin his research. He desired remote locations, so that he was left undisturbed. Roché thus advised him to study the sector of Bugarach, which had been little prospected by other members of his organisation, even though it was known that the Cathars referred to the mountain.
To this end, Roché also recommended to Bettex that he contacted Lucienne Julien, then secretary-general of the organisation. The latter kept up a close correspondence with Bettex, specifically as he progressed in his Bugarach research. We learned the details of Bettex’s adventures through her.
Bettex’s research progressed, filing through files while he was in Switzerland, and on the ground when he descended to the South of France during his holidays. Initially, he studied the old registers that existed on the area, which had details of mining activities and contained information on the underground resources of the local and surrounding community. Bettex was grateful to Julien, as her local standing opened many public and private archives, which she apparently opened and gratefully shared with Bettex.

The mythology of Pech de Thauze

The castle of Miglos is believed by some to be an entrance to the "Other World"

They uncovered a work on the mythology attached to the mountain, written by a university student during the war. Its author had been called up for military service, finding a heroic but early end during one of the attacks of the German troops. The thesis had several legends and myths, all about the sector that the two researchers were interested in. Some of the legends went back as early as the 15th century. True, such a compendium is not an archaeological report. But the stories did show a superposition between various myths and locations around the mountain. The student furthermore added an overview of various fortuitous discoveries made on the site over the last two centuries: vestiges, testimonies, memories, reports, etc. The whole showed a strange correlation between certain mythical accounts, often related to legendary underground universes, and actual events that had been witnessed and reported. As a result, Bettex reconstituted a strange chronology of the mountain…

The myth of Agartha

The legends speak of hollow ground, Agartha and traditions of an underground grid, made of natural or man-made tunnels. The story of Atlantis is never far removed from these and various legends speak of installations, either under the ocean or the land, in which certain Atlanteans were able to survive the cataclysm that was said to have ended their civilisation. At the bottom of forgotten cavities, sometimes flooded, whole or part of the secrets of this legendary civilisation were said to exist.
There are many accounts of accesses to this underground empire. One finds these legends in French provinces like the High Loire (Pradelles), Ariège (Miglos), the Pilat (Annonay), the Ardeche (St Pierreville) the Maritime Alps (Falicon), Provence (the plate of Clansaye, Baux of Provence), etc., to only quote the best known.
Though details and aspects may differ, in essence, each story follows the same structure. Normally, it is an animal or a small child that falls in the opening and is found again, sometimes days later, in perfect health. But if this befalls children, it turns out they have no memory of their adventure. Sometimes, the missing person is an adult – a hunter, a shepherd, a poacher and in one case even a magistrate – who is discovered after a missing period of time. His beard has grown, but he has no memory of what happened to him. Two accounts speak of two men who had undergone this trial, returning with entirely bleached hair! Also, the people who stumbled into the darkness of the underground were never equipped with lighting, but somehow managed to move in this darkness, even being able to find an exit. Sometimes, the entrance is said to be guarded by a creature; sometimes, it is said that there are phenomenal treasures about… finally, there is often a story present of a gigantic underground lake, or of major rivers feeding them. But it seems that they are possible to be traversed, even to follow them, without knowing where they might go.

"Pech de Thauze… next stop."

The graffiti Bettex discovered made him deduce that there was a belief that the Ark of the Covenant was hidden underneath Bugarach

Confronted with such reports and documents, Daniel Bettex initially considered it possible that under Mount Bugarach one such facility existed… an entrance to a mythical underground world… could he be the one who would localise it, and finally to reveal its existence? Would he prove Verne was not a fiction writer, but had written a factual account?
He found this blocked entrance, which opened into a peaceful underground river, which was deep, but possible to use. He also found that in this place, there was a type of quay or landing staging, in an L shape, which to him suggested that this was not the result of a geological event, but was manmade – purposefully built. At this stage, Bettex, in his speculation, was adding to the existing field of folklore and traditions surrounding Bugarach. But in private, Bettex was trying to interpret what he had seen. Bettex had taken photographs of his voyages in the belly of the mountain. He showed them to Lucienne Julien, who reported that there were several stone structures, inside the cavity. These stones carried graffiti, some of which was clearly in the shape of a coffer and a stretcher, resembling a type of Ark carried about on a stretcher. Was this a reference to the Ark of the Covenant? And if it was, was the mountain the resting place of the Ark?

