A lake existed between the plateau of Rennes & Esperaza...

A lake existed between the plateau of Rennes and themarket town of Espéraza, occupying the entire valley of the Couleurs.

“It's mysterious disappearance is linked with that of Asparazanus village, which was located downstream from the present town of Espéraza, which did not yet exist.”

Quoted at the beginning of the ninth century as the seat of a priory founded by the Chapitre d'Alet, it continues to flourish until 1145. Then, suddenly, the documents make no further mention of it. What has happened? It is likely that it's fate was linked to a natural disaster. Geology would support this hypothesis. For unknown reasons, the lake spread throughout the Valley of Couleurs, engulfing farms and villages, including that of Asparazanus. We do not know more until around 1878, when work on the road to Carcassonne / Quillan, where the diggers unearthed in the area of Garnaud, continuity of current village Espéraza, substructures of buildings under eighty centimeters of topsoil.

These ruins were located in a field.