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URECAT - UFO Related Entities Catalog

August 23, 1954, Lugrin, Haute-Savoie, France, Elise Blanc:

Brief summary of the event and follow-up:

A regional newspaper reports on October 7, 1954, in the midst of many UFO and occupants reports in France, that Elise Blanc, of Lugrin, claims that on August 23, 1954, she met two strange men close to a machine which resembled an aluminum camp-site trailer.

She claimed that these two beings were 1 m 20 high approximately and dressed in silver color, and that when they saw her, they grunted like pigs and jumped in their machine which took off while taking a color of fire and disappeared in a multicolored cloud.

Elise Blanc had already told a few years before she adopted a brown dog of which she claimed that its ancestors were the wild beasts which devastated the herds of Valais and Haut-Chablais, an important information given by the newspaper but which was omitted by the ufologists who mentioned the story in their books.

No investigation was carried out at the time, the newspaper story being simply included in the ufology literature. In 2006, a local correspondent told me that Elise Blanc actually reported many visits by small beings.

Basic information table:

Narratives:

[Ref. dl1:] "LE DAUPHINE LIBERE" NEWSPAPER:

[Ref. jv8] JACQUES VALLEE - "FLYING SAUCER REVIEW":

[Ref. jv6:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Jacques Vallée mentions that that there was an observation of type I in Lugrin close to Thonon in Haute-Savoie on August 23, 1954.

[Ref. lo1:] CORAL AND JIM LORENZEN:

The authors indicate that on August 23 in Lugrin, near Thonon, France, a man approached a landed object which looked like an aluminum trailer. Two small beings in silvery clothing who grunted like pigs were standing nearby. After the little men entered it, the object glowed red and flew away.

[Ref. jv1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

[Ref. jv2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

[Ref. jv3:] JACQUES VALLEE:

In Charles Bowen's book, Jacques Vallée indicates that in Lugrin in the department of Haute-Savoie, on August 23, 1954, a man approached an object which looked like an aluminum trailer. Very close, two small beings in silvery clothes grunted like pigs. The craft flew away while taking a fiery red color.

[Ref. ge1] JADER U. PEREIRA - "PHENOMENES SPATIAUX":

[Ref. pr1:] PETER ROGERSON:

[Ref. gl1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two ufologists and authors indicate that on August 23, 1954, Mrs. Elise Bland was walking in the vicinity of Lugrin when she suddenly saw two small "strange" men of 1 meter 20 of height equipped with silver colored costumes. They were close to a machine; which resembled a camping trailer. The authors report these remarks of Elise Blanc:

"When they saw me, they started to grunt like pigs. They jumped in their apparatus which took off while taking a fiery color, and disappeared in a multicolored cloud."

The sources are indicated as being newspaper clipping and their personal file.

[Ref. bd1] J. BERNARD DELAIRE:

[Ref. bb1:] JACQUES BARTHEL AND GERARD BRUCKER:

The authors indicate that in August 1954 Mrs. Blanc observed grunting individuals in Lugrin.

[Ref. fr1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two ufologists and authors indicate that on August 23, 1954 at some unspecified time, in Lugrin, Elise Blanc, in her sixties, saw an object resembling "a small camp-site trailer" of aluminum color and two beings of 1 meters 20 height equipped with costumes of silver plated color, which were standing close to the machine while "grunting like pigs."

When these beings saw Elise Blanc, they jumped into their machine which rose while taking a fiery color and disappeared in a "multicolored cloud."

The two authors indicate the books by Garreau et Lavier and by Jacques Vallée as sources.

[Ref. cc1:] GILBERT CORNU AND HENRI CHALOUPEK:

The authors indicate that on August 23, 1954 in the Creuse, Mrs. Blanc, about sixty years old, saw two beings "grunting like pigs" who were close to an unknown object resembling a camp-site trailer of aluminum color.

When these two beings saw the witness, they reinstated "their funny machine" which then rose while becoming "color of fire."

The authors wonder whether it should be thought that this person has a lot of imagination, but that this imagination would curiously recut other ufological testimonies, or if it should be thought that she attended a strange scene "which is not so rare than one wants to often believe it, for the folklore is rich of such visions at the edge of the possible."

They indicate that the source is "Face aux ET" by Garreau and Lavier, page 198.

[Ref. mf1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

This ufologist noted:

[Ref. lg1:] LOREN GROSS:

[Ref. kb1:] FABRICE KIRCHER AND DOMINIQUE BECKER:

These authors indicate that on August 23, 1957, in Lugrin, near Thonon, France, a witness saw an object resembling an "aluminum trailer", and near the UFO, small beings in silver clothing, growling like pigs.

