The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 1-Oct-54-Avignon.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
The regional newspaper Le Provençal for October 2, 1954, reported via their press correspondent in Avignon that the "presence of an unidentifiable bolide" over Avignon was reported to them the day before at the beginning of the afternoon by several people who saw it from the hillside of Bellevue on the right bank of the Rhone river.
The journalist(s) went to the site and found that an unknown object "affecting the shape of a refracting spheroid appeared at a constant distance from [...] and that it remained [...]".
Observed with the binoculars, he alternately "affected the apparent shape of a domed disc in the center and a cone from which a reddish trail escaped from the base."
The phenomenon began to be observed around 1 p.m. and it still lasted at 04:30 p.m.; the "saucer" slowly moved from east to west on about 45 degrees.
The newspaper wondered if it was an aircraft, a balloon, or a new satellite.
Later, ufologists Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier added an interesting detail: the witnesses had very quickly noticed that the phenomenon was near the Moon and maintained at a constant distance from the Moon, perfectly visible in broad daylight. The object accompanied the Moon in its path during the day, and disappeared with it to the west. It made them comment that "for thirty-six hours a spy from space had watched the Earth turn below."
[Ref. lpl1:] NEWSPAPER "LE PROVENCAL":
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Avignon (C.P.).
The presence of an unidentifiable bolide was announced to us above Avignon yesterday, at the beginning of the afternoon by several people who saw it from the slope of Bellevue on the right bank of the Rhone.
We went to the site and could note that an unknown object having the shape of a refringent spheroid appeared at a constant distance from [...] and that it remained [...]
Observed with binoculars, he time after time took the apparent shape of a disc with a curvature in the center and a cone from where a reddish trail escaped by the base.
This curious phenomenon started to be observed around 01:00 p.m. and it still lasted at 04:30 p.m..
The "saucer" (since it became common to call that way any object unknown to a non-specialist observer) slowly moved from the East to the West on 45 degrees approximately.
Aircraft, weather-balloon, new satellite?
The question is opened.
Veynes (C.P.).
[...] Louis and Mr. Curri Baptiste, were hasting at a sharp pace on the road. They were very surprised to see, between the Saint-Luc post and the wood of the Pignon, a ball of a very apparent green color, which moved rather quickly, leaving a red trail behind. It disappeared towards Aspremont. The two witnesses, who could admire it during at least thirty seconds, are convinced that it is a flying saucer.
Grenoble (A.C.P.).
Mr. Joseph Habrat, farmer in the district of Perrets, in Lemps, not far from Tournon (the Ardeche), observed in the sky, last night, a true ballet of "flying saucers".
He had first of all noticed a green light moving slowly in direction of Valence. Then the luminous craft started to evolve at full speed in various directions and ended up being immobilized.
The farmer then called his daughter, Yvette, who up to now had refused to believe in the flying saucers.
Like her father, Yvette managed to observe the luminous object which advanced, it seemed to them, up to 500 meters of them approximately. A little later ten machines joined the first, and outlined with it a true ballet before disappearing in the direction of the East.
Little afterward, three craft appeared again then disappeared in the same direction as the previous ones.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel reports that there was a sighting on October 2, 1954, in Avignon, France.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
Saturday October 2 [, 1954]
[...other cases...]
: Avignon (Vaucluse): lum.sph.
[...other cases...]
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 178 | -004.82000 | 43.04700 | 02 | 10 | 1954 | AVIGNON | F | 151 | C** | 170 |
[Ref. ldl1:] "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT" UFOLOGY MAGAZINE:
Editor's note. - The four straight lines are about the network of October 2, 1954. The first includes the places of: Jeumont, Dijon, Louhans, Morestel (On this straight line are also located: Chevigny en Valière (on 10/14/54), and Le Pin (on 9/16/54). The second includes the places of Poncey-Pellerey, Bourg (on this straight line are also located: Meursanges (on 10/14/54). The third includes the places of Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Paulien (on this straight line are also located: Angers (on 9/1/54). The fourth includes the places of Aiguillon, Avignon (on this straight line is also located: Fontaine de Vaucluse (on 10/14/54).
[Ref. pdl1:] PIERRE DELVAL:
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On October 2, 1954, from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m., above Avignon, a brilliant sphere appeared at a constant distance from the Moon, moving slowly from East to West over 45°, approx.
[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:
This ufology bulletin indicated that there was a case on October 2, 1954, in Avignon; which was a part of a "network" of aligned cases of that day, in their opinion.
[Ref. pis2:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:
In this ufology bulletin, Alain Barbe stated that the cases of October 2, 1954, including that of Avignon, formed a geometrical shape including parallele lines with growing spacing, which, he thought, could not cased by mere chance. He published this diagram, comprizing however only 8 of the 61 cases or more for that date:
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He also published a second map with more cases (but far from the 61 cases), including that of Avignon:
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[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:
The authors indicate that on October 2, 1954, there was an observation in the sky of the South of France. When an object appeared above Avignon, the witnesses very quickly noticed that it was staying at a constant distance from the Moon, perfectly visible in full day. The object accompanied the Moon in its trajectory during the day and disappeared with it towards the west.
