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October 7, 1954, Monteux, Vaucluse

Reference for this case: 7-oct-54-Monteux.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper Le Provençal for October 9, 1954, reported via their Press correspondent in Avignon that "Thursday", therefore on October 7, 1954, around 02:30 p.m., Mr. René Margaillon, 40, living in the district of Pourpiasses in the town of Monteux in the department of Vaucluse, went to his farming work with his cart.

Suddenly, he saw a mysterious craft at about a hundred meters into a field bwtween Monteux amd Althen-les-Paluds. He had kept his composure, stopped his cart, blocked the brake, and made his way towards the craft, which according to him measured 2m50 in height and was phosphorescent.

All of a sudden, there was nothing left and he remained suffocated for a few seconds.

Telling of his adventure to anyone who wanted to hear it, Mr. Margaillon was scoffed at, especially from friends who came to see him, but he remained adamant in his statements; he had seen a mysterious craft, which had left no trace.

The newspaper concluded by saying that this adventure had caused a fuss in the area.

The case has since been widely published in the UFO literature, usually in brief summaries without the primary source or with no source at all.

In his 1954 book "Black-Out on Flying Saucers", the pioneering ufologist Jimmy Guieu, first to talk of the case with a quote of this newspaper but without giving the reference, invented that the craft was "roughly spherical" and "metallic." He insisted on the real disappearance of the craft, argueing that the witness did not hallucinate since he had calmly stopped the cart, put the brake, and walked towards the craft without panic. He then commented that "the spacecraft" must either be capable of invisibility or "come from another dimension", which seemed plausible to him since "prominent scientists" in the United States "are working on transmission of matter by radio waves."

In 1958, the pioneering ufologist Aimé Michel evoked the case, placing it "in" the village of Monteux, renaming the witness "Margaillan", not speaking of the "disappearance", and exaggerating the effects, saying that Mr. Margaillan who had "run" towards the craft instead of fleeing had felt "suffocating paralysis" that lasted several seconds. He vaguely indicated that the source was "the local press" of October 1954.

Aimé Michel especially noted the case as part of a star-shaped "orthotenic network", a series of sightings of the same day which, according to him, had taken place in straight lines intersecting with each other in one place of observation.

In the 1960s, ufologist Jacques Vallée entered the hour as 07:30 p.m. instead of 02:30 p.m. in his computer catalog. In his catalog of "landings", quoting Aimé Michel and himself as sources, he invented that the craft had the "shape of a hemisphere" and changed its height into diameter. He embroidered: "The witness lacked air and felt paralyzed while he examined the object."

In the 1970s, ufologists Charles Garreau evoked the case. They must have had another source - they do not say which one - since they give this quote from the witness:

"Suddenly, without seeing it arrive, I saw a weird craft, about a hundred meters away, I stopped my cart, I blocked the brake on my cart. I moved towards this phosphorescent machine, it seemed metallic, and roughly round, with a diameter of about 2.50 m, I was looking at it as I walked along, and all of a dusdeen, that was really "devillish". It disappeared, like evaporated, without leaving a trace, and yet all that was material, I did not dream!"

In 1979, the "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker explained that the case of Monteux of October 7, 1954 at 02:30 p.m. proved to be a hoax by their investigation. They give little details, saying that on October 7, 1954 in Monteux in the Vaucluse, a witness claimed to have been paralyzed at the landing of an "object", and that it was an invention from scratch by Mr. Margaillan, still nicknamed "mister saucer" at the town hall.

With the exception of Michel Figuet - a ufologist who became "skeptical" in the 1980s - who considered the case explained as a hoax, the version of Barthel and Brucker will be largely ignored in the summaries of the following years and on the Internet.

By 2016, the British "skeptic" ufologist Peter Rogerson, while quoting my file as the source, published a very truncated version of my information, and claimed his explanation is "possible hoax", not crediting Barthel and Brucker about this.

Reports:

[Ref. lpl1:] NEWSPAPER "LE PROVENCAL":

BETWEEN MONTEUX AND ALTHEN-LES-PALUDS

A farmer affirms to have seen an unknown and phosphorescent craft in a field

Avignon (C.P.).

