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The 1954 French flap:

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October 7, 1954, Lavenay, Sarthe:

Reference for this case: 7-Oct-54-Lavenay.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In an enumeration of recent observations, the national newspaper France-Soir indicated that "a flying egg was seen in Lavenay (Sarthe) by Mr. Maurice Burge and several witnesses."

The newspaper gave neither date nor hour nor any other information; but in 1958 the ufologist Aimé Michel gave, though citing this same source, the date as October 7, 1954, and the hour as "a little after six in the morning."

Reports:

[Ref. fso1:] NEWSPAPER "FRANCE-SOIR":

Scan.

Petrifying rays, flying eggs throughout France

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

French ufologist Aimé Michel reports that on October 7, 1954, shortly after 06:20 A.M., in Lavenay, in the department of the Sarthe, several witnesses see an egg-shaped luminous sort of shape cross flying in the sky and going towards the south-east.

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

[...]

As of 2 October, the number of daily observations is increasing dramatically. On October 3, there are hundreds, and probably thousands of "witnesses". And the places of observation continue to line up, forming very characteristic networks whose layout evokes a spider's web, with a sort of star-shaped center from which most of the straight lines radiate. A large proportion of cases are also located on several different alignments (at their intersection).

An example of this complex and rigorous provision is offered by the observations of October 7 (see map).

That day, on the territory of France, hundreds of "testimonies" make it possible to plot 23 observation places, of which only one is erratic, in the area of ??Toulouse. The other 22 are organized in 17 alignments:

- One seven spots line: Cherbourg; La Ferte-Macé; Saint-Jean-d'Assé; National 23, east of Le Mans; Lavenay; Montlevic; and finally Cassis.

- Three lines of four spots:

a) Marcillac; Puymoyen; Montlevic; Corbigny.

b) Isles-sur-Suippe; Montlevic; Bournel; Montpezat.

c) Saint-Savinien; Saint-Plantaire; Montlevic; Jettingen.

Finally, thirteen alignments of three spots. One can, at first glance, wonder whether three-spot alignments require an explanation other than chance. But on reflection, chance turns out to be insufficient. Indeed:

  1. On the map to the millionth used for this study, the accuracy of the alignments is of the order of a millimeter, equivalent to one kilometer, for distances sometimes exceeding 1000 kilometers;
  2. But above all, it must be emphasized that most of the spots are at the same time on several alignments (At their intersections): when one plots two spots on a surface, one gets a straight line; if four points are plotted, one gets six lines (the sides of a quadrilateral and its diagonals), determining, in addition to the four primitive spots, three spots of intersection at most; therefore, if one plots three new spots at random, what is the chance for these spots to intersect? Virtually none. The realization by chance of such a provision is therefore highly improbable. If coincidence happens regularly every day for weeks, the chance explanation becomes almost impossible.
  3. Finally (and this is perhaps the most troubling part of the case), how can it be explained by chance that this provision lasts only 24 hours?

In-depth analysis of all these alignments is beyond the scope of an article. A glance at the corresponding map is more eloquent than a long speech. We discover this feature, which I have tentatively called "orthoteny" (2), until further studies allow, if necessary, to relate it to some phenomenon already known and provided with a name existing in the dictionary.

Provisionally, therefore, the "orthoteny" is the rectilinear disposition, generating networks, of the vast majority of flying saucer observations of the Fall of 1954. This arrangement is so surprising that one must, a priori to adopt a systematic distrust about it. Before recognizing it for a real event, one must consider every possible means to reject it.

On October 7, 1954, France is furrowed with observations in a straight line

1. CHERBOURG ...One saw luminous globes! (Paris-Presse - 10-10-1954)

2. DUCLAIR ...Mr. X, blinded by a luminous beam, reopened the eyes, saw a ball that disappeared in a few minutes. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

3. ISLES-SUR-SUIPPES ...on the edge of the road, an object of more than 3 m in length like a big shell pierced with portholes... (Paris-Presse - 10-10-54)

4. PLOZEVET ...sharp gleam, dense smoke... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

5. SAINT-BIHY ...luminous globes... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

6. LA FERTÉ-MACÉ ...a mysterious craft, which was rising vertically, leaving behind itself a white trail... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