Interest in Mr. Bettex

A rumour circulates all the quicker if it is known as a secret. Thus, one statement went that Mr. Bettex was searching for the Ark of the Covenant, that he had located it, as evidenced by his photographs: it was under Bugarach! It was also stated that Bettex was a member of the Rosicrucian order. This assertion is not easily verifiable, but it seems that he was indeed a member of a secret organisation – which was more discrete than the Rosicrucian movement. But the question remains whether his membership had any bearing at all on his research that he carried out in Bugarach… How he came to research Bugarach is known: Roché pointed it out to him…
Another rumour stated that General Moshe Dayan had become personally interested in Bettex’s research. With such notorious Israel officials now apparently interested in him, Bettex’s public profile went up with several points… and the rumour of the Ark of the Covenant became more and better known. It is even stated that the General had contacted Bettex personally, warning him, advising him, to stop everything if he discovered the artefact, and especially not to touch anything… Bettex must surely have been familiar with his Bible, which clearly spells out the dangers of touching the Ark… it did not require the general to point this out.

Bettex’s research

Daniel Bettex, on one of his trips (Bugarach in the background)

Daniel Bettex took a long time to locate the place where he would carry out his research. Once he had determined the location, he made sure that he could work in all solitude, concealing the place of his endeavours. Then, he began to ship the material that he would need for his work. Throughout, he kept Lucienne Julien informed of his progress; she meticulously kept all correspondence, which enables us to reconstruct how Bettex went about his work.
Bettex was carrying out his research in the basement of the castle of the village, with the full awareness and participation of the owner. Such work would have required certain paper work, and did indeed not go unnoticed. But we know, from his private correspondence, that he was looking for an old cavity, which had been lost, and which was located in the side of the mountain. But it is equally clear that Julien was not the only researcher whom Bettex kept informed. Another group was clearly also kept up to date. Thus, after the death of Bettex, rumours about his work circulated in certain circles, whereby the speculation was that his investigations had involved a filled-in mine, whereas others spoke of a low cave. In truth, today no-one knows what he found out regarding the possible existence of such a gallery. However, he did indicate to Julien that he thought that there was a connection between the inexplicable graffiti, the remains of a hearth and the beginning of a mining installation whose collapse had appeared to be done intentionally.
It is also clear that Bettex was looking for more graffiti and inscriptions, some of which was apparently present in engravings inside the remains of the castle itself. He was able to make a faithful reproduction of these carvings, on a scale of 1:1.

Tragedy

Bettex’s research occurred over several years. Throughout, he entrusted Julien with his ideas and hopes, explaining to her his certainty that the cavity, which he then feels is not in the castle, will take him a few more months of work, but that his research has also made it clear that it will lead him to a fabulous deposit, exceeding anything that she or anyone can imagine… it will be an amazing revelation.

Lucienne Julien

In 1988, everything accelerates. Bettex is normally calm and methodical, but now he is highly excited and excitable. He visits her, to tell her that he is almost at the end of his work on the ground. At most, four or five days separate him from the final goal. He tells her that within the week he will be back, carrying with him part of the treasure. “You will be immensely rich!”

Three days later, she learns that Bettex has been found in Bugarach; dead. There are various versions surrounding the events of his death – and its cause. For some, a gallery inside the mountain collapsed, causing his injuries and death. Others believed that he had left Switzerland with serious cardiovascular problems, which resulted in his death once he laboured in the South of France. Other rumours argue that he was stricken on the spot – dead. Some state he had died in the gallery, others that he had been found inside a cavity, others that his body had inexplicably dehydrated. Others argue he was able to walk to one of the gardens of the first houses of Bugarach, where he collapsed, apparently the victim of a violent heart attack. So many things have been said about the death of Bettex – whereby we only want to note that he died, in mysterious circumstances, according to his own testimony very close to finding his lifetime’s ambition… But if he did find it, he took it with him into his grave.

The book closes…

Lucienne Julien planned, several months after Bettex’s death, to continue the work on site, using members of her research organisation. She informed the Ministry of Culture of her intentions, as Bettex before had informed them of his. She had to resend her message several times, before she received a laconic reply, which stated that it was out of the question that such research was carried out. Moreover, it was formally forbidden to carry out this type of work in Bugarach. She would afterwards learn that rubble and concrete were cast inside the castle, in order to block any possible cavity forever. But with the setting of the cement, the question rose whether Bettex only found death, or something else in Bugarach. Could an accidental death have such repercussions that the authorities decided to concrete the place over? France has never been the Mecca of health and safety, and the circumstances of Bettex’s death were nebulous enough not to imply that the precarious state of the castle had caused his death. On the surface, there was no logical reason to cement the place shut. But cement it, the authorities never did…