Thursday around 02:30 p.m. Mr. Rene Margaillon, 40 years old, living in the community of Monteux (Vaucluse), district of Pourpiasse, went to his agricultural occupations with his cart. Suddenly, at approximately a hundred meters in a field, he saw a mysterious craft. Keeping all his coolness, he stopped his cart, blocked the brake and advanced in direction of the machine. This craft, in his opinion, measured 2 m 50 in height and it was phosphorescent. All of a sudden, he did not see anything anymore and remained breathless during a few seconds.

Telling his adventure to whom wanted to hear it, Mr. Margaillon was the subject of jokes in particular from friends that came to see him. But the farmer is formal in his statement. He really saw a mysterious machine which did not leave any trace.

What is it? We do not know.

In any event, this adventure made a great fuss in the vicinity.

An incandescent oval mass on the area of Uzès

Observed by several people

Uzès (P.C.).

UZES (P.C.). -- Last saturday, around 8 p.m., Mr. Court, farmer at Le Mas Blanc, close to Uzès, saw when he was closing the gate of his house a mass, oval, orange, incandescent, which shone of a very sharp glare. It was roughly between Montaren and Cerviers, at 1 km approximately of Le Mas Blanc and seemed slightly elevated above ground-level.

This lengthened mass was subject to an oscillatory movement.

[illegible] called his wife in all haste. The latter, after having seen the phenomenon, called in her turn Doctor Fabre, city council man, and his family, who was having dinner at this time.

The doctor, Mrs. Fabre, and her girls, Catherine and Claude, realized of the reality of the phenomenon. At the time when Doctor Fabre was on the verge of phoning to the gendarmerie, the orange shape reduced in size and disappeared in the distance.

A cigar in the sky of Saint-Menet

Saint Menet.

"It was exactly 02:16 p.m., I was with my wife in the caretaker's lodge of the Nestlé factory, in Saint-Menet, when the craft appeared to me." Thus expresses Pascal Panzani, caretaker the said factory. And Mr. Panzani who swears on his honor of former gendarme of saying all the truth adds: "Of cylindrical form, the object which seemed made out of aluminium was very brilliant. After its appearance above Saint-Menet and Millière at approximately 500 meters altitude, it disappeared in a few seconds in the direction of the hills of Cassis."

[Ref. jgu1:] JIMMY GUIEU:

Jimmy Guieu, SF writer and one of france's first ufologist wrote about this case dated October 7, 1954 at 02:30 p.m., witness René M. resident of La Pourpiasse district in Monteux in the Vaucluse who was going to his occupations with his cart:

"All of a sudden, at about a hundred meters, in a field, he saw an odd craft, stopped his horse carriage, blocked the brake and advanced in direction of the phosphorescent apparatus. It was of metallic appearance and was approximately 2,50 m high, had a roughly spherical shape. The witness, intrigued, considered this spacecraft lengthily, then, suddenly, he did not see anything any more. The machine had spontaneously disappeared."

The author insists that the craft really disappeard and that the witness was not hallucinating because he had calmy stopped his cart and put the break on and walked towards the craft, without panic.

He then comments that the spacecraft either capabale of invisibility or came from another dimension; which he says is not absurd because foremost US scientists are working at a process to move matter by radio waves.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel indicates that on October 7, 1954, at 02:30 P.M., at the village of Monteux, Mr. Margaillan witnessed the take-off of a machine posed in a field. At the time when the object flew away, Mr. Margaillan which had run towards the apparatus instead of fleeing, felt a suffocating paralysis which lasted several seconds.

Aimé Michel indicates that his description of the machine is rigorously the same as that by Rene Ott, the witness of the event in Schwoben that same day [the next day].

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

[...]

As of 2 October, the number of daily observations is increasing dramatically. On October 3, there are hundreds, and probably thousands of "witnesses". And the places of observation continue to line up, forming very characteristic networks whose layout evokes a spider's web, with a sort of star-shaped center from which most of the straight lines radiate. A large proportion of cases are also located on several different alignments (at their intersection).

