Les chasseurs luttent contre la Bête du Gévaudan

The Beast of Gévaudan

Movies - Videos - Documentary - Music - Games

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The Beast of Gévaudan

Film La Bête du Gévaudan

TV movie directed in 2002 by Patrick Volson, from a screenplay by Daniel Vigne and Brigitte Peskine.

Pierre Rampal (Sagamore Stévenin) is a country doctor passing through Gévaudan. In the village of Saugues, Father Pourcher and his mother, an authoritarian widow, encourage superstitions and accuse a peasant, Jean Chastel (Jean-François Stévenin), of witchcraft...

This TV movie takes up both the theories of the sadistic madman and the rabid wolf. Thus, Count De Morangiès is depicted as the author of bloody murders, wearing a wolf's skin and crushing the throats of his victims with an iron jaw.


Wolves then come to devour the bodies left by the assassin. The character of Jean Chastel is quite faithful to reality, although he was not a weaver but an innkeeper and he had no eldest daughter (the Chastel sons, Pierre and Antoine, linked to the history of the Beast, do not appear in the story).


The character of the abbot (Guillaume Gallienne) is inspired by Pierre Pourcher, a priest considered to be the first historian of the Beast.

Brotherhood of the Wolf

(Le pacte des loups)

Le pacte des loups

In the heart of France, during the reign of Louis XV, a mysterious beast kills dozens of people without anyone being able to identify or kill it...

Based on real events, the story of the Beast of Gévaudan remains one of the most unique and fascinating enigmas of our past. Christophe Gans, through his new film, invites us to pursue him...


The knight Grégoire de Fronsac (Samuel Le Bihan), naturalist in the king's garden, is sent by the latter to the Gévaudan region to paint a portrait of the beast. He is accompanied by Mani (Mark Dacascos), an Indian from the Mohawk tribe, his blood brother, whom he met during the Seven Years' War in "New France". Fronsac and Mani move in with the young Marquis Thomas d'Apcher (Jérémie Renier), an enlightened nobleman. Attacks are increasing, savage and deadly. FRonsac must face the facts: the beast exists and does not correspond to any known creature...


The case caused a stir in the kingdom and undermined the very authority of the king. Despite his urgent orders, the beast still rages, closer, more elusive. She is believed to be dejected, she is declared dead, she reappears. The troops dispatched do not change anything. Who is this monster working for? What design is hidden behind his attacks?

The Beast of Gévaudan
1764-1765 two years to kill

La Bête du Gévaudan 2 ans à tuer
Livret la Bête du Gévaudan 2 ans à tuer

In the first episode, the camera follows the Jouve and Portefaix families, representatives of the peasantry of the time. We also find other key characters: the trustee Lafont, Captain Duhamel, the Marlet de la Chaumette brothers, the tale of Morangiès… without forgetting of course, the priest, who is entrusted with a heavy task: the reading of the terrible Mandement of the bishop.


In the second episode, "We find the story of the exploit of Mother Jouve, in Margeride, this woman who manages to save her child from the beast", explains Jean Soulet.


Few transition scenes, the images follow one another for 40 minutes without leaving the viewer a second of boredom. A small feat, when you know that the filming took place in just… nine days! The decorations are authentic, we find there the court of Marvejols, the castles of Saint-Alban and Fournels and on the communes of Fontans, Serverette, Saint-Denis-en-Margeride and Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole with the permanent concern of enhance the natural and historical heritage.


"But this subject, you either hate it or you love it and there are several versions, several beliefs. This film offers different tracks. I have used archival documents in order to give a true version, but I hope these leads will spark debate. »


Among the hypotheses evoked, we find in the film the trial of a wolf leader, accused of being the owner of animals having killed. "In this idea of wolves trained by men, one can wonder if ultimately, the beast of Gévaudan would not be a wolf trained to attack..."


DVD not currently available. Contact ClapVideo

You can view or download the booklet accompanying the DVD, by clicking on the image above

Videos - Documentaries

In the Shadow of the Beast, contoversia

Dans l'ombre de la Bête Controversia Phil barnson

It took no less than three days of filming on site, more than four and a half hours of rushes, two whole months of editing, to be able to present you with a unique report of its kind.


