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The 1954 French flap:

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October 18, 1954, Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, Charente-Maritime:

Reference number for this case: 18-oct-54-Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult. Thank you for including this reference number in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The press, such as the newspaper L'Alsace for October 20, 1954, reported that at Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, a mysterious craft that rose vertically behind a hedge was seen by Mr. Meunier, site manager in a masonry company.

Some sources add that he had never been so scared, not even during the war.

In 1979, Michel Figuet adds an hour: 07:00 p.m.

Reports:

[Ref. lae1:] "L'ALSACE" NEWSPAPER:

In Capri, a flying saucer lands on Curzio Malaparte's villa

Rome, Oct. 19. -- The flying discs continue their saraband in the sky of the peninsula and in Capri, one of these mysterious machines landed on the terrace of writer Curzio Malaparte's villa.

It is a painter, Mr. Raffaele Castello, who, during a night walk carried out at cape Massulo, saw an enormous disc approximately five meters in diameter, which moved at a hundred meters of altitude. The apparatus went down slowly and landed on the terrace of the villa of the writer.

Mr. Castello who initially thought it was a helicopter approached the summer residence of Curzio Malaparte and was very suprized to see four men of small size going down from the disc. The passengers of the machine, who were clad in an outfit, remained around the disc approximately half an hour.

"I had the impression, the witness of this landing said, that they did not speak, or then they spoke with low voices, as from place where I was, I was unable to hear any sound. What is certain, is that bluish gleams escaped without stop from the disc, similar to pins and fast like lightinings, leaving in all the directions. "After some time, half an hour approximately, the four men returned into the disc which, with a gentle humming, rose gently, perpendicularly, and took altitude quickly".

A victim of the obsession

Livourne, Oct. 19. -- Bruno Senesi, 34 years old, who entered yesterday evening at the hospital of Livourne, ducked under a bed while shouting for help.

He states that Martians had just gone down from a saucer and were chasing him.

Appearances in the West

Paris, October 19. -- Several testimonys on the overflight of France by mysterious machines come from the West.

In the Côtes-du-Nord, in Uzel, Mr. and Mrs. Perrichon stated to have seen, yesterday evening, a flying saucer of orange color. The same fact was observed in several nearby cities.

In the Vendée, in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult, a mysterious machine which rose vertically behind a hedge, was seen by Mr. Meunier, site foreman in a building firm.

Lastly, in Luçon, Mr. Boulineau observed a large luminous ball of which a part in form of crescent was of red color. The ball moved quickly, while rotating and disappeared in a few seconds.

Looking up...
a farmer falls into a pond

Lisieux, October 19. -- Several people ran through fields in Moyeux, in direction of a flying saucer, surrounded of white smoke, which had been reported to them by a child.

One of them, a farmer, Mr. Filate, did not leave the sky from his eyes; He fell into a deep pond

(Continued on page 3)

[Ref. ppe1:] "PARIS-PRESSE" NEWSPAPER:

The Martians
paid a visit
to Curzio Malaparte...

...who was not there

CURZIO MALAPARTE missed the book of his life.

A flying saucer stuffed with "Martians" like a subway train at six in the evening landed on the terrace of his summer villa in Capri. And Malaparte was not there! Disappointed, the Martians who probably wanted to have "The Skin" signed off, left.

It was a painter, Raffaele Castello, who saw them. He was walking at night at Cape Maroulo when he saw a huge disc five meters in diameter delicately landing on the Malapartean villa. Four of the Martians - they were short, dressed in overalls and speaking in low voices - entered the writer's house. Half an hour later, they left without having even taken a book. They climbed back into the craft which, casting classic bluish gleams, rose as perpendicular as it was silent and disappeared towards Sicily. Farewell Martians!

Various saucers and cigars have flown all over Italy, Portugal, Belgium, Spain (these are the first, the Franco regime seemed to intimidate the Martians so far) and naturally in France. Our happy compatriots who were favored with their vision are Pierre Pouquet in Saint-Germain-les-Belles (Haute-Vienne), Perrichou and Mrs., in Uzel (Côtes-du-Nord), Meunier in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (Vendée) [Charente-Maritime], Boulineau in Luçon, Jean Aufard in Sisternes-la-Forêt (Pas-de-Calais), Perrault and Villerot in Brain, near Decize, Decréquy, marshall of the gendarmerie in Pommier (Pas-de-Calais), Filatte, farmer in Noyeux (Eure).

This Mr. Filatte, running across the fields to observe the saucer, fell into a pond and almost drowned.

The "saucers"
drove their first
victim of asylum

LIVORNO. October 19. (AFP.) - "They are persecuting me... They are coming to get me... I saw them land in a field... Saucers, large and small... Lights and smoke... The Martians... The Martians...", it is by shouting these pieces of sentences expressing his deep agitation that Mr. Bruno Senesi, 34, came to the hospital in Livorno, asking to be helped. But when the nurse returned with the doctor on duty, Senesi was gone. He was found hidden under a bed, shaken by violent shivers.

