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October 4, 1954, Lagrasse, Aude:

Reference for this case: 4-oct-54-Lagrasse.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In the French press of October 7, 1954, one could read that two residents of Lézignan who were driving in a truck claimed to have seen a disc-shaped craft land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne in the Aude department.

They reportedly stated that this craft was about ten meters in diameter, and that before they could approach it, it had enveloped them in a dazzling glow and disappeared.

Some newspapers gave the names of the two witnesses as André Garcia and André Darzens, and indicated that they were driving on the D3 departmental road.

In his book "Black-Out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", in 1956, Jimmy Guieu gave the date of October 5, 1954 to the affair, and added, probably without reason, that the "spacecraft" was made of "metal." The disappearance "before they could approach it" became with or without reason, that the two men had got out of their truck to approach it, when it took off.

Aimé Michel in 1958, Jacques Vallée in 1969, gave more or less the press version, but instead of writing that the supposed craft had enveloped the witnesses "in a dazzling glow and disappeared", they speak of a sudden take-off while throwing a bright light or an explosion of light. For "Garcia", Michel wrote "Gardia".

Michel, Vallée and others dated the case of October 4, 1954; but Garreau en Lavier in 1979 gave October 3, 1954 - I have not yet found a source with a precise date, the press saying at best that the affair was reported on October 6, 1954, from Lézignan.

With Aimé Michel and some late ufology versions, it is said to have taken place at night; but again I source ot the time so far indicating this.

Reports:

[Ref. ner1:] NEWSPAPER "NORD-ECLAIR":

Scan.

THE ROUND OF THE SAUCERS
CONTINUES TO FAVOR
HUNDREDS OF WITNESSES

THE ROUND OF THE SAUCERS continues to describe graceful interlacing, from Mantua, Italy, to Peros-Guirec [sic], and from Clermont to Dunkirk. Can we put all these testimonies on the account of the hallucination? Or are jokes spreading in all directions?

In Mantua, traffic was interrupted for more than an hour in the center by groups of people gathered to observe a strange "white object" which, at a high height, stood out clearly against the background of the blue sky.

After having carried out extremely fast moves, the craft, of spherical shape, remained motionless for some time in the sky, before disappearing on the horizon.

AN ODOR OF NITRO-BENZINE...

Two saucers were seen yesterday in the Clermont sky. The first one was moving west-east. The witnesses declared that the object approached them and became less and less brilliant. When it was no more than 150 meters away, they felt a "curious feeling" and were as if nailed on the spot. At that moment, a smell of nitro-benzine was released and the craft went away. The discomfort ceased and the saucer disappeared.

The other saucer moved vertically above the Chantorgues [sic] hills and was of a brilliant white.

Farmers from La Rochelle also found after the departure of a spherical saucer, 2 to 3 meters high and a diameter of 5 meters, traces of oily origin on the grass, not far from their farm.

In the same region, several people saw a squadron of elongated luminous objects passing at very high speed and high altitude.

Two residents of Lézignan who were driving in a truck claimed to have seen a disc-shaped object landing in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. But before they could get close, it wrapped them in a bright glow and disappeared.

CHILD'S SIZE

Luckier, a young cultivator of Mégrit (Côtes du Nord) said he had seen a craft in his farm of a diameter of about a meter inside which were lined two human forms, immobile, the size of a child. However, he did not have the chance to experience the adventure of another Britton.

Mr. Pierre Lucas, a baker's worker in Loctudy (Finistère) suddenly saw in the night a craft in the shape of a saucer from 2.50 to 3 meters in diameter, he saw an individual about 1.20 meter tall come out and it approached him and tapped him on the shoulder, articulating unintelligible words. The baker succeeded in keeping his in cold blood and returned to the bakery where the unknown followed him.

In the light, Mr. Lucas could stare at his visitor. He had an oval face, all covered with hair and eyes the size of a crow's egg. The young man called his boss, but before he had time to go down, the stranger had disappeared, as had his saucer, of which no trace was found.

A merchant from Dunkirk had, several days ago, declared to have seen strange luminous objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation had been opened which concluded that these were two military aircraft whose metallic coating had given the illusion!!!

DAILY HARVESTING

And the other testimonies accumulate. In Bergerac, a firefighter claims to have seen a luminous disc supported by three crutches land in his garden.

In Paris, a saucer leaving in its wake a plume of smoke, like a rocket, was seen near the Porte Dorée, in the Faubourg Saint-Antoine, rue de la Pompe.

At Le Bourget, one explained that it is impossible, given the intensity of air traffic, to confirm by radar the passage of the craft.

Finally, saucers, discs, cigars, spheres of all diameters and other flying objects were seen at Quend, Grandvillars (Belfort), at Forges (Corrèze) and Perros-Guirec (Côtes du Nord).

THE TESTIMONY OF AN ENGINEER

Coulommiers' newspaper, "Le Pays Briard", publishes a letter from one of its readers, Mr. E. Farnier, member of the Society of Civil Engineers of France, regarding a flying saucer.