An example of this complex and rigorous provision is offered by the observations of October 7 (see map).

That day, on the territory of France, hundreds of "testimonies" make it possible to plot 23 observation places, of which only one is erratic, in the area of ??Toulouse. The other 22 are organized in 17 alignments:

- One seven spots line: Cherbourg; La Ferte-Macé; Saint-Jean-d'Assé; National 23, east of Le Mans; Lavenay; Montlevic; and finally Cassis.

- Three lines of four spots:

a) Marcillac; Puymoyen; Montlevic; Corbigny.

b) Isles-sur-Suippe; Montlevic; Bournel; Montpezat.

c) Saint-Savinien; Saint-Plantaire; Montlevic; Jettingen.

Finally, thirteen alignments of three spots. One can, at first glance, wonder whether three-spot alignments require an explanation other than chance. But on reflection, chance turns out to be insufficient. Indeed:

On the map to the millionth used for this study, the accuracy of the alignments is of the order of a millimeter, equivalent to one kilometer, for distances sometimes exceeding 1000 kilometers;
But above all, it must be emphasized that most of the spots are at the same time on several alignments (At their intersections): when one plots two spots on a surface, one gets a straight line; if four points are plotted, one gets six lines (the sides of a quadrilateral and its diagonals), determining, in addition to the four primitive spots, three spots of intersection at most; therefore, if one plots three new spots at random, what is the chance for these spots to intersect? Virtually none. The realization by chance of such a provision is therefore highly improbable. If coincidence happens regularly every day for weeks, the chance explanation becomes almost impossible.
Finally (and this is perhaps the most troubling part of the case), how can it be explained by chance that this provision lasts only 24 hours?

In-depth analysis of all these alignments is beyond the scope of an article. A glance at the corresponding map is more eloquent than a long speech. We discover this feature, which I have tentatively called "orthoteny" (2), until further studies allow, if necessary, to relate it to some phenomenon already known and provided with a name existing in the dictionary.

Provisionally, therefore, the "orthoteny" is the rectilinear disposition, generating networks, of the vast majority of flying saucer observations of the Fall of 1954. This arrangement is so surprising that one must, a priori to adopt a systematic distrust about it. Before recognizing it for a real event, one must consider every possible means to reject it.

On October 7, 1954, France is furrowed with observations in a straight line

Scan.

1. CHERBOURG ...One saw luminous globes! (Paris-Presse - 10-10-1954)

2. DUCLAIR ...Mr. X, blinded by a luminous beam, reopened the eyes, saw a ball that disappeared in a few minutes. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

3. ISLES-SUR-SUIPPES ...on the edge of the road, an object of more than 3 m in length like a big shell pierced with portholes... (Paris-Presse - 10-10-54)

4. PLOZEVET ...sharp gleam, dense smoke... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

5. SAINT-BIHY ...luminous globes... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

6. LA FERTÉ-MACÉ ...a mysterious craft, which was rising vertically, leaving behind itself a white trail... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

7. HENNEZIES ...A "spaceship" and its occupants seen by two children... Egg-shaped object, red, the top pointed at the yky... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

8. SAINT-ÉTIENNE ...three craft produced a violent white light; - one of the craft was round like a saucer, the two other elongated like cigars. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

9. SAINT-JEAN-D'ASSÉ ...a gleam of an intense blue color.. (Aurore - 9-10-54)

10. BALLON ...stars as big as the Moon (sic!). (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

11. LAVENAY ...a flying egg... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

12. DORDIVES ...a weird object... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

13. CHALETTE ...an oval-shaped luminous craft. (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

14. LES AUBIERS ...a red disc... (France-Soir - 9-10-54)

15. CORBIGNY Craft of cylindrical shapes, emitting red-orange gleams when they were horizontal and of a dazzling white when they rose vertically. (Aurore -8-10-54)

16. BERUGES ...a lighted mushroom... (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

17. SAINT-SAVINIEN ...a luminous disc. (Sud-Ouest - 14-10-54)

18. SAINT-PLANTAIRE

19. MONTLEVIC ...saucers, cigars, luminous globes and flying discs... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