At the asylum, his condition causes concern.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

The author indicates that on October 18, 1954, in Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult in the Charente-Maritime, "one does not know what they saw." He indicates that only Paris-Presse for October 20 mentions this case without giving even one detail, that it is impossible to go up to the source and not even possible to check the date.

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

370

000.87668

45.82800

1954

PONT ABBE ARNOULT

001

[Ref. fle1:] FERNAND LAGARDE:

The ufologist Fernand Lagarde believed he found a connection between the locations of UFO sightings and the locations of earthquakes or geological faults.

He published a map centered on the Charente-Maritime department, with parts of the surrounding departments, with these cases (his list is incomplete) represented, all dates October 1954:

"N 150 between Saintes and Royan 10.54"
"Taupignac 10.54"
"Pont L'Abbé 10.54"
"St Savinien 10.54"
"Birac 10.54"
"Soudran 10.54"
"Tourriers 10.54"
"Angouleme 10.54"
"Puymoyen 10.54"
"Marcillac 10.54"
"Nessier 10.54"
"Béruge 10.54"
"Lusignan 10.54"
"St Maixent 10.54"
"Niort 10.54"
"La Rochelle 10.54"
"Angles 10.54"
"Luçon 10.54"

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

283) October 18, 1954. Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France):

Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (P 73; M 196).

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 18, 1954. Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France):

Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (La Croix, Paris-Presse, Oct. 20, 1954)

[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON:

460 18 October 1954

PONT L'ABBE D'ARNOULT (FRANCE) Mr Meunier a construction supervisor was terrified by a strange craft which rose vertically from the ground . He said he had bever been so afraid, even during the war. (M283; La Croix, Paris Presse, 21 Oct 54: Michel II, 196)

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that with Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, in the department of Charente-Maritime, on October 18, 1954 at 07:00 p.m., Mr. Meunier was terrified by a strange machine which rose vertically from behind a bush.

The witness indicated that he has never been so afraid, not even during the war.

The sources are indicated as case 283 of the Vallée catalogue; La Croix and Paris-Presse for October 20, 1954; A. Michel in "A Propos des S.V." page 196.

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

This ufologist noted:

CASE Nr	CLASSIFICATION	DATE	HOUR	PLACE	ZIP CODE	CREDIBILITY SOURCE
237	CEl	10 18 1954	19.00	Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult	17250 C4	RS, OVNI: p. 186

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 18th. Pont L'Abbe D'Arnoult, France, (pas d'heure connue)

In another case on the 18th a "strange craft" greatly surprised a M. Meunier, a construction supervisor, who swore that even his war time experiences had not frighten so much as this sighting. 146.

146. La Croix. 20 October 54.

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

4159: 1954/10/16 19:00 1 0:52:40 W 45:49:40 N 3331 WEU FRN CHM 7:6

PONT-l'ABBE d'ARNOULT,FR:OBJ RISES/GND:OBS TERRIFIED:NFD/r8/r30:

Ref# 8 VALLEE,Jacques: PASSPORT TO MAGONIA. Case No. 283 : PASTURE

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on October 18, in France, in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult "Mr. Meunier, site foreman, was terrified by a strange machine which rose from the ground vertically. He ensured he was never frightened that much, even during the war."

The sources are indicated as "La Croix, Paris-Presse, 20 oct 1954" et "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 285".

[Ref. fbn1:] FABRICE BONVIN:

Fabrice Bonvin notes:

Case #024: 18/10/1954, P. 186 (Pont-l'Abbé-d'Amoult)

[Ref. fbn2:] FABRICE BONVIN:

In a table, Fabrice Bonvin notes selected cases of the 1954 Frnech flap, including this one:

Case	Nmbr witnesses	Hours	Type objects
Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult	1	4	4

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Monday, October 18, 1954

[...]

In Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult (France), Mr. Meunier (site foreman) is terrified by a strange machine which rises from the ground vertically. He ensures he was never so frightened, not even during the war.

[...]

The sources are indicated as "La Croix, Paris-Presse, 20 octobre 1954".

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Charente Maritime in Pont l'Abbé d'Arnoult on October 18, 1954 at 19:00 hours, "a witness is terrified by a strange machine which rises behind a bush, vertically. He ensures he had never been so afraid, even during the war."

The source is indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 18 October 1954 in Pont l'Abbe d'Arnoult, France, "A strange craft rose vertically from the ground." "At Pont l'Abbe d'Arnoult, France Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war."

And: "Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. One ball was observed (Meunier)."

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 18 October 1954 at 19:00 in Pont-l'Abbe-d'Arnoult, France, "An object was sighted that had an appearance and performance beyond the capability of known earthly aircraft. One object was observed by one male witness in a pasture (Meunier)."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

[Ref. dcy1:] DIDIER CHARNAY:

Didier Charnay informs that the article "Sacrés OVNIS" in the newspaper "Sud-Ouest" for July 16, 2009, mentions the case of Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult.