Mr. Farnier specifies that he saw above his property, in Jouy-sur-Morin, a large disc 8 to 10 meters in diameter, "turning on the spot while letting escape red-violet gleams, with a whistling reminding a little the arrival of a jet plane. The craft was about 400 meters high and hovered more than twenty minutes above me. I therefore, says Mr. Farnier, had the leisure to examine it. The object then disappeared in the direction of Coulommiers."

In his letter, Mr. Farnier adds:

"Former commissioner with the Aero-Club of France, having served in aviation, I was not the victim of a hallucination and this craft was not a sounding balloon, but a thick circular wing hovering over the place and moving at very high speed gradually gaining height."

[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":

Scan.

A BAKER FROM BRITTANY CLAIMS THIS:

"My Martian was not shaven and had eyes as large as a corbel's egg"

The daily chronicle of the "flying saucers" grows more and more. Each day, numerous newsbriefs report the passage of mysterious machines in this or that region. It remains to be learned whether the bad weather that the complacent meteorologists announce obligingly, will have an unspecified influence on the gracious evolutions of the ethereal visitors. It does not seem to be that way, so far.

To see a machine in the sky thus is nothing extraordinary any more and one could fear monotony if, fortunately, the "celestial pilots" didn't come from time to pay a short visit on the dry land and to bring with their height, their costume and their actions, more spice to the current controversies on the reality of the "saucers".

"He resembled a man"

In this field, the transitory ephemeral topicality is rightfully to be credited today to a modest bakery worker of Loctudy (the Finistère), Mr. Pierre Lucas.

Standing up early and well awaken, our man was going to get water in the court of the bakery Tuesday morning when, in the wavering gleam of a rainy dawn, he saw a machine of the shape of a saucer of 2 m. 50 to 3 m. in diameter, which stationed there stupidly. He would certainly not have cared that much about it, if he hadn't suddenly seen an individual come out of it!

"He measured 1 m. 20, resembled a man (sic) and approached me. Before I recovered from my surprise, he had tapped on my shoulder while articulating unintelligible words."

Mr. Lucas showed a remarkable coolness. "Come inside, we'll have a chat", he

Continued on p. 10 (1st and 2nd col.)

Scan.

"My Martian was not shaven..."

(continued from the first page)

must have told him, for the unknown followed him in the bake house. There, one saw all the same a little more clearly and without shame the "Martian" let himself be contemplated.

It is still Mr. Lucas who speaks:
"He had an oval face, entirely covered of hairs and eyes of the size of a corbel's egg!"

The young man called his owner, but the unknown undoubtedly estimated that the interview had lasted long enough. By the time that Mr. Lucas goes into the staircase to alert his owner with cares, the man and the machine had disappeared. Too bad...

First thing thus learn until better information: the strangers that pilot the saucers have a human form, but the size of children, and apparently developed hair.

Confirmation is given to us by Mr. Henri Lehérisé, young farmer of Megrit (Côtes-du-Nord), whose gift of observation did not await the number of the years.

With much off-handedness, his own apparatus, whose diameter did not exceed one meter, was posed in the court of his farm. Two dwarves occupied it, motionless, impassive. They did not condescend to come out and engage the conversation.

Some saucers among others...

These two appearances obviously eclipse the "visions" of the day. Let us note however that the "saucers", threatened for a while by the barrels, balls, crescents and other cigars, launched a counter-attack of great style since there are now only talks of saucers.

The one in Saint-Brieuc let itself be contemplated during one hour; that of the surroundings of La Rochelle hovered in front of the farm of Mr. and Mrs. Guillenoteau, within one meter of the ground, in an impressive silence and the farmer noted oily traces in the grass.

In Lézignan, it was at the same time flying and giant: ten meters in diameter! Three meters only, the one that landed in the garden of Mr. Jean Labonne, in Bergerac, but on three crutches.

Lastly, the "saucers" cannot always be approached: that of Lésignan, again, wrapped Misters André Garcia and André Darzens of a bright gleam before disappearing. The one in Clermont-Ferrand literally nailed the witnesses who wanted to see it closely on the spot and released a strong nitro-benzene odor.

When the machine moved away, faintness ceased with the odor.

The good story of the poor fisherman

Odorous, coloured and inhabited, the "saucers" are also international. In Mantova, they passed in tight formations and one of them was detached from the group to make a small air carrousel show which lasted one hour... and blocked the traffic in the center of the city, the witnesses having gone down in the street for better seeing.

In Roverbella, finally, a poor fisherman entered in conversation with a "Martian", dressed in red, but they were unable to understand each other and his interlocutor disappeared when he saw the fisherman's woman appear. Mysoginic [mysogynic], perhaps...

