Travel Guide Bugarach

A small village of 200 inhabitants, the first traces of which can be found in the 13th century, during the hunt for heretics, on the initiative of Simon de Montfort. This village played an important role in the economic development of the upper Aude valley in the 19th century, particularly in the hat-making industry. During the Seven Years' War, some villagers were taken prisoner: sent to Poland, they acquired the know-how of felt and moulding, and on their return to Bugarach they put their experience to good use. At the end of the 19th century, this industry was moved to Espéraza, and the village returned to its original vocation as a cattle breeding and agricultural area. In 2012, on the night of December 21st at exactly 0:32 am, the end of the world did not happen! The premonition began to take on a real dimension as early as 2010, with various "new-age" movements that spread over the web, escaping all reason and control. Journalists from all over the world came to see what this piece of land, which was supposed to ensure the survival of a few chosen ones, looked like! Hikers gave way to the curious and esoteric of all kinds, in a land already rich in legends. Thus, the peak of Bugarach would shelter in its entrails a garage for UFOs, Noah's Ark, or a vortex to be crossed to escape the celestial wrath. A melting pot of strange stories mixing historical facts, science fiction and the fascination of urban legends: the magnetism of the peak, the body of Jesus buried under the mountain, the treasure of the Templars, the Cathars?