7. HENNEZIES ...A "spaceship" and its occupants seen by two children... Egg-shaped object, red, the top pointed at the yky... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

8. SAINT-ÉTIENNE ...three craft produced a violent white light; - one of the craft was round like a saucer, the two other elongated like cigars. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

9. SAINT-JEAN-D'ASSÉ ...a gleam of an intense blue color.. (Aurore - 9-10-54)

10. BALLON ...stars as big as the Moon (sic!). (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

11. LAVENAY ...a flying egg... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

12. DORDIVES ...a weird object... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

13. CHALETTE ...an oval-shaped luminous craft. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

14. LES AUBIERS ...a red disc... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

15. CORBIGNY Craft of cylindrical shapes, emitting red-orange gleams when they were horizontal and of a dazzling white when they rose vertically. (Aurore -8-10-54)

16. BERUGES ...a lighted mushroom... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

17. SAINT-SAVINIEN ...a luminous disc. (Sud-Ouest - 14-10-54)

18. SAINT-PLANTAIRE

19. MONTLEVIC ...saucers, cigars, luminous globes and flying discs... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

20. JETTINGEN ...a half-spherical cupola. (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

21. PUYMOYEN ...A the place where a saucer had landed, twelve samll heaps of ash in the middle of a 1,50 m circle and, among the ashes, small sticks... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

22. MARCILLAC ...shape of inverted funnel. (Combat - 12-10-54)

23. BOURNEL ...circular shape... (Combat - 12-10-54)

24. MONTPEZAT ...a luminous circle, orange-colored... (Combat - 12-10-54)

25. BEAUVOIR ...a mysterious craft flying at a rather slow pace. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

26. MONTEUX ...a phosphorescent craft and of 2,50 m height... (local Press - oct. 54)

27. BOMPAS ...a formation of saucers... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

28. CASSIS ...the object, which seemed to be in aluminum, was very shiny. (Provençal)

Alignments exist. What do they mean? This is a mystery...

The case file is not faked

First question to ask: Is it true that the observation spots are aligned as this article claims?

To check this, just look for the spots in question on a chosen map in such a way that the lines of the map correspond as exactly as possible to the great terrestrial circles in the considered place. For France, it is the millionth map, Bonne projection, in the trade by Michelin (Michelin map nr 989). Ones locates the spots by looking for them in a dictionary of the communes, for example that of Berger-Levrault.

Second question: did the author invent all or part of these observations in order to find alignments? To enable researchers to answer this question, I have used in my research only observations that were already made public.

Third question: Did the author choose the observations that are aligned, creating a phenomenon that would not exist if other unreported observations restored the disorder of chance?

Of course, I cannot hope to know all the sightings because many of the witnesses did not say anything. But I used in my work all observations made public, as one can check by studying my book. To prepare the maps, I therefore only used published cases, and I used them all. There was no invention, no selection. Anyone can completely redo the work I did: one only needs to consult the collection of newspapers of the time, taking care though, however, of dates, not of the newspapers publication of course, but of the reported phenomena.

We come to the most delicate aspect of the problem posed by these strange alignments. What do they mean?

I have shown in detail the results of my research to several prominent scientists, including two Masters of Research at the C.N.R.S. It is very unfortunate that orthotenia is linked to the "saucer phenomenon", so discredited, because all these scientists, whom I cannot name, are now convinced that the alignments show a real and original phenomenon.

Real, that is, objectively taking place in space, not in the imagination of the witnesses.

Original, that is, not related to anything known so far. Neither airplanes, sounding balloons, sundogs, meteors, lightning bolts, nor hallucinations, lies, and facetious inventions are observed along lines forming networks. It is something else. What is it?

In my opinion, we are not close to knowing it. But perhaps the demonstration of the geometric superstructure revealed by the wave of 1954 will finally incite a greater number of scientists to worry about it. Allow me to express the wish here. Personally, the discredit that is attached to this research begins to put me down. It is overwhelming in the long run to have my curiosity viewed like a sin.