[Ref. nnm1:] NEWSPAPER "LE NOUVEAU NORD MARITIME":

Scan

- Partly explained by -
a professor from Lille and a retiree
- from Beuvry-les-Béthune -

The mystery of the "flying saucers"

There is novelty on the flying saucer horizon. The mystery remains, but some of the cases were explained. And, for those, the story ends there.

We now know that the craft that were seen in the Beuvry-les-Béthune region were "Paper hot air balloons", sent by a retiree, Mr. Oliveira, passionate about "lighter than air" gear. We announced it in our previous issue.

On the other hand, Mr. Antoine Bonte, I.D.N. engineer, professor of applied geology at the Faculty of Sciences of Lille, gave a scientific explanation of the phenomenon observed by dozens of people, Sunday evening, in the Lille region. Mr. Bonte himself saw the "flying saucer" which was only a lunar phenomenon.

Finally, rockets had been seen Sunday evening, off Calais. "It was like the luminous wake of flying saucers", some said. In fact, it was the signals of distress launched by the spherical balloon of Mrs. Paulette Weber.

So that's a series of solved cases. The others remain. They are disturbing. We will see it below. And we will not fail to compare them with the statements made by Mr. G. Duncan Fletcher, vice-president of the Astronomical Association of Kenya.

This eminent astronomer believes that "visitors from another world are observing the earth and probably mapping it."

But that's just a guess. We are not satisfied yet!

IN THE FINISTERE

A "Martian" follows
a baker boy
into the bakery

Quimper, 6. -- Around 4 a.m., yesterday morning, Mr. Pierre Lucas, worker-baker in Loctudy (Finistère), who was busy drawing water in the courtyard of the bakery, suddenly saw in the night a craft in the shape of a saucer of 2.50 m. to 3 meters in diameter. He saw come out of it an individual measuring about 1.20 m. who approached him and tapped him on the shoulder, mouthing unintelligible words. The baker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakery where the stranger followed him.

In the light, Mr. Lucas was able to stare at the visitor: he had an oval face, all covered with hair and eyes the size of a crow's egg. The young man called his boss but, before the latter had time to come down, the stranger had disappeared along with his saucer, of which no trace was found.

A beer merchant of Concarneau, for his part, declared having seen in the sky two luminous disks in the form of round tables extended of a kind of tail. One of the discs was stationary while the other moved nearby. The two discs disappeared after ten minutes after launching a rocket.

Lezignan, 6. -- Two residents of Lezignan, MM. André Gardia and André Darzens, who were driving in a truck on the D-3 departmental road, claimed to have seen a disc-shaped craft land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could approach it, it enveloped them in a bright glow and disappeared.

Bergerac, 6. -- Mr. Jean Defix, firefighter in Bergerac, and Mr. Jean Labonne claimed to have seen land in the garden of the latter a luminous disc about three meters in diameter, supported by three crutches.

Dinan, 6. -- In Mégrit (Côtes-du-Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Henri Lehérisse claimed to have seen in the yard of his farm a craft of a diameter of about 1 meter inside which appeared two human shapes, motionless and the size of a child.

La Rochelle, 6. -- Mr. and Mrs. Guillemoteau were in front of their farm when they saw, about one meter above the ground, a spherical saucer that could measure 2 to 3 meters in height and with a diameter of 5 meters. The craft, which produced no noise, stopped for a few minutes, then rose vertically. Mr. Guillemoteau, the next day, went to the place where he had seen the craft and was able to find oily traces on the grass.

* * *

Valenciennes, 6. -- Mr. Marcel Sénéchal, 20-year-old, from Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, was along the Scarpe canal, in the night from Saturday to Sunday. He was coming up to a pasture when he suddenly heard a conversation held in an unknown language and seeming to come from his right. He turned his head in this direction and to his great astonishment then saw a luminous mass in the shape of a haystack as well as two human forms of 1.20 m. in height approximately, covered with shining garments. A ray of light was coming out of the craft.

Mr. Sénéchal pedaled away at full speed.

A car
followed
by a saucer!

Amiens, 6. A grocer from Amiens, Mrs. Nelly Mansart returned to Amiens on Sunday evening, around 9 p.m., coming from Hérissart in the company of her neighbors. She saw, in the sky, a glowing ball from which hung some kind of cables hung and letting out flames. The "saucer" flew low, about 150 meters above the ground, and followed the car for 10 kilometers.

"When we passed through a village, said Ms. Mansart, the craft bypassed it and reappeared at the exit.

It was making no noise and was definitely watching us. On leaving Pierregot I stopped at the last houses. The "Saucer", which had bypassed the village, was waiting for us and hovered then it moved away as I started again. It began to spiral for three or four hundred meters and changed shape to take that of an elongated, inverted crescent with a molten ball at the upper horn. At Rainneville the "Saucer" increased its gyration then moved away in the direction of the west of Amiens, to lose itself in infinity, in the space of a few seconds, at an incomparable speed."

Italian saucer

Mantua. -- Traffic was interrupted for more than an hour in the center of Mantua by groups of people gathered to observe a strange "white object" which, at a great height, stood out clearly against the background of the blue sky.