20. JETTINGEN ...a half-spherical cupola. (France-Soir - 10-10-54)

21. PUYMOYEN ...A the place where a saucer had landed, twelve samll heaps of ash in the middle of a 1,50 m circle and, among the ashes, small sticks... (Paris-Presse - 9-10-54)

22. MARCILLAC ...shape of inverted funnel. (Combat - 12-10-54)

23. BOURNEL ...circular shape... (Combat - 12-10-54)

24. MONTPEZAT ...a luminous circle, orange-colored... (Combat - 12-10-54)

25. BEAUVOIR ...a mysterious craft flying at a rather slow pace. (Parisien Libéré - 9-10-54)

26. MONTEUX ...a phosphorescent craft and of 2,50 m height... (local Press - oct. 54)

27. BOMPAS ...a formation of saucers... (Black out sur les soucoupes volantes, Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publishers)

28. CASSIS ...the object, which seemed to be in aluminum, was very shiny. (Provençal)

Alignments exist. What do they mean? This is a mystery...

The case file is not faked

First question to ask: Is it true that the observation spots are aligned as this article claims?

To check this, just look for the spots in question on a chosen map in such a way that the lines of the map correspond as exactly as possible to the great terrestrial circles in the considered place. For France, it is the millionth map, Bonne projection, in the trade by Michelin (Michelin map nr 989). Ones locates the spots by looking for them in a dictionary of the communes, for example that of Berger-Levrault.

Second question: did the author invent all or part of these observations in order to find alignments? To enable researchers to answer this question, I have used in my research only observations that were already made public.

Third question: Did the author choose the observations that are aligned, creating a phenomenon that would not exist if other unreported observations restored the disorder of chance?

Of course, I cannot hope to know all the sightings because many of the witnesses did not say anything. But I used in my work all observations made public, as one can check by studying my book. To prepare the maps, I therefore only used published cases, and I used them all. There was no invention, no selection. Anyone can completely redo the work I did: one only needs to consult the collection of newspapers of the time, taking care though, however, of dates, not of the newspapers publication of course, but of the reported phenomena.

We come to the most delicate aspect of the problem posed by these strange alignments. What do they mean?

I have shown in detail the results of my research to several prominent scientists, including two Masters of Research at the C.N.R.S. It is very unfortunate that orthotenia is linked to the "saucer phenomenon", so discredited, because all these scientists, whom I cannot name, are now convinced that the alignments show a real and original phenomenon.

Real, that is, objectively taking place in space, not in the imagination of the witnesses.

Original, that is, not related to anything known so far. Neither airplanes, sounding balloons, sundogs, meteors, lightning bolts, nor hallucinations, lies, and facetious inventions are observed along lines forming networks. It is something else. What is it?

In my opinion, we are not close to knowing it. But perhaps the demonstration of the geometric superstructure revealed by the wave of 1954 will finally incite a greater number of scientists to worry about it. Allow me to express the wish here. Personally, the discredit that is attached to this research begins to put me down. It is overwhelming in the long run to have my curiosity viewed like a sin.

Aimé Michel

Note:

(2) From a Greek word meaning "stretched in a straight line".

[Ref. aml3:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel explained that since December 1957, he was convinced that the "alignments" of cases on straight lines, such as those of October 7, 1954, are inexplicable, or more exactly, that they can only be explained "by the reality of the flying saucers", and that his opinion "is also that of a large number of scientists, among whom several are world-renowned."

He published a map of these alignments for this date, indicating that all the observations of October 7, 1954, are reported there:

For the case of this file, he noted:

26. MONTEUX: ..a phosphorescent craft of 2,50 m height.. (Presse locale, Octobre 54).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

02:30 p.m.: Monteux (Vaucluse): landing hemispherical craft + suffocating paralysis

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

October 7, 1954: Monteux (near Carpentras / at 5 km ISL in the WSW. of /--Vaucluse): Mr. René Margaillan(hemispherical craft diameter 2,50 m + suffocating paralysis

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

264

-004.99761

48.49200

1954

MONTEUX-VAUCLUSE

0011332

244

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

On October 7, 1954, Mr. Margaillon saw an object which had landed in a field in Montcux, France. It was shaped like a hemisphere, about two and a half yards in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt paralyzed during the observation.

