The “Habsburg & Rennes-le-Château Connection” still remains quite popular in 2022, reminding us all of the power and popularity of modern alternative history – it is only another false claim that first sprang to life during the bubblegum hysteria era of the mid-1950s.

One popular French author later expanded this claim in 1985 in the following terms: “It is very likely that this is the period, between November 1889 and February 1890, when he [Jean Salvator Habsburg] visited Rennes. He is known to have gone there from reports submitted by the French Secret Service and the gendarmerie. The gendarmes of Couiza were surprised to encounter him in Rennes-le-Château and asked him the reason for his visit”.

I contacted the Couiza Gendarmerie about this claim and received the following reply from L’Adjutant Jean-François LACROUX, commandant la brigade de Gendarmerie de Couiza (Aude), dated 24 January 2001: “I regret to inform you that the statements made in your book are completely erroneous [Pierre Jarnac, Histoire du Trésor de Rennes-le-Château, page 354, 1985]. The COUIZA police force does not hold any files relating to this matter. No police file on the subject exists.” (J'ai le regret de vous informer que les indications données dans votre livre sont totalement erronées. En effet, a Brigade de COUIZA ne détient aucun dossier relatif à cette affaire. Aucun dossier policier n'existe).