After performing extremely rapid moves, the spherical craft - which, according to some witnesses, was part of "a formation of flying saucers" - remained motionless in the sky for some time, before disappearing at the horizon.

Also, the "Martians" seem to want to visit Italy as well. A fisherman from Roverbella, in the province of Mantua, said he was approached last night by a "mysterious individual", dressed in red, who would have said "unintelligible words" to him and who would have quickly moved away, before the fisherman had time to call his wife.

[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":

Finally! Paris had his saucers too!

A few days ago, a French radio broadcaster complained bitterly of the disdain that the "Uranids" and their heavenly vehicles were showing towards the capital. Only the inhabitants of the countryside seemed to interest the interplanetary travelers who approached them willingly and even tried to enter into conversation with them. Well, it was not an arbitrary privilege. Injustice is repaired. Paris, the big city, had its flying saucers!

Several Parisians have indeed said they saw, Tuesday afternoon, a craft moving in the sky. Passersby claimed to have seen one around 04:30 p.m., near the Porte Dorée.

Mr. Pierre Allouis, salesman in cardboard, went to his business by taxi, when the vehicle was stopped by a red light; Hearing, he said, a shrill whistling sound, he looked out of the door and saw a flying craft escaping high, leaving a plume of smoke in its wake.

Mr. Allouis describes the saucer as a disc bigger than a normal plane and silver. The same testimony is given by Mr. Gilbert Bacon and Mr. Paul Julien, a house painter. The latter, however, believe that it is not a saucer but a flying wing that affects the shape of a triangle with rounded edges.

At Le Bourget, it is explained that given the intensity of the air traffic, it is impossible to confirm by radar the passage of the craft at the insufficiently specified time. On the other hand, the radar cannot record the passage of a heavier than air more than by a bright spot regardless of the nature of the craft.

Finally! Paris had his saucers too!

(Continued from the first page.)

LEZIGNAN. -- Two inhabitants of Lezignan, Messrs. André Garcia and André Darzens, who were driving in a truck on the departmental road D3, claimed to have seen a disc-shaped machine land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could get close, it surrounded them in a bright glow and disappeared.

BERGERAC. -- Mr. Jean Defix, firefighter at Bergerac, and Mr. Jean Labonne, said that they saw a luminous disk about 3 meters in diameter, supported by three crutches, in the garden of the latter.

DINAN. -- In Megrit (Côtes du Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Henri Leherissé, said he saw in the yard of his farm a craft with a diameter of about 1 meter, around which appeared two human forms, immobile and the size of a child.

NEVERS. -- In Nevers, five residents of Château-Chinon said they saw Monday evening, at very high altitude, a kind of bright spot that split into two discs. These, they say, began to turn by changing color several times.

DUNKIRK. -- A Dunkirk merchant had, several days ago, said to have seen strange luminous objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation had been opened. It concluded that they were two military planes whose metal coating had been misleading.

CLERMONT-FERRAND. -- Two saucers were seen Tuesday in the sky of Clermont. The first 10 kilometers from Beaumont at 03:45 p.m. It was moving west-east. Witnesses testified that the craft got closer to them and became less and less brilliant.

When they were only 150 meters away, they felt a "curious sensation" and were nailed to the spot. At that moment there was a smell of nitro-benzene. Soon the machine moved away, the discomfort ceased, and the saucer disappeared.

The other saucer was sighted over the hills of Chanturgue, near Clermont. It was moving vertically and was bright white.

A saucer was also sighted in Billom by a group of 30 people. The craft was moving over the city. It was moving horizontally. It was visible for 3 to 4 minutes before disappearing. An intense light emanated from the craft.

SAINT-BRIEUC. -- Several residents of Saint-Brieuc saw, during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, a flying saucer that took the shape of a cigar before disappearing. They could watch it for over an hour.

The same phenomenon was noted in Trégueux where a cyclist returned home frightened by what he had seen.

LA ROCHELLE. -- In the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, several people from Thouare-sur-Vie (Vendée) saw in the sky a dozen luminous objects having an elongated shape and passing at a very high speed and high altitude.

LA ROCHELLE. -- Mr. and Mrs. Guillemoteau were standing in front of their farm when they saw about one meter from the ground, a spherical saucer measuring 2 to 3 meters in height and 5 meters in diameter.

The machine, which produced no noise, stopped for a few minutes, then climbed vertically. Mr. Guillemoteau went to the place where he had seen the machine the next day and was able to note oily traces on the grass.

QUIMPER. -- Around 4 o'clock Tuesday morning, Mr. Pierre Lucas, baker worker in Loctudy (Finistère), who was busy drawing water from the bakery yard, suddenly saw in the night a craft of the shape of a saucer 2 m 50 to 3 m in diameter. He saw an individual about 1m20 come out of it and hit him on the shoulder while uttering unintelligible words.

