Castles of France: Secrets, Legends and Lost Treasures with Max Valberg

In this foundational installment, Max Valberg plunges us into a race against time to recover one of the most mysterious artifacts of the Merovingian monarchy: Dagobert's Sceptre. Lost for centuries, this royal object is not merely a symbol of power; it holds the key to an ancient secret that could shatter our understanding of the French royal lineage. The story follows a bewildered investigator, his son, and a loyal friend, unwittingly drawn into a world of secret societies and power struggles.

Their journey becomes a veritable guide to French architectural heritage. The plot opens at the majestic Vaux-le-Vicomte, whose formal gardens and gilded salons conceal the beginnings of a political conspiracy born under Louis XIV. The quest continues in the medieval town of Provins, where the underground passages and ramparts serve as the stage for tense confrontations with rival brotherhoods. The protagonists must then decipher the clues hidden in the neo-Gothic towers of the Château de Pierrefonds, reimagined by Viollet-le-Duc, before concluding this treasure hunt in the fortress of Gisors. This latter location, world-renowned for its ties to the Knights Templar, offers a grand finale where cunning and intelligence are the only weapons to outwit age-old traps. Through the themes of redemption and filial legacy, this novel transforms the geography of the Paris Basin into a vast esoteric game board.

The investigative duo Elise and Micke return in a thrilling adventure that tackles humanity's greatest myth: the search for the Holy Grail. Now inseparable partners, they embark on a perilous quest that takes them to the heart of the 21st century, where alliances and betrayals are forged in the shadows of modern power networks. This second installment leaves the northern plains behind for the mystical and wild atmosphere of southwestern France, where every medieval alleyway seems to hold the traces of heretics and knights of old.

The journey begins in the breathtaking city of Rocamadour, suspended between heaven and earth, before plunging into the historical labyrinth of Cahors and its famous Valentré Bridge. But it is in the heart of the Cathar castles that the plot truly comes into its own. Between the oppressive walls of the Aude fortresses and the ramparts of Carcassonne, Élise and Micke must confront dark forces ready to do anything to protect secrets buried since the Albigensian Crusade. The climax of this epic journey remains the unmissable village of Rennes-le-Château, a hub of global esotericism, where the shadow of Abbé Saunière looms over every clue uncovered. This novel is more than just an adventure; it is an exploration of the moral dilemmas and heart-wrenching choices faced by the characters, while offering an immersive plunge into the symbolism of the Grail and contemporary secret societies.

The third installment of the saga plunges us into a national drama: the theft of the eight Crown Jewels of France from within the prestigious Apollo Gallery at the Louvre Museum. This perfect crime, perpetrated in broad daylight, leaves behind a cryptic message engraved on Empress Eugénie's shattered diadem. Micke, a detective with a troubled past, and Élise, a brilliant historian, return to duty to hunt down the Regent's Organization, a fanatical monarchist sect seeking to overthrow the Republic by restoring a hidden heir.

The investigation becomes a breathless chase through the centers of power and imperial residences. From the architectural finesse of the Sainte-Chapelle to the incomparable splendor of the Palace of Versailles, each monument becomes a piece of the puzzle. The heroes must venture into the dungeons of the Conciergerie, where French history changed dramatically during the Revolution, to unearth the "Regent's Manifesto," a document capable of legitimizing a modern-day coup. Stops at the Château de Compiègne and the Chantilly estate add a diplomatic and aristocratic dimension to the plot, revealing that the most precious treasures are not made of gold and diamonds, but of paper and historical truth. With the support of the mysterious Relais brotherhood, Micke and Élise fight against the erasure of history in a political thriller where the fate of France is played out in the secret corners of its most magnificent palaces.