[Ref. mc1:] MARK CASHMAN:

[Ref. re1:] KEVIN RANDLE AND RUSS ESTES:

The authors indicate that on August 23, 1954, in Thonon, France, a man approached a landed UFO near which two small creatures were standing. They were dressed in light-colored suits, and they grunted like pigs. Eventually they entered the craft, which glowed brightly and then took off quickly.

[Ref. sd1:] STEVEN DUNN:

[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:

[Ref. gm1:] LUIS GONZALES:

[Ref. jr1:] JEAN-PAUL RONECKER:

The author indicates that in the case of Lugrin on August 23, 1957, the witness is confronted to two small beings in silvery clothing, who grun like pigs.

[Ref. lh1] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

[Ref. bg1:] JEAN PHILIPPE BUORD AND JEAN-JACQUES GABUT:

The authors indicate that on August 23, 1954, in Lugrin, Elise Blanc was intrigued by the presence of a quite curious vehicle, a "kind of aluminum caravan", and was amazed by seeing in front of the machine "two small beings in silvery clothes" who entered their vehicle again when they saw her. The craft "took a fiery color" and flew away.

[Ref. pg1:] CORRESPONDENT'S EMAIL:

On September 9, 2006, a non-anonymous person of the area sent to me by email the new information that follows:

[Ref. jb1:] JEROME BEAU:

[Ref. go1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that in the Haute Savoie in Lugrin on August 23, 1954, "a man approached an object which had the look of an aluminum trailer; very close two small beings in silvery clothes grunt like pigs. The apparatus flew away while taking a fire red color."

The source is indicated as "Charles BOWEN: 'En quête des humanoïdes' - J'ai Lu 1974, p. 35".

She also wrote, elsewhere:

[Ref. lc1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Haute Savoie in Lugrin on August 23, 1954 at an unknown hour, "a woman approached an object which had the look of an aluminum trailer; very close two small beings in silvery clothes grunt like pigs. The apparatus flew away while taking a fire red color."

The source is indicated as "En quête des humanoïdes by Bowen Charles ** J'ai lu 1974".

[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 23 August 1954, in Lugrin, France, there was "An aluminum trailer with two small beings in silvery dress, grunting like pigs, standing close by." And: "Elise Blanc approached an object that looked like an aluminum trailer in Lugrin, France. Standing close to it were two small beings dressed in silver uniforms. They made grunting sounds like pigs. The object took on a glowing, fiery color and flew away. (Note: the Airstream model of trailer, common for this period, is aluminum in color and somewhat ovoid shaped.)

And: "Elise Blanc approached an object looking like an aluminum trailer with two small beings in silvery dress, grunting like pigs, standing close by. The craft took on a fiery color and flew away."

And: "An unidentifiable object and its occupants were observed at close range."

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. ud2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 23 August 1954 at 12:00 in Lugrin, France, "Unintelligible language (grunting noises). Woman approached object like aluminum trailer. two small beings in silvery dress stood close by. Craft took on fiery color, flew away. Close encounter with an unidentified craft and humanoid occupants."

And: "One aluminum rectangular object, about 20 feet across, was observed by one female witness, an experienced observor, in a city (Blanc, E). Two dwarves, each wearing a silver suit, were seen."

And: "Elise Blanc approached an object like an aluminum trailer, with 2 small beings in silvery dress, grunting like pigs, standing close by. The craft took on a fiery color and flew away."

The sources are indicated as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; Lorenzen, Coral E., Flying Saucer Occupants, Signet T3205, New York, 1967; Lorenzen, Coral E., Encounters with UFO Occupants, Berkley Medallion, New York, 1976, ISBN:425-03093-8; FSR, FSR (formerly Flying Saucer Review), FSR, London, 1966; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Pereira, Jader U., Les Extra-Terrestres, Phenomenes Spatiaux, Paris, 1974; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Rogerson, Peter, World-Wide Catalog of Type 1 Reports; Delaire, J. Bernard, UFO Register Volume 7 (1976), Data Research, Oxford, 1976; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002; Rosales, Albert, Humanoid Sighting Reports Database.