Aimé Michel

Note:

[Ref. aml3:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel explained that since December 1957, he was convinced that the "alignments" of cases on straight lines, such as those of October 7, 1954, are inexplicable, or more exactly, that they can only be explained "by the reality of the flying saucers", and that his opinion "is also that of a large number of scientists, among whom several are world-renowned."

He published a map of these alignments for this date, indicating that all the observations of October 7, 1954, are reported there:

For the case of this file, he noted:

11. LAVENAY: ..a flying egg ..(France-Soir for 9-10-54).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

06:50 a.m.?: Lavenay (Sarthe):lum.obj. in s. of elongated egg

[... other cases...]

Scan.

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

10:50 p.m.: Lavenay (Sarthe)

[... other cases...]

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

263 -000.69921 47.79000 07 10 1954 07 00 2 LAVENAY F 1514 C** 241

[Ref. jpr1] JACQUES POTTIER:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, luminous discs, landing or not landing, were reported among other places in Lavenay.

The author says that the 28 places of observations [The author indicates 9 of them] formed all spots that were aligned "along a line with a precision of one millimetre." He further adds that these observations spread on "straight lines, which while crossing, drew curious geometrical star figures", and that "alignments seemed to begin around one hour in the morning, covering our areas of a tight network of investigations of unknown origin."

[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

This ufology bulletin published a map supposed to show alignements of cases of October 7, 1954, and it included a cas in Lavenay:

The magazine added another mapfor the 7 october 1954 cases, also includng the case of Lavenay:

[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU ET RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two authors indicate that there was a landing in Lavenay, in the Sarthe, which is in the center of a "star" where " three orthotenic straight-lines of Aime Michel are crossing (cf M.O.C., first edition, page 251)."

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/7/54 (6.30 a.m.) Lavenay - SE and Ballon 400V2

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

4006: 1954/10/07 07:00 1 0:42:00 E 47:47:00 N 3333 WEU FRN SRT 6:6

LAVENAY,SARTHE,FR:LUMINOUS OVOID PASSES OVERHEAD >>SE:NFD

Ref# 49 MICHEL,Aime: FS & STRAIGHT LINE TH: Page No. 143 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Sarthe in Lavenay on October 7, 1954, at 06:20 hours "Several witnesses saw passing in the sky a kind of flying luminous egg moving towards the south-east."

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "M.O.C. par Michel Aimé ** Arthaud 1958".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 7 October 1954 at 07:00 in Lavenay, France, "Luminous ovoid passes overhead. rapidly to the southeast" and "An unidentified object was sighted, but with appearance and behavior that most likely would have a conventional explanation. One luminous ovoid object was observed by four witnesses on a farm."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

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

This database recorded the case four times:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541007 07.10.1954 Lavenay France NL
19541007 07.10.1954 Lavenay France 07.00
19541007 07.10.1954 Lavenay France
19541007 07.10.1954 Lavenay France

[Ref. wia1:] "WIKIPEDIA FR" WEBSITE:

Screenshot.

In their web page about the 1954 French flap in France, Wikipedia FR mentions 21 sightings of the "flap", including:

[... other cases...]

October 7, [1954]: ufos are observed near Saint-Jean-d'Assé, on the nationale 138, at La Ferté-Macé, Lavenay, Ballon, Montlevicq, Cassis, Corbigny, Puymoyen, Marcillac; twenty eight localities in total [in reality at least 55] are hit by the phenomenon.

[... other cases...]

No source is given. The links in the page lead to general information web pages about these places.

Explanations:

Map.

Totally insufficient information, low strangeness, possible pane or meteor.

Keywords:

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

Lavenay, Sarthe, multiple, egg, ovoid, object, luminous

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross February 19, 2009 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross February 19, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version.
1.1 Patrick Gross May 5, 2009 Addition [uda1].
1.2 Patrick Gross February 28, 2010 Addition [jpr1].
1.3 Patrick Gross June 26, 2010 Additions [jve5], [gal1].
1.4 Patrick Gross January 3, 2017 Additions [fso1], [ubk1].
1.5 Patrick Gross October 10, 2019 Additions [aml2], [aml3], [pis1], [lhh1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
1.6 Patrick Gross April 28, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [gep1].
1.7 Patrick Gross May 16, 2022 Addition [wia1].

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