The baker's worker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakehouse where the stranger followed him. In the light, Mr. Lucas could stare at the visitor. His face was hairy and his eyes were the size of a raven's egg. The young man called his boss, but before he had time to go down, the stranger had disappeared as well as his saucer of which no trace was found.

A Concarneau beer merchant, for his part, said he saw in the sky two luminous discs of the shape of round tables prolonged by a kind of tail. One of the disks was motionless while the other was moving nearby. Both disks disappeared after ten minutes after having launching a rocket.

Italy does not stay on the sidelines of this invasion

MANTUA. -- The traffic was interrupted for more than an hour in the center of Mantua by groups of people gathered to observe a strange "white object" which, at a high height stood out clearly on the background of the blue sky.

After making extremely rapid maneuvers, the spherical machine - which according to some witnesses, was part of "a flying saucer formation" - remained motionless for some time in the sky, before disappear on the horizon.

On the other hand, the "Uranids" seem to want to visit the whole peninsula. Indeed, a fisherman from Roverbella, in the province of Mantua, said he was approached during the night by a a mysterious individual, dressed in red, who would have told him "unintelligible words" and who would have moved away quickly before the fisherman had time to call his wife.

Finally, a host of testimonials of saucers, disks, cigars, spheres and other flying objects having been seen in Quend (Somme), in Grandvillars (Belfort territory), in Magnac-Laval (Haute-Vienne), in Saint-Jean-d'Angely (Charente-Maritime), in Forges (Corrèze), in Perros-Guirrec (Côtes-du-Nord).

Finally, to a host of testimonials that may be doubted can be added some information such as the one we produce below, the indisputable seriousness of which leaves the most skeptical speechless.

MELUN. -- The Coulommiers newspaper, "Le Pays Briard", publishes a letter sent by one of their readers, Mr. Eugène Farnier, a member of the Society of Civil Engineers of France, about a flying saucer.

In this letter, Mr. Farnier states that he saw above his property, in Jouy-sur-Morin, a big disc of 8 to 10 meters in diameter "turning on itself", letting out red-violet gleams, with a tail reminding a little of the arrival of a jet plane. "The craft was about 400 meters above the ground and it was more above me for than 20 minutes," said Mr. Farnier, "so I had the opportunity to examine it well." The craft then disappeared in the direction of Coulommiers."

In his letter Mr. Farnier said: "Former Commissioner of the French Flying Club, having been in the aviation, I could not be a victim of hallucination. This machine was not a balloon but a thick wing hovering on the spot and moving at a very high speed while gradually taking height."

[Ref. ecr1:] "L'ECHO REPUBLICAIN" NEWSPAPER:

Scan.

The disturbing waltz continues...

Saucers in the French and Italian way

PARIS, 6. - Several Parisians said they saw yesterday afternoon flying saucers moving in the sky of the capital. Bystanders claimed to have seen one at 4:30 p.m., near the porte Dorée.

Mr. Pierre Allouis, cardboard reseller, was traveling in a cab for business when the vehicle was stopped by a red light. Hearing, he said, a shrill whistling sound, he looked through the window and saw a flying vehicle that fled in height, leaving behind a plume of smoke.

Mr. Allouis described the saucer as a disc larger than a normal plane and of silver color.

The same testimony is given by Mr. Gilbert Bason, residing 35, Faubourg St. Antoine, and Mr. Paul Julien, house painter, who lives 3, rue de la Pompe; the latter, however, believes that this is not a saucer but a flying wing that has the shape of a triangle with rounded edges.

BERGERAC, 4. - Mr. Jean Defix, fireman in Bergerac and Jean Labonne stated they have seen landing in the garden of the latter, a luminous disc about three meters in diameter, supported by three legs.

LEZIGNAN, 6. - Two residents of Lezignan Misters André Gardia and André Darsens, who were driving in a truck on the main road 3, said they saw a disc-shaped craft rise in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could approach it, it wrapped a bright glow and disappeared.

DINAN, 6. - In Mégrit (Côtes-du-Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Hen [missing part]

[...]oped MM. Andre and Andre Guardia Darsens of a glow before disappearing. The one in Clermont-Ferrand literally transfixed witnesses who wanted to see it up close and it emitted a strong smell of nitro-benzine.

When the craft moved away, the discomfort ceased like the smell.

Mr. Lehérissé claimed to have seen in the yard of his farm a craft of about 1 meter in diameter, within which appeared two human forms, motionless and the size of a child.


MYSTERIOUS CRAFT IN THE SKY IN SAINT-LUPERCE AND JANVILLE


see our information page 4

NEVERS, 6. - In Nevers, five inhabitants of Château-Chinon said they saw last night at high altitude, a kind of bright spot, which split in two discs. These, they say, began to turn while changing color several times.

DUNKIRK, 6. - A merchant of Dunkirk had, several days ago, reported seeing strange bright objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation was opened. It concluded that they were two military airplanes whose metallic coating could have been misleading.

