The 1954 French flap:

An explanation of the "saucers":
condensation of certain compounds of the "Stratojet" fuel

A "Stratojet" plane, which flies daily over the Rhône Valley at an altitude of around 10,000 meters, was mistaken on Tuesday by some people for a flying saucer.

The president and instructor of the Vienne Aero Club immediately reassured the overly imaginative witnesses, but a strange phenomenon occurred after the powerful jet had passed. In the sky, parachute-like forms animated by odd movements appeared, resembling light veils that soon reached the ground.

The witnesses grabbed this material, which felt very soft to the touch and had a texture somewhat like rubber when it reached the ground. It quickly evaporated, likely due to the temperature.

One of the witnesses placed a bit of the substance in a box and had it photographed immediately. A few hours later, the contents had evaporated—even though the box was sealed.

This phenomenon, caused by the condensation of certain fuel elements from the "Stratojet" in the rarefied and cold atmosphere, can produce white or iridescent formations moving at high speeds and altitudes, leading to more or less fanciful interpretations.

This observation, made above the Vienne Aerodrome, is identical to one already reported some time ago by a resident of Oloron.

In Guise, Saint-Gobain, Lesquielles, people saw...

Around twenty young campers, staying on the ramparts of Fort Guise, declared they saw a fiery ball in the sky on Saturday evening, resembling a funnel ending in a luminous trail.

According to one witness, the object came from the direction of Belgium and was heading toward Tergnier.

During intermission at a movie screening, spectators reportedly saw the same phenomenon, which was also observed in Saint-Gobain half an hour later by Mr. D. L..., a local resident.

However, the funnel had turned into a bright ball. Only the luminous trail remained unchanged.

We are also told that last week, at "Les Coutures", a municipal councilor from Guise was kept on edge for two hours by a mischievously glowing moon peeking through the clouds.

And what should we make of the Martian hunt recently conducted in the middle of the night by three residents of Lesquielles? Having seen shadows, they ran after them... But let their wives rest easy: no trace of Martian women was found...