[Ref. ao1:] "ALPOVNI" WEBSITE:

My correspondent of September 9, 2006 (See [pg1] above) later reported his information on his website:

[Ref. ys1:] "LE MESSAGER":

[Ref. pr2:] PETER ROGERSON:

[Ref. ni1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

[Ref. ta1:] "THINK ABOUT IT" WEBSITE:

[Ref. jg1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:

The author indicates that there was a close encounter of the third kind on August 23, 1954, at an unknown hour, in Lugrin, in the Haute-Savoie, with as witness Mrs. Elise Blanc, who affirmed to have met two strange men close to a machine which resembled an aluminum camp-site trailer.

There were two small beings approximately 1,20 m tall dressed in silver-colored costumes.

When they saw Mrs. Blanc, they grunted like pigs and jumped in their machine; which rose while taking a color of fire to disappear in a multicolored cloud.

The sources are indicated to be Le Dauphiné Libéré for October 8, 1954; C. Garreau and R. Lavier, Face aux Extra-Terrestres, page 45; Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochées en France, page 72; Jean Sider, Le dossier 1954 et l'imposture rationaliste, page 164.

[Ref. ub1:] "UFODATENBANK":

Note: the case is recorded no less than 6 times as "Lugrin" in this database...

[Ref. pr3:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

Points to consider:

The case occurred according to the witness in August, well before the flying saucer reports flap, but is told rather late by the newspaper, when the flap is at its maximal. This does not appear in the account by Jacques Vallée who does not mention his sources, while he mention sources of other cases.

Jacques Vallée, who published this case, word for word, obviously decided that it was not suitable to report the story of the dog adopted by Mrs. Blanc. However, it is logical to think that if the newspaper indicates this detail which is without direct relationship with the Martians, that can only have been to inform the reader about a witness' tendency to mythomania. This omission, like that of the multicolored cloud, is thus a serious error.

The same omissions are in Coral and Jim Lorenzen's book, where in addition the witness has become a man, probably following the translation of Jacques Vallées' summary into English, in which the first name Elise was omitted, and probably thought to be a male first name by an english-speaking translator.

It was in 2006 that I published the first information that show that Mrs. Blanc was perhaps not a "reliable witness", such as the affair of the adopted dog, and her claims of her many visits by "little men". Then came the claim about the small stones, and information giving reason for thinking that her reputation is indeed far from a credible person's reputation. But since then, whether in books or on the web, nobody considered it useful to provide this information. The truncated original version of Jacques Vallée continues to be copied... Including by authors supposed to be "skeptics".

I do not affirm that Mrs. Blanc was inevitably mythomaniac and had inevitably invented everything. I do not know that. But it seems quite likely to me, and after all, there is no corroboration, no other witness, no physical trace, for this story. So, to still conceal these aspects of the case and to still present it as if it were a bona fide "close encounter of the third kind", without the slightest doubt, does not appear honest ufology practive to me.

List of issues:

Evaluation:

Probable witness invention.

Sources references:

* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.