SAINT-BRIEUC, 6. - Several residents of Saint-Brieuc saw, last night, a flying saucer which took the shape of a cigar before disapea[...]

- CONTINUED ON THE LAST PAGE

The beautiful story of the poor fisherman

Fragrant, colorful and inhabited, the "saucers" are also international. In Mantua, they rose in tight formations and one of them broke off from the group to make a small air carousel number that lasted an hour... and blocked traffic in the center of the city, witnesses being in the streets to see better.

In Roverbella, finally, a poor fisherman entered into conversation with a "Martian" dressed in red, but they did not understand each other and his companion disappeared when the fisherman's wife came around. Misogynist perhaps...

[Ref. rln1:] NEWSPAPER "LE REPUBLICAIN LORRAIN":

Scan.

FLYING SAUCERS

A "Martian" enters
in a bakery
in Loctudy (Finistère)

He had a face covered with hair
and eyes "like a crow's egg"

Quimper. -- Around 4 o'clock in the morning, Mr. Pierre Lucas, a bakery worker in Loctudy (Finistère), who was busy drawing water from the courtyard of the bakery, suddenly saw in the night a craft in the shape of a saucer of 2 meters 50 to 3 meters in diameter.

The baker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakery, where the stranger followed him.

In the light, Mr. Lucas was able to stare at the visitor. He had an oval face, all covered with hair and eyes the size of a crow's egg.

The young man called his boss, but before he had time to come down, the nocturnal stranger had disappeared, as well as his saucer, of which no trace was found.

A beer merchant from Concarneau, for his part, declared having seen in the sky two luminous discs in the form of extended round tables with a kind of tail.

One of the discs was stationary while the other was moving nearby. Both disks disappeared after 10 minutes after launching a rocket.

A "curious sensation in Clermont

Clermont-Ferrand. -- Two saucers were seen in the Clermont sky. The first ten kilometers from Beaumont, at 4:45 p.m.. It was moving in a west-east direction. Witnesses said the craft approached them and became less and less bright. When it was only 150 meters away, they felt a "curious sensation" and were like rooted to the spot. At this moment there was a smell of nitro-benzine. Soon the craft moved away, the discomfort ceased and the saucer disappeared.

The other saucer was seen above the hill of Chanturgue near Clermont. It moved vertically and was of a brilliant white.

A saucer was also seen in Billom by a group of thirty people. The craft was flying above the town. It was moving horizontally. It was visible for three or four minutes before disappearing. An intense light emanated from the device.

A group of ten

La Rochelle. -- Last night, several people from Thouare-sur-Vie (Vendée) saw about ten shiny objects in the sky [...?...] MM. André Gardin and André Darsens, who were driving in a truck on the road [...?...] claimed to have seen a disc-shaped craft land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could approach it, it surrounded itself with a blinding glow and disappeared.

Everywhere

Bergerac. -- Mr. Jean Defiz, firefighter in Bergerac, and Mr. Jean Labonne, claimed to have seen landing in the garden of the latter, a luminous disc about three meters in diameter, [...?...] by three crutches.

Dinan. -- In Mégrit (Côtes-du-Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Henri Lehérissé, claimed to have seen in the yard of his farm a craft with a diameter of about one meter inside which appeared two human shapes, motionless and the size of a child.

Nevers. -- At [?], Five residents of Château-Chinon (Nièvre) declared having seen, at very high altitude, a sort of luminous spot; which split into two disks. The object, they say, began to rotate, changing color several times.

Dunkirk. -- A resident of Dunkirk had, several days ago, declared having seen strange luminous objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation had been opened. It concluded that they were two military aircraft whose metallic coating could have caused the illusion.

Finally, saucers, discs, cigars, spheres and other flying objects were seen at Granvillars (Territoire de Belfort), at Magnac-Laval (Haute-Vienne), at Saint-Jean-d'Assé (Charente-Maritime), at [...?...], (Côtes-du-Nord).

[Ref. gbr1:] GRAY BARKER:

Two inhabitants of Lezignan saw a 30-ft. disk land in a field between the villages of Lagrasse and Aude. When they approached it the machine flashed a blinding light on them, and made the usual getaway.

[Ref. jgu1:] JIMMY GUIEU:

The author indicates that in the evening of October 5, 1954, two residents of Lézignan drove in a truck on the secondary road Nr.3 and saw a metal disc approximately 10 meters in diameter which came down slowly from the sky and landed in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne in the Aude.

The two men stopped their truck and courageously jumped on the ground and walked towards the spacecraft, which at their approach emitted a bright gleam and took off at once.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel writes that on October 4, 1954, in Lézignan, in the department of the Aude, two residents of this village, Mr. Gardia and Mr. Darzens, were returning home driving a truck during the night. They were driving on national road 3 when they saw a luminous object gently descending to the ground in a field near the small village of Lagrasse. They pulled off to go see the phenomenon, but the object suddenly rose up while producing intense luminosity.

