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The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference number for this case: 18-October-54-Le Beausset. Thank you for including this reference number in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The ufology magazine Lumières Dans LA Nuit #372 for May 2016 apparently published a letter by the son of the witness of the following case:
On October 18, 1954, at 06:00 p.m., Pierre and Isabelle Zirolo were motorcycling from Toulon to Marseille and had just gone through Le Beausset, when their attention was caught by what they first thought was the moon.
When they stopped, they realised that it was too close and too bright to be the moon. It resembled a globe with soft edges, emitting orange and yellow sparks. It seemed to come closer and they cycled on to Aubage, 25km away, with no recollection of how they got there.
The thing then seemed to be over Saint-Cyr-Mer.
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
October 18 1954. 1800hrs.
LE BEAUSSET (VAR : FRANCE)
Pierre and Isabelle Zirolo were motorcycling from Toulon to Marseille and had just gone through Le Beausset when their attention was caught by what they first thought was the moon. When they stopped they realised that it was to [sic] close and too bright to be the moon. It resembled a globe with soft edges, emitting orange and yellow sparks. The thing seemed to come closer and they cycled on to Aubage, 25km away, with no recollection of how they got there. The thing then (?) seemed to be over Saint-Cur-Mer [sic].
Rosales 1950/54 p294 citing letter from witness's son (?) in Lumieres dans le [sic] Nuit 372
At Le Beausset on October 18, 1954, at 6 p.m., the night is falling. But the Moon is not visible, it will not rise until 11:24 p.m.
The report is late and third-hand, very late reported, so its reliability is questionable. I therefore consider the case as unidentified, but of uncertain reliability and credibility.
There may have been a meteor in Nimes in the Gard that same day at the same hour. But the two observations seem to be quite different.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Le Beausset, Var, Pierre Zirolo, Isabelle Zirolo, motorbike, Toulon, Marseille, Saint-Cyr-Mer, moon, bright, globe, soft edges, orange, yellow, sparks, moving, duration
[----] indicates sources which I have not yet checked.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 11, 2019 | First published. |