[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:

208
Oct. 7, 1954
1430

Monteux (France). R. Margaillan saw an object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 m in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed." (M 145; Magonia)

[Ref. jve4:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, Mr. Margaillon saw an object which had landed in a field in Monteux in France. The object had the form of a half-sphere and a diameter of approximately 2.50 meters. The witness sought for air and felt paralysed while he examined the object. The author notes that the sudden lack of air often appears in the statements of witnesses of UFO landings.

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

The author indicates that on October 7, 1954, in the afternoon, Mr. Margaillon saw an object which had landed in a field in Monteux; it had the shape of a hemisphere of approximately 2 meters 50 in diameter. The witness started to be out of breath and felt "paralyzed."

[Ref. pis1:] "PHENOMENES INCONNUS" UFOLOGY BULLETIN:

This ufology bulletin published a map supposed to show alignements of cases of October 7, 1954, and it included a cas in Monteux:

The magazine added another map for the 7 october 1954 cases, also includng the case of Monteux:

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

208) October 7, 1954, 02:30 p.m. Monteux (France):

R. Margaillan saw an object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed" (M 145).

[Ref. ldl1:] MAGAZINE D'UFOLOGIE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

This magazine published in list of cases that needed an investigation or new investigation by their invesigators, including:

"208 7-10-54 Monteux"

[Ref. jve6:] JACQUES VALLEE:

October 7, 1954, 02:30 p.m., Monteux (France):

R. Margaillan saw an object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed.".

[Ref. ous1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "OURANOS":

10) 10/07/1954 Monteux (Vaucluse) (02:30 p.m.)

Witness Margaillan René, farmer.

The witness went to his business with his horse and his cart. A hundred yards away, standing in a field, he saw a phosphorescent machine of metallic appearance, vaguely spherical of 2.30 m. of diameter. Suddenly, the witness ran out of air and felt "paralyzed". Then the machine vanished on the spot and everything returned to normal.

G. [''Black out sur les S. V.", J. Guieu, Fleuve Noir 56] 2 p. 173 - V.c ["Un siècle d'atterrissages", catalogue Vallée] N° 210 - V.2 ["Chroniques des apparitions extraterrestres", J. Vallée] p. 133.

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

The two authors indicate that in Monteux in the Vaucluse, on October 7, 1954, at 02:30, according to newspaper clips and their personal file, a farmer of this village, Rene Margaillou, aged 40, worked in his fields, between this village and Althen-les-Paluds. He said:

"Suddenly, without I seeing it arriving, I saw an odd craft, at a hundred meters. I stopped my carriage. I blocked the brake of my cart. I advanced in direction of this phosphorescent machine. It seemed metallic, and about round, with a diameter of approximately 2,50 meters. I looked it while advancing. Then a true "oddity" occurred: all of a sudden, it disappeared. As evaporated! Without leaving any trace! And yet, all that, it was quite material! I did not dream!"

The authors note that all the attitude of Rene Margaillou proves that he was not victim of an hallucination, and they wonder whether a starting at a speed close to that of the light which does not leave any retinal persistence took place.

[Ref. pdl1:] PIERRE DELVAL:

In his chapter on the cases of paralysis or drousiness of UFO witnesses during their experience, Pierre Delval indicates 12 cases from the French flap of 1954, among those, that in Monteux in the department of Vaucluse on October 7, 1954 at 02:30 p.m.

Rene Margaillan, farmer, went to his fields on his cart. At a hundred meters, posed in a meadow, he saw a phosphorescent craft of metallic appearance, vaguely spherical, of 2.50 meters in diameter.

Suddenly, he "lacked air" and felt "paralysed", then the machine vanished on the spot, and all became normal again.

[Ref. vau2:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VAUCLUSE UFOLOGIE":

[... other cases...]

10) 10/07/54 - 02:30p.m. - A landing in Monteux.

[... other cases...]

