France's Bowels

A Secret Medieval Sect, an Angry Pope, an Opportunistic Lord, a Genocide, and Europe’s Destiny.

All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician, and ridiculous to the philosopher.—Lucretius¹

If you travel to the southwest of France, to an area called Occitanie, and talk with a local about their region, they will tell you with defiance—and what Parisians would call a petit accent—the story of the secretive Cathars and how …