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

OBSERVATIONS 1954

October 4

[... other cases...]

Night: Lagrasse (17 km SW.Lézignan-Corbières--Aude): lum.obj./ground/10m diameter

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 4, 1954: Lagrasse (at 2 km W. of,on rte.déptale.3, at 19 km ISL in the SW of Lézignan-Corbières--Aude): Mr. Gardia et Mr. Darzens, of Lézignan (circular UAP, 10 m diameter)

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

231 -002.59641 43.09380 04 10 1954 LAGRASSE -AUDE F 0012 3C** 235

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

189) October 4, 1954 Lezignan (France):

Andre Garcia and Andre Darzais were driving a truck betwem Lagrasse and Villemagne when they saw a luminous object coming slowly to the ground. It measured about 10 m diameter and took off with a burst of light. (France Soir, 7 Octobre 1954) (35)

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 4, 1954, between Lagrasse and Villemagne close to Lézignan in the Aude, two men driving a truck saw a luminous flying object which descended slowly towards the ground, then suddenly, rose in an explosion of light.

[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

In a list of cases that the magazine called for investigation or re-investigation, there was:

188 10/4/54 Lézignan

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

Ufologists Garreau and Lavier date the case of October 3 not 4.

Indicating that their references are a newspaper cutting and personal file, they write that two inhabitants of Lézignan, Mr André Gardia and Mr André Darzens, driving by truck on the Secondary Road RN3, while arriving at the height of Lagrasse, saw a machine in the shape of a disc landed in a field between the village and the hamlet of Villemagne.

Mr. Gardia stopped the truck, and the two men went out and proceeded to move towards the apparatus, which they estimated of ten meters in diameter.

But they were dazzled by an intense gleam, and the machine quickly disappeared in the sky.

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that in the night from the 3 to October 4, 1954, André Garcia et André Darzens who drove a truck on the Departmental Road D3 close to Lagrasse in the department of Aude, saw a machine in the shape of a disc which was posed in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne.

According to witnesses', this apparatus measured approximately 10 meters in diameter. The two men stopped their truck and are courageously went out, then moved towards the machine.

The disc emitted a bright gleam which wrapped them and took off at once.

The authors give no source but note that Jimmy Guieu in "Black Out sur les S.V." give October 5 as date.

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

10/04/54 ( ) Lesignan (aude) RD3 100VX 10 m

[Ref. gep2:] "GEPO" UFOLOGY GROUP:

10/10/54 (evening) Lezignan (aude) L M 10123VXV Y 10 m

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

4 October 1954

Lezignan, France, (no known hour)

Yet another one of those brief touchdowns by a UFO was reported on the 4th. Truck drivers Andre Garoia and Andre Darzais were travelling a high way near the town of Lezignan when they saw a luminous disc, an estimated 30 feet across, coast to a momentary landing. With a surge of power the disc soared skyward while emitting a burst of white light. 41.

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

3958: 1954/10/04 00:00 10 2:37:20 E 43:06:00 N 3331 WEU FRN AUD 7:7

LAGRASSE,FR:TRUCKERS/D3:LUM UFO LANDS:BURST/LITE/TAKEOFF:type unk:/LDLN#102

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 115 : PASTURE

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates in her catalogue that in 1954, on October 4, in France in Lézignan, "André Garcia and André Darzais drove a truck between Lagrasse and Villemagne when they saw a luminous object going down slowly towards the ground. It measured approximately 10 m in diameter and set out again with an explosion of light."

She indicates that the sources are "France-Soir, 7 Oct. 1954" and "Jacques Vallée: 'Chronique des apparitions ET' - DENOEL 1972 - J'AI LU COLL. - p. 267".

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

1954 - October 4: Andre Garcia and Andre Darzais were driving a truck between Lagrasse and Villemagne and were near the village of Lezignan, France when they saw a luminous object coming slowly to the ground. It measured about 10 meters in diameter and took off with a burst of light. (Sources: France-Soir, October 7, 1954; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 217).

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Monday, October 4, 1954

[...]

In Lézignan (France), André Garcia and André Darzais drive a truck in Lagrasse and Villemagne when they see a luminous object going down slowly towards the ground. It measured approximately 10 m in diameter and went away with an explosion of light.

[...]

Jérôme Beau indicates as source: "France-Soir, October 7, 1954".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 4 October 1954 in Lezignan, France, "A luminous object, ten meters diameter" and "Andre Garcia and Andre Darzais were driving a truck between Lagrasse and Villemagne and were near the village of Lezignan, France when they saw a luminous object coming slowly to the ground. It measured about 10 meters in diameter and took off with a burst of light."

The website adds: "Andre Garcia and Andre Darzais were driving a truck between Lagrasse and Villemagne when they saw a luminous object coming slowly to the ground. It measured about ten meters diameter and took off with a burst of light. One ball was observed."

