The 1954 French flap:

1954 / 2004

Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, October 18, 1954

Robert Zirolo

We announced it to you in our last issue: an investigation of a sighting from 1954 was carried out... in December 2003! The investigator, Robert Zirolo, had no trouble contacting the witnesses: they are his parents! He had known about the affair for a long time, but had always contented himself with a rather sketchy account, and had never thought of delving into the matter, or putting the story down on paper. It's now done. Who will carry out the next investigation of 54? There is a sort of record to beat... J. M.

Here is the testimony collected from Mr. and Mrs. Pierre and Isabelle Zirolo, who at the time of the events (October 18, 1954) were hairdressers in Marseille, 114 rue d'Endoume, in the 7th district.

Despite the age, the date seems to be confirmed by two facts: Monday was their only day off, (the store being open on Sunday until 1 or 2 p.m.), and my father had a motorcycle accident the next day, Tuesday, October 19.

That famous Monday the 18th, after spending the day with the family in Toulon, they went home, on their motorbike. After the village of Beausset, a few kilometers of bends provide access to the plateau of Le Castellet (famous today for its racetrack), several hundred meters above sea level. Let the [lady] passenger speak:

"My husband was driving slowly, because night had just fallen, it must have been between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. The sky was very clear, and I was looking towards the sea, because the view there is very beautiful, revealing part of the coast between Bandol and Saint-Cyr-sur-mer. My gaze was drawn to a very bright moon. Too bright. The moon? But it's not the moon! It's way too close... And my husband, also intrigued, who keeps turning his head while driving...

We stop (with the engine still running), and we immediately understand that it's not the moon: the outlines are too blurred, and it's too bright. In a few moments, our astonishment gives way to misunderstanding mixed with concern: the luminosity of the globe becomes more intense (but it is still watchable, not like the sun). At the same time appear two sprays of sparkling sparks, one on each side of the base. They are not "moon color" like the globe, but orange, then yellow, then of a color that I cannot define. (It was only 40 years later, during a surgical operation, that I was finally able to give a name to this luminosity: that of the laser beam used to put the stitches on me...)

[Photo caption:] a photo taken at the time: the two witnesses and their BSA

[Sketch caption:] two successive aspects of the phenomenon

[Captions:] a very recent photo taken of the sighting site, with the position of the phenomenon. Below: identification of the position of the witnesses on the map. As for the phenomenon, it was initially located slightly east of St-Cyr-sur-Mer.

Suddenly, the globe seems to approach. first slowly, then accelerating. I have the impression that it is heading straight for us, and suddenly I'm very scared, I shout: "Start, Pierre! Let's go! Let's go!". I cling to my husband, and I close my eyes. After a while (indefinable, impossible to clarify - note from the interviewer), when I open my eyes again, I am reassured by the absence of "the thing", but disoriented by the landscape, that I don't immediately recognize. I'm in my place as a passenger, clinging to my husband, on the motorbike, but we arrived... near Aubagne!? (25 km from the place of observation - Ed.). As for the ride... no memory left..."

details after questions:

Regarding the size, opinions differ between the two witnesses (is it really surprising, after more than 49 years, and when we know the differences in perception when faced with the unknown?). It is estimated by one at a 10 euro cent coin held at arm's length, and by the other at a 1 cent coin only.

Concerning the distance, the evaluation "above Saint-Cyr" comes from the fact that the landscape seemed to be enveloped in a "halo" at this place.

To the question concerning the altitude of the phenomenon: roughly at eye level. (It should be remembered that the plateau overlooks the coast by a few hundred meters.)

Regarding the evaluation of the distance and/or the size of the globe when it got closer, no precision possible, since my father "wrung the handle", while my mother clung to him while closing the eyes.

On the strangeness of the "forgotten journey", the story is confirmed by my father. He clearly remembers having seen the phenomenon, then also clearly, to have found himself in the outskirts of Aubagne... but nothing in between...