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 18, 1954 – At Pont l’Abbe d’Arnoult, Charente-Maritime, France Mr. Meunier, a construction supervisor, was terrified by a strange craft, which rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been so afraid, even during the war. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 196; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 233, case 283).

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

This database recorded this case 6 times:

Case Nr.	Date of observation	Place of observation	Country of observation	Classification
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France
19541018	18.10.1954	Pont Abbe Arnoult	France	CE I

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 18 1954.

PONT L'ABBE D'ARNOULT (CHARENTE MARITIME : FRANCE)

Mr Meunier a construction supervisor was terrified by a strange object that rose vertically from the ground. He said he had never been as afraid as this, even during the war.

Vallee Case 283 citing La Croix + Paris Presse both 20 October 1954.

Explanations:

On March 7, 1962 Pont-L'Abbé was renamed Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult.

Was it a meteor arriving visually for the witness from behind the horizon?

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Pont-l'Abbé-d'Arnoult, Charente-Maritime, Meunier, craft, landing, vertically

Sources:

[----] indicates sources which I have not yet checked.

[lae1] Article in the regional newspaper L'Alsace, Mulhouse, France, October 20, 1954.
[ppe1] Article in the national newspaper Paris-Presse, Paris, France, page 5, October 20, 1954.
[----] Article in the national newspaper La Croix, Paris, France, October 20, 1954.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Arthaud publisher, France, 1958.
[aml1] "Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery", book by Aimé Michel, English version of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", S.G. Phillips publisher, France, page 265, 1958.
[jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, Table Ronde publishers, France, 1966.
[aml1] "A Propos des Soucoupes Volantes", book by Aimé Michel, reprint of "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", Planète publishers, France, page 241, 1958.
[fle1] Map by Fernand Lagarde, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #92, cover page, January / February 1968.
[jve1] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", article by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #103, page 7, December 1969.
[jve2] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, 1969.
[jve2] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, J'Ai Lu publisher, France, page 285, 1972.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Seghers publisher, France, page 261, 1977.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 261, 1978.
[prn1] "INTCAT Part 9 - An International Catalogue of Type 1 Reports", compiled by Peter Rogerson, in the ufology magazine MUFOB, U-K., New Series #4, page 8, autumn 1976.
[jve5] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 253, 1978.
[fru1] "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, page 186, 1979.
[mft1] "Catalogue Francat des rencontres rapprochées en France (Listing 800 1982) (2 - Suite)", list compiled by Michel Figuet, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #257-258, page 20, November / December 1985.
[lgs1] "The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse - UFOs: A History - 1954 October", monography by Loren E. Gross, USA, page 61, 1991.
[lhh1] "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
[goe1] "Chronologie OVNI", compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2003, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/afin54.htm
[fbn1] "Epistémologie de l'insaisissable", article by Fabrice Bonvin, Switzerland, on the Internet, March 2001.
[fbn2] "Epistémologie de l'Insaisissable", article by Fabrice Bonvin, Switzerland, on the Internet, March 2001.
[jbu1] "Monday, October 18, 1954", web page by Jérôme Beau, RR0 website, France, circa 2005, at rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/18/index.html
[lcn1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2005, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/detobs.php?numobs=1125
[uda1] "18 Oct 1954 - Pont l'Abbe d'Arnoult, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189156.htm
[uda2] "18 Oct 1954 - Pont-l'Abbe-d'Arnoult, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf02/uf3/023141.htm
[----] "Sacrés Ovnis", article in the regional newspaper Sud-Ouest, France, July 16, 2009.
[dcy1] Ovnis Médias News, electronic bulletin by Didier Charnay, France, #47, July 24, 2009.
[nip1] List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
[ubk1] Online database UFO-Datenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
[prn2] "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

Document history:

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	April 21, 2003	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	June 6, 2009	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [aml1], [goe1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.1	Patrick Gross	June 8, 2010	Additions [lae1].
1.2	Patrick Gross	June 30, 2010	Addition [jve5].
1.3	Patrick Gross	July 9, 2010	Additions [dcy1], [fbn2].
1.4	Patrick Gross	October 18, 2014	Additions [nip1].
1.5	Patrick Gross	February 11, 2017	Additions [lgs1]. Addition of the Summary.
1.6	Patrick Gross	March 3, 2017	Addition [ubk1].
1.7	Patrick Gross	January 20, 2019	Additions [prn1], [mft1], [prn2], Summary. In the explanations, "Not looked for yet" replaced by "Was it a meteor arriving visually for the witness from behind the horizon?"
1.8	Patrick Gross	August 20, 2019	Additions [fle1], [lhh1].
1.9	Patrick Gross	January 15, 2020	Addition [ppe1].

This page was last updated on January 15, 2020.