The source is indicated as: Vallee Magonia Database.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Aude in Lagrasse on October 3, 1954, at an unknown hour, "In the night from the 3rd to 4th October, the witnesses, who drive by truck on the D3, see a machine in the shape of a disc which is posed in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne.The apparatus, the witnesses stated, measures approximately 10 meters in diameter. The two men stop their truck and, courageously jump on the ground then move towards the machine. The latter emmits a bright gleam which wraps them and takes off at once."

La source est indiquée comme "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... par Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** éd. Alain Lefeuvre 1979".

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 4, 1954 - Andre Garcia and Andre Darzais were driving a truck between Lagrasse and Villemagne and were near the village of Lezignan, France when they saw a luminous object coming slowly to the ground. It measured about 10 meters in diameter and took off with a burst of light. (Sources: France-Soir, October 7, 1954; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 217, case # 189).

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

This database recorded that same case 10 times, with various dates and places:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541004 04.10.1954 Lagrasse France NL
19541004 04.10.1954 Lagrasse France NL
19541004 04.10.1954 Lagrasse France
19541004 04.10.1954 Lezignan France Night CE I
19541004 04.10.1954 Lezignan Lagrasse France 19.00 CE I
19541004 04.10.1954 Lezignan France Night CE I
19541004 04.10.1954 Lezignan France Night CE I
19541005 05.10.1954 Lezignan France
19541005 05.10.1954 Lagrasse France Evening CE I
19541007 07.10.1954 Lagrasse France

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 4 1954. Night.

LAGRASSE (AUDE : FRANCE)

Two inhabitants of Lezignan, Andre Gardia and Andre Darzais were driving home along the Rte D-3, in a truck, when they saw a luminous object 10m in diameter slowly descend to the earth in a field at the edge of Lagrasse. They stopped to go and see what it was, but it suddenly took off, emitting a blinding flash as it did so.

Explanations:

Map.

The date, as stated in the Summary, is very uncertain; one can just say for the moment, it seems to me, that it would have happened on October 6, 1954 or before.

Map.

We are told that the witnesses were from Lézignan, which is therefore not the place of observation, and that the place was on the Departmental Road 3 between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne in the Aude. On the map, if we are not careful, we get this, where the distance between Lagrasse and Villemagne is almost 50 km, and the main city of Carcassonne in the middle:

Map.

But with more precaution, not forgetting "hamlet" in "hamlet of Villamagne", we find that there is indeed a hamlet of Villemagne at 5.5 km in straight line from Lagrasse, with the D3 to join them:

Map.

The observation:

I think that the "less worse" prosaic explanation, if one does not want to hear about an extraterrestrial spacecraft, would be a meteor:

The two men see a light descend to ground level ("a disc-shaped object landing in a field"). They do not get out of their truck (nothing says they did this in the press of the time that is available to me), but ("before they could get close"), they had been enveloped by the strong glow of the meteor's explosion in the distance ("it had enveloped them in a dazzling glow"), and then, there is nothing left (it "disappeared", id did not "leave", neither did it not "go away", "rise" as Vallée says, nor "quickly disappeared in the sky" as Garreau and Lavier say, nor "took off" as per Guieu.)

Since there is no date or time, at least for me for the moment, it is difficult to link the thing to this or that meteor event, obviously.

It remains for me to find one or more local press sources of the time which may give more information and refute or reinforce this possibility.

In the meantime, I note: "insufficient data, low strangeness, possible meteor."

Keywords:

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

Lézignan, Lagrasse, Villemagne, Aude, light, landing, take off, multiple, nocturnal, André Garcia, André Gardia, André Darzens, André Darzais, dazzled, gleam, disc, truck, road, Lagrasse, Villemagne

Sources:

[-] Indicates sources that I have not yet checked myself.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross March 8, 2003 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross March 16, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [jbu1], [uda1].
1.1 Patrick Gross March 13, 2010 Additions [jgu1], [lcn1].
1.2 Patrick Gross May 31, 2010 Addition [ler1].
1.3 Patrick Gross June 22, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.4 Patrick Gross October 9, 2014 Addition [nip1].
1.5 Patrick Gross October 29, 2016 Additions [ecr1], [ubk1].
1.6 Patrick Gross December 17, 2016 Additions [lgs1].
1.7 Patrick Gross January 7, 2017 Additions [gbr1].
1.8 Patrick Gross June 3, 2020 Additions [ner1], [ads1], [lhh1], [prn2].
1.9 Patrick Gross February 5, 2021 Addition [lhh1].
2.0 Patrick Gross September 15, 2021 Additions [gqy1], Summary. Explanations changed, was "Not looked for yet."
2.1 Patrick Gross March 9, 2022 Addition [rnl1].
2.2 Patrick Gross March 13, 2022 Addition [nnm1].
2.3 Patrick Gross April 26, 2022 Additions [gqy2], [ldl1], [gep1], [gep2].

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