The authors comment on that during thirty-six hours, a spy that came from space had looked at the Earth rotating under it.
[Ref. vau3:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VAUCLUSE UFOLOGIE":
[... other cases...]
9) 10/02/54 - Without specific hour - On Avignon.
[... other cases...]
[Ref. vau4:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VAUCLUSE UFOLOGIE":
THE SECTION OF THE FIFTIES.
With Vaucluse Ufologie #7, we gave you the list of all the cases of observation that we had for the period of the fifties, from 1950 to 1959. But since this publication we have been able to update this list, complete it and, sometimes, specify it further. It is above all because Jean Pierre Troadec endeavored to update his file for this period, with the aim of compiling a catalog of all the cases of UFO sightings on the Vaucluse that GREPO will make known in some time in a special issue of our bulletin, which I can give you today a new list. This new list obviously eliminates the previous one which contained many date errors, but it is still imprecise in certain cases. I hope that it can serve you usefully, or even generate investigations or counter-investigations; and, if you have new elements or other cases that we do not have, let us know and I will communicate them in this section with your references.
[... other cases...]
.9° - 10/02/54 - daytime - Avignon. 1 brilliant spot.
[... other cases...]
[Ref. vau1:] "VAUCLUSE UFOLOGIE" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:
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SATURDAY OCTOBER 2, 1954 - All day long
AVIGNON
Reference 3
On October 2, 1954, a bright luinous dot with a very pronounced blue glow is observed in the midday sky. This point was moving in broken line, by jerks.
When it appeared over Avignon, the witnesses noticed that it was staying at a constant distance from the Moon.
Perfectly visible in broad daylight, it accompanied our satellite in its trajectory during the day and disappeared with it towards the West.
The next day, it reappeared above the Briançonnais, still accompanying the Moon. At the beginning of the afternoon, it found itself in the same place as the day before in the sky. It disappeared on the evening of October 3rd, behind the mountain range of Montbrisson.
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The first artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. No misunderstanding can be explained, as to this observation, with a brilliant point crossing the sky, as we can see so much in the evening, nowadays, at the passing of these satellites.
"Reference 3" refers to: "Face aux Extraterrestres - CHARLES GARREAU and RAYMOND LAVIER".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Database Nr: 1285
No known official investigation
Place of observation: Avignon
Department: Vaucluse (84)
Lat. 43.95 Long. +4.816
Date of observation: 02 October 1954
Time: 01:15 p.m.
Type of observation: Visual: Distant
Number of Witnesses: undetermined number
At about 01:15 p.m. an object shining of a sharp glare is observed above the right bank of the Rhone. It remained at a constant distance from the Moon seeming to evolve in connection with it. Observed with binoculars, it seemed to change shape from a disc embossed in its center to a very elongated oval, from where escaped at the base a sort of reddish trail. It remained visible until 04:30 p.m., fading as the night fell. During the observation it had moved of 45° in the sky going from east to west.
Number of object: 1
Type of object: Oval with dome
Undefined color
Observed luminosity: Reflects the light
Presence of a Trail
No weather indication
Physical Effect: No
Effects on the witness: No
Presence of entities: No
Sources: by **
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case 4 times:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541002 | 02.10.1954 | Avignon | France | 13.00 | DD | |||||
| 19541002 | 02.10.1954 | Avignon | France | 13.00 | DD | |||||
| 19541002 | 02.10.1954 | Avignon | France | 13.00 | DD | |||||
| 19541002 | 02.10.1954 | Avignon | France | 13.00 | DD |
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At 1 p.m. that day in Avignon, the Moon was at the 143° 10' azimuth and the low elevation of 13° 29'. And Venus was just a little above and a little to the right of the Moon, at the azimuth 149° 0' and the elevation of 17° 1'.
Of course, Venus accompanied the Moon; at 4 p.m. the apparent distance between the two bodies has hardly changed, except that Venus has "joined" the apparent height of the Moon, which was then at the azimuth 191° 40' and the elevation of 21° 20; which corresponds to the report saying that 45° of the sky were crossed by the object.
That day, only a third of Venus was illuminated by the Sun; but the planet was quite close to the earth, at "only" 72.20 million km. (Minimum 42.5 million km, maximum 256 million km).
One may believe that Venus is not visible in the middle of the day, but it is. Not much, of course, but a first witness could have just watched the moon; which made him notice Venus next to it. And then, binoculars were used, which is quite logical.
So I think that the "extraterrestrial spy" of Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier was probably Venus.
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(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Avignon, Vaucluse, shining, round, elongated, center, bump, oval, trail, red, slow, duration, moon, binoculars, multiple, disc, day, duration
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | May 12, 2005 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 12, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | February 11, 2017 | Addition [ubk1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | July 20, 2019 | Additions [ldl1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Possible reflection of the moon on a cloud layer." |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | August 10, 2019 | Addition [vau1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | November 13, 2019 | Additions [pis1], [pis2]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | April 15, 2022 | Addition [gqy1]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | May 21, 2022 | Addition [pdl1]. |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | July 3, 2022 | Additions [vau3], [vau4]. |