• [dl1] * Article in the regional newspaper Le Dauphiné Libéré, October 8, 1954.
• [jv8] * "A Descriptive Study of the Entities Associated with the Type 1 Sighting", article by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Flying Saucer Review (FSR), U-K., Volume 10, #1, page 7, January / February 1964.
• [jv6] * "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, La Table Ronde publishers, France, 1966.
• [lo1] * "Flying Saucer Occupants", book by Coral and Jim Lorenzen, Signet Books publishers, USA, pp 88-89, 1967.
• [---] ? "Challenge to Science", ("Science interdite - Journal 1957-1969"), book by Jacques Vallée, page 129, 1966.
• [jv3] * Summary by Jacques Vallée in "The Humanoids: A Survey of World-Wide Reports of Landings of Unconventional Aerial Objects and their Alleged Occupants", boook by Charles Bowen, Neville Spearman publishers, U-K., 1969.
• [jv1] * "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", article by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #101, page 8, August 1969.
• [jv2] * "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, 1969.
• [ge1] * "Listes des Cas d'Observations d'Occupants (suite)", based on Jader U. Pereira, in the ufology magazine Phénomènes Spatiaux, GEPA, France, #29, page 19, September 1971.
• [jv2] * "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, J'Ai Lu publisher, France, page 257, 1972.
• [jv3] * Summary by Jacques Vallée in "En Quête des Humanoïdes" book by Charles Bowen, french translation of "The Humanoids", J'ai Lu publisher, France, page 35, 1974.
• [---] ? "Les Extra-Terrestres", booklet by Jader U. Pereira, Phénomènes Spatiaux, GEPA, France, 1974.
• [pr1] * "International Catalogue of Type 1 Reports", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, in the ufology bulletin MUFOB (Merseyside UFO Bulletin), U-K., Volume 6, #3, page 59, 1974.
• [gl1] * "Face aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Delarge publisher, J'ai Lu, France, pp 47-48, 1975.
• [bd1] * "The UFO Register", compiled by J. Bernard Delaire, U-K, Volume 7, parts 1 and 2, page 43, 1976.
• [lo1] * "Encounters with UFO Occupants", book by Coral Lorenzen, reprint of "Flying Saucer Occupants", Berkley Medallion publishers, USA, 1976.
• [---] ? "HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports", compiled by David Webb and Ted Bloecher, Center for UFO Studies (CUFOS), USA, circa 1978.
• [---] ? "Computerized Catalog", compiled by Luis Schoenherr.
• [jv6] * "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Janine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 122, 1978.
• [bb1] * "La Grande Peur Martienne", book by Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker, Nouvelles Editions Rationalistes publisher, Paris, page 85, 1979.
• [fr1] * "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, page 72, 1979.
• [cc1] * "Ephémérides des Années d'Espoir de l'Ufologie - 4", article by Gilbert Cornu and Henri Chaloupek, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), #253-254, page 39, July / August 1985.
• [mf1] * "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 16, November / December 1985.
• [lg1] * "UFOs: A History - 1954 June-August", monography by Loren Gross, USA, page 88, 1990.
• [kb1] * "Enquête sur les Insaisissables - Tome 1", book by Fabrice Kircher and Dominique Becker, Ramuel publisher, France, page 43, 1998.
• [mc1] * The Temporal Doorway UFO Sightings Database, by Mark Cashman, CUFOS member, at http://www.temporaldoorway.com/ufo
• [re1] * "Faces of the Visitors", book by Kevin Randle and Russ Estes, Fireside - Simon & Schuster publishers, USA, page 264, 1997.
• [sd1] * "Occupants Database", listing by Steven Dunn, USA.
• [dj1] * "Encounters with Aliens on This Day", written by Donald A. Johnson, Ph.D., compiled from the UFOCAT 2003 computer database, www.ufocat.com.
• [ar1] * "HUMCAT" (Humanoids Reports Catalog), compiled by Albert Rosales, was on the Web, circa 2003.
• [gm1] * "Catalogo de los Primeros Casos de Humanoides Clasificado por Paises" (Firsthumcat), listing by Luis R. Gonzales Manso, Funcacion Anomalia, Spain, page 11, 2002.
• [jr1] * "B-A BA des Extraterrestres", book by Jean-Paul Ronecker, Pardes publisher, France, page 65, 2002.
• [lh1] * "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
• [bg1] * "Les Mystères de la Haute-Savoie", book by Jean-Philippe Buord and Jean-Jacques Gabut, de Borée publisher, page 329, France, 2005.
• [pg1] * Email sent to me, non-anonymous, providing new details, September 9, 2006.
• [jb1] * "Août 1954", web page by Jérôme Beau, RR0 website, France, circa 2006, at rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/08/index.html
• [go1] * "Chronologie OVNI", web pages compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2006, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/chron12.html
• [lc1] * Base OVNI France, website by Luch Chastan, France, circa 2007, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/listgen.php?typlist=1&page=0&numobs=96.
• [ud1] * "23 Aug 1954 - Lugrin,, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189011.htm
• [ud2] * "23 Aug 1954 - Lugrin, France", web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf00/uf3/003399.htm
• [ao1] * Article on the Alpovni ufology website, France, April 5, 2010, at alpovni.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/petits-visiteurs-a-lugrin74-octobre-1954
• [ys1] * Article by Yvan Strelzyk, France, on the website Le Messager, August 8m 2012, at www.lemessager.fr/Actualite/Chablais/2012/11/11/article_quand_les_extraterrestres_debarquaient_a.shtml
• [pr2] * "Incat 1954 - International Catalogue of Entity Reports", compilé par Peter Rogerson, R-U., circa 2012, à intcat.blogspot.fr/search/label/1954
• [ni1] * List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
• [ta1] * "1954: September Sightings", catalog on the UFO website Think About It, USA, not dated, found in 2014, at http://www.thinkaboutitdocs.com/4-1954-august-september-sightings
• [jg1] * "RR3 - Le Dossier des Rencontres du Troisième Type en France", book by Julien Gonzalez, Le Temps Présent publishers, France, page 70, 2014.
• [ub1] * Online database UFOdatenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
• [pr3] * "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

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This page was last updated on January 27, 2019.