A tide of New Agers and UFO-fanatics from across the globe is descending upon Bugarach. They are convinced the tiny village in southern France is the only place that will be saved from Armageddon, which they believe will take place in 2012.

For the true believers, signs of the impending apocalypse are everywhere. On doomsday, they believe, people who have sought shelter in Bugarach will be spirited away by extraterrestrials who live beneath the mountain. For local residents, the esoteric arrivals are an annoyance. They are buying up properties in the area, and locals complain they are driving up prices. The mayor has said the army might need to be called in next year to cope with the rising influx.