He pointed out to me, however, that on this route well known to him, driving could have been done "mechanically", the mind being busy with something else. Especially when that other thing is as overwhelming as what they had just experienced. Possible... nevertheless, I replied that it is surprising that he did not remember at least "a heat" in the descent. Practicing myself the (big) motorcycle for more than 30 years, I know that it is not easy at all to go fast, at night, on a road full of turns, and downhill. And 50 years earlier, we must add the state of the road network, the (symbolic) lighting of the machines of that time, the "non-existent" braking, the uncertain handling, and the quality of the tires... That seems like a lot to me for a beginner driver. (He will actually have an accident the next day, on the old cobblestones of Marseille.)

Over the next few days, my mother couldn't help but tell her clients about her adventure, attracting mostly ridicule (in 1954, already!). One of them nevertheless brought him, 3 or 4 days later, a clipping from a local newspaper mentioning the testimony of a farmer, exactly at the same place, but at 4 o'clock in the morning. Wouldn't it be the day before instead? According to Jean Sider's Dossier 1954, it is Sunday, October 17, at 4 a.m., in Saint-Cyr. And according to Jacques Vallée (catalog "a century of landings", published in LDLN 101 to 104), Léon B. saw an orange circular object take off in Saint-Cyr, on October 17.

These details are given for information only; indeed, even if the places, days, hours, had been the same, who could affirm that we were dealing with the same manifestation? The strange complexity of the phenomenon forbids us any hasty conclusion.

Personally, this mini-investigation reinforced my idea that one of the facets of the phenomenon has the effect of inhibiting the human mind, and preventing it from communicating effectively on the matter. My parents never hid their adventure. We see each other very regularly, they know my interest in the issue, and we often discuss it. They often alluded to their experience, but never before did we go into detail. Strange, right?

Editor's note: The departure having been made in a certain panic, it is indeed surprising that the witnesses do not remember the moment when the phenomenon disappeared, and that they had traveled 25 km (at night, on a winding road, etc...) before realizing that the situation was back to normal. This is all the more incomprehensible since, although Mr. Zirolo obviously had to focus his attention on driving the vehicle, we can imagine that his wife still had the possibility of turning her head, at any time, to check whether the thing followed them, or not.

Rare are the cases from this period, which include this kind of anomaly, which suggests an example of "missing time" (a concept that would not be released from the testimonies until many years later). So far, we could cite the misadventure that occurred to Mr. Bachelard, in the region of Gelles (Puy-de-Dôme): it was exposed by Mr. and Mrs. Ameil, in LDLN 97 (December 1968), p.11. By a remarkable coincidence (which is perhaps not useless to underline), this affair of Gelles and Coheix occurred... on October 18, 1954!

Who was riding the motorcycle?

Curiously, on October 18, 1954, between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., that is to say shortly after the previous incident experienced by Mr. Bachelard, a couple motorcyclists was confronted with an unforeseen situation not far from St-Cyr-sur-Mer (Var). Here are the facts.

That day, Pierre and Isabelle Zirolo, hairdressers in Marseille, go home on their motorbike, returning from Toulon. Pierre is the driver. Night has just fallen but the sky is clear. Shortly after the village of Beausset, Isabelle's gaze was drawn to a very bright "moon", even too bright, because the phenomenon is not our satellite, especially since it is too close and has blurred outlines. The couple stops to get a better look. Even Pierre is also intrigued. The luminosity of the false moon then becomes more intense and two sprays of sparkling sparks appear on each side of its base. Then, the phenomenon seems to approach and rush towards the witnesses. Isabelle, frightened, shouts to her husband to leave, then closes her eyes. When she reopens them, the thing is no longer there, but the landscape has changed, and it turns out shortly after that the couple arrived near Aubagne, 25 km from the place of the observation. As for this mileage, Pierre and Isabelle Zirolo have no memory of it. (LDLN, n° 372, May 2004, pp. 4-5, investigation by Robert Zirolo, son of the two witnesses)

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