Early Origins (7th–9th Centuries)

Monastic Foundation:

Around 680–700 CE, the monk Clarinus Lubila (from Monte Cassino) established a Benedictine monastery in Villemagne, featuring a chapel, infirmary, and hospice. Destroyed by Saracens in the 8th century, it was restored under Charlemagne and renamed Villemagna ("great estate") by the 9th century, reflecting its agricultural and spiritual significance.

Pilgrimage Hub:

The abbey gained fame after acquiring relics of St. Majan of Antioch (893 CE), attracting pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Its reputation for healing the blind and lame bolstered its prominence.

Medieval Prosperity (10th–15th Centuries)

Silver and Power:

By the 10th century, the abbey controlled silver mines in Pradal, sharing profits with the Trencavel viscounts of Béziers and Narbonne. This wealth led to the suffix -l’Argentière ("silver town").

Royal Protection:

King Louis VII (1156) and Philip Augustus (1212) granted the abbey fortification rights, resulting in ramparts, towers (e.g., Mirande Tower), and legal autonomy. The Hôtel des Monnaies (11th century) minted currency for regional lords

The Pont du Diable (Devil’s Bridge), built in the 13th century to transport coal and lignite, slopes at a 15-degree angle—not because of poor engineering, but because locals swear the devil himself agreed to build it overnight… if it could never be level. The story goes that the townsfolk, tired of waiting for a proper bridge, challenged the devil to a bet. He delivered, but left it lopsided as a prank. Today, cyclists crossing it joke that it’s the only bridge where you pedal uphill both ways.

The Silver Heist That Backfired: In 893 AD, monks "borrowed" relics of St. Majan from Gascony to attract pilgrims. The plan worked too well—thieves kept trying to steal the relics, forcing the monks to hide them in a different church every full moon. The town’s silver mines? Allegedly a decoy to distract treasure hunters.

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