You will discover a presentation of some events that took place during this festival, but especially the evening debate which was presented by Gérard Saint-Paul in person and bringing together all the specialists of the Beast.


As it was impossible to present everything in a single documentary, the author added 11 mini-documentaries as a bonus, mostly scenes cut during editing, but also the presentation and personal theory of each of the 10 specialists gathered at the occasion of this festival.

To receive the DVDs, Contact Phil Barnson

Gévaudan, between hyenas… and wolves!

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

Report published in 1988 in "Midi magazine", devoted to the legend of the Beast of Gévaudan, whose dark story is told through archival documents, film clips, engravings and testimonies by Jean LEBRE, Jean ORLHAC, the ethologist Gérard MENATORY and the author Hugues MENATORY.

This ferocious creature killed for the first time in June 1764 near Langogne, the starting point of a long series of similar dramas which would only end 3 years later. The subject also touches on the question of the rehabilitation of wolves.


Documentary visible on the INA website

The Beast of Gévaudan

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

Report broadcast in 1981 in regional news France region 3, Toulouse. While the myth of the Beast of Gévaudan is evoked in the theater, the director of the said play returns to the story of this creature and exposes the various hypotheses linked to its fatal destiny.


Documentary visible on the INA website

The Beast of Gévaudan

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

Report broadcast in 1977 in the program "Once upon a time", Henri GOUGAUD tells the legend of the beast of Gévaudan on images of landscapes and villages of Lozère.


Documentary visible on the INA website

The story of the Beast of Gévaudan

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

Report broadcast in the regional news of Ile de France on June 1, 1978, the story of the beast of Gévaudan is told on illustrations from the 18th century.


Documentary visible on the INA website

The Beast of Gévaudan

Film La Bête du Gévaudan INA

In 1967, the ORTF broadcast the first program in its series entitled "Le tribunal de l'impossible". This program was devoted to "the Beast of Gévaudan".


It was followed by a debate moderated by Michel SUBIELA, with Francis PETER (deputy director of the Museum of Natural History), Mr. de SAINT-AUBIN (hunting specialist), Mr. Georges-Henri RIVIERE (founder of the Museum Arts and Popular Traditions), Ms. Elise SEGUIN (Historian), and Mr. Francis LACASSIN (author of studies on witchcraft).

Recording kept and presented by the Institut National de l'Audiovisuel (INA).


Documentary visible on the INA website.

Music

Hemery Gaël - La Bestia que manjava lo monde - 2013

CD Hemery Gaël - La Bestia que manjava lo monde
  • Marjarida (02:57)
  • Cardave la cabrida (03:04)
  • Lis ubacs (04:39)
  • Malabestia (03:42)
  • Portafais (03:34)
  • Lop (03:25)
  • Insania lupina (01:30)
  • Lopantai dau palheira (05:08)
  • Absolucion (01:50)
  • Fiu de la masca (03:29)
  • A la sanha d’Auvers (03:21)
  • Dol doç (02:56)
  • Para lo lop (03:12)


The Beast of Gévaudan in 13 songs - 2018

CD La Bête du Gévaudan en 13 chansons
CD La Bête du Gévaudan en 13 chansons
  • Prélude (01:16)
  • Au pays de la Bête (In the Land of the Beast) (01:59)
  • Complancha (Lament) (03:29)
  • Le tocsin sonne (The tocsin rings) (02:55)
  • Pauvres pécheurs (Poor sinners) (02:56)
  • Complainte de la Bête (Beast's Lament) (03:40)
  • La bestio (The beast) (03:44)
  • Comptine (Nursery rhyme) (02:40)
  • Ni Dieu ni diable (Neither god nor devil) (03:00)
  • Jean Chastel (03:37)
  • Bestio sans visage (Faceless beast) (03:10)
  • Je reviendrai vous voir (I will come back to see you) (02:13)
  • Les Bêtes du Gévaudan (The Beast of Gévaudan) (04:24)

