Born Jean-Jacques Henri Boudet, his grave is now much visited by those interested in the Rennes-le-Chateau affair as supposedly some of the information included on the tombstone inscription conceals a secret, namely the small raised block of stone that looks like a closed book.
Boudet's Tombstone in the cemetery at Axat
Close-up of the Stone Book with IXIOS..
The raised depiction of the stone book, if that is what is is, is approximately 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. On its surface 5 curious raised letters that spell 31OXI. Most believe this refers to chapter 11, page 310 of his famous book, The True Celtic Language and the Cromlech of Rennes-les-Bains; a strange publication that is believed to contain codes and riddles which suggest that a hidden treasure or secret is preserved in the region. It also purports that a gigantic stone circle encircles the whole of Rennes-les-Bains. The book, like the code remains a mystery. In 1915, Boudet died of intestinal cancer aged 78 in the town of Axat where he is now buried. He died two years before the Abbe Bérenger Saunière.
This then was how Francois Grassaud first became interested in Rennes-le-Chateau and Saunière. Having a heavy local accent he was not always easy to understand but he is a very knowledge person and seems to have done his homework and has collected copies of many documents, some of which are of interest which I will reproduce here in English. But first I was surprised at something he said when I asked about the coins in Saunière's museum, I wanted to know if a record existed of the coins Sauniere collected as I had found some and I wanted to see if any matched. His reply was that the coins in the museum, like many of the Artefacts on display, are not Sauniere's but Boudet's. Taken aback at this I asked him to clarify, how did he know this?
"It was me that gave them to the museum" was his reply. He then explained how he had come into ownership of Boudet's possessions.
When Boudet gave up his position of priest of Rennes-le-Bains he moved in with his brother Edmound in the village Axat. The house he lived in was next door to Francois Grassaud. Eventually Francois's brother brought the Boudet house and moved in. One day while rummaging around in the attic, his brother found a cache of objects once belonging to henri Boudet, knowing Francois was interested in Rennes-le-Chateau, Berenger Sauniere and Henri Boudet, so he gave them to Francois.
In 1999 Francois gave all the objects to Rennes-le-Chateau Commune when he heard they wanted to set up a museum there. This is an English translation of the letter he wrote taken from booklet, The Abbé Saunière 1885 to 1909. priest of Rennes-le-Chateau.
I the undersigned, Monsieur Grassaud, resident of (his address here) Axat, declare this day at the commune of Rennes-le-Chateau, that I leave all the documents, archives, old books, framed objects, coins, fossils, display cabinets and various objects detailed below, for the benefit of the museum
With the following reservation: in case, for whatever reason, the said museum ceases to function, the whole collection must be sent to the departmental Archives of the Aude, who will come to take delivery on the spot. the said organisation has been informed today of this gift.
Signed at Axat, 30th April. 1999.
(signed) F Grassaud.