Magnésis - The Beast of Gévaudan - 2020

CD Magnésis - La Bête du Gévaudan
CD Magnésis - La Bête du Gévaudan

Powerwolf - Call of the Wild - 2021

CD Magnésis - La Bête du Gévaudan
CD Magnésis - La Bête du Gévaudan
  • Faster than the flame (04:09)
  • Beast of Gévaudan (03:32)
  • Dancing with the dead (04:05)
  • Varcolac (03:53)
  • Alive or undead (04:23)
  • Blood for blood (03:11)
  • Glaubenskraft (03:56)
  • Call of the wild (03:40)
  • Sermon of swords 03:19)
  • Undress to confess (03:32)
  • Reverent of rats (02:56)


Beast of Gévaudan French version (03:32)

The Games

The Beat of Gévaudan - Lozère

Board game

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

The rules of the famous game have largely inspired La Bête du Gévaudan, with some interesting new features.

The theme is not trivial, because the game is sponsored by the department of Lozère.

The beast can devour one of its pursuers if it is isolated, but in this case it appears for all to see. To protect yourself from the beast, you have to stay a short distance from another pursuer.

An interesting game, certainly largely inspired, but new all the same, and allowing you to discover the map of Lozère.

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988
Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

You can view or download the booklet accompanying the game, by clicking on the image above

Gévaudan

Video Game

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

GEVAUDAN is a first person horror game. Alone against an enemy as deadly as it is terrifying, your nerves will be strained as you try to find your way through the heart of the forest before the beast manages to catch up with you. You will not be entitled to error.

You are on the monster hunting ground. Count on your sense of observation and orientation to face the scourge of GÉVAUDAN. Can you make it out alive?

Released: June 2017


Link to Steam

The Beast of Gévaudan

Jeu vidéo

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

1765, a wild animal made the Gévaudan plateau his hunting ground. Attacking both animals and humans, it only comes out on full moon nights. The villagers then took matters into their own hands and organized a search to flush out the creature. A shot was fired, blood was shed but La Bête du Gévaudan managed to flee despite everything.

Awakened early in the morning by a terrible pain in his arm, it is after going to the village and letting your ears hang around that the terrible truth dawns on you: the Beast of Gevaudan is a werewolf, but even worse, it is it's about you.

Taken by panic, you return to your house thinking of a way to stop the evil from which you suffer before the next moon, that is to say in twelve hours.

C.I.L video game on Apple II - Released: September 1985

Genre: Text Adventure

The Beast of Gevaudan, Mende at the heart of the mystery

Explore Game

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

For 3 years in the province of Gévaudan, a ferocious beast has terrified the population. Neither the local hunters nor the battalions sent by the king managed to put an end to this scourge.

In the city of Mende, no one dares to venture outside the ramparts. Discouraged by this situation, the Bishop of Mende himself decided to call on all the brave enough volunteers to track down the beast.

You are a group of adventurers ready to take on this challenge, and you have the intuition that this story has its origins in the heart of the city. Go on an adventure, on the track of the Beast of Gévaudan. Lead the investigation in the maze of dark alleys of Mende. Act now, before the creature claims more victims.

Link to the official page

The Beast, tracking in Gévaudan

Board game

The Beast is an asymmetrical game between a player taking on the role of the Beast of Gévaudan and one or more players embodying the Historical Investigators in Lozère in 18th century France. To win, the Beast must claim at least 25 kills before the end of the game, which takes place season after season for 3 years. The Investigator(s) must either prevent it or unmask it by identifying its secret identity.

Each turn, a seasonal event occurs, the Beast plans its attack, the investigators move, the Beast takes or does not kill, and finally, the investigators survey their location.

Each investigator is specialized in an identity of the Beast: for example, the Bishop of Mende will be able to identify a demon, while the King's envoy will unmask more easily if the culprit is human in nature.

Release: 2022

You can find this game on online stores.

Link to distributor page

Le Gévaudan entre hyène... et loups ! Émission de Midi Magazine de 1988

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