[Ref. vau3:] 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...]

10° - 10/07/54 - 02:30 p.m. - Monteux. A landing, Margaillan affair.

11° - 10/11/54 - 02:10 a.m. - Monteux. 1 object on the ground and occupants (but this could be a case resulting from the Margaillan affair, accrediting a socio-psychological effect of the phenomenon.).

[... other cases...]

[Ref. bbr1:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:

The two authors note this case of October 7, 1954:

"Monteux - 84 - 02:30p.m.: Hoax after investigation."

Elsewhere they note that on October 7, 1954 in Monteux in the Vaucluse, a witness claimed to have been paralysed at the landing of an "object", and that it was totally invented by Mr. Margaillan, whom is still called "Mister Saucer" at the town hall.

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

The two authors indicate that on October 7, 1954 to 14:30, René Margaillon, farmer, goes to work. In the district of La Pourpiasse, between Monteux and Althen-des-Paluds, within approximately 100 meters of him, he sees a approximately spherical machine, phosphorescent, and of metallic aspect, of approximately 2 m 50 height or diameter posed in a field. He told:

"I stopped the carriage and put on its brake. And I advanced, by foot, towards this astonishing object that I managed to observe during a good moment. By approaching, I felt a suffocation; then I was like paralysed. This lasted several minutes. Then the phenomenon disappeared in only one blow, as if it had evaporated on the spot."

The authors note there are several interpretations of a possible effect on the witness depending to the authors:

The witness felt a suffocating paralysis which lasted several seconds according to Aimé Michel in A Propos des S.V., p. 181.

The witness became short-breathers and felt "paralysed" according to Jacques Vallée, case 208, and the G.A.B.R.I.E.L. group's "special paralysis" Ouranos magazine.

He comments on: "Jimmy Guieu, in Black out sur les S.V.. p. 198 quotes: the witness was suffocated by this frightening disappearance. In this case, we do not know if it a physical effects or fear?"

C. Garreau and R. Lavier in Face aux E.T., page 165, do not mention paralysis neither suffocation.

[Ref. jge11:] JEAN-FRANCOIS GILLE:

ICOD		DESIGNATION	(57)	DATE	JV4	jve1	COMMENTS
048	1030	MONTEUX	RF84	541007	208	264

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

10/7/54

(02:30 p.m.)

Monteux (84) St Plantaire (?) M

1659VX

[Ref. vau1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VAUCLUSE UFOLOGIE":

THURSDAY OCTOBER 7, 1954 - 02:30 p.m.

MONTEUX

Reference 3 and 4

Mr. René H. living in Monteux, neighborhood Pourpiasse, went to work in one of his lands, with his horse and a cart, when he saw, in a field, at a hundred meters, a weird machine.

Stopping his hitch, blocking the cart's brake, he walks towards the craft. The latter was phosphorescent and seemed metallic, with a diameter of about 2.50 meters, slightly spherical, hemispherical.

He was looking at it as he walked. Suddenly, the apparatus disappeared from his sight instantly, like a sheaf of sparkle. Literally vanished, without the witness, suffocating, to say where it had gone. Leaving no trace.

All the investigators who met Mr. H. affirm his coolness and calmness. Seeing the machine, without panicking, he stops his cart and blocks the brake of it so that the horse, being afraid, does not lead to the risk of accidents. This can prove that he was not the object of a ballucination.

He himself is certain, he saw the machine, solid, material and, suddenly nothing...

The "Reference 3 and 4" refer to: "Face aux Extraterrestres - CHARLES GARREAU and RAYMOND LAVIER" and "Black Out sur les Soucoupes Volantes - JIMMY GUIEU."

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list	Nr of Francat list	Localization	Date	Class	Credibility	Sources	Number of W
048	145	Monteux	07/10	CE3	E [=explained] hoax		1 W

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET:

CASE Nr	CLASSIFICATION	DATE	HOUR	PLACE	ZIP CODE	CREDIBILITY SOURCE
145	CE2	07 10 1954	14.30	Monteux 84 170 C2	E [=explained] hoax B-B p. 1 [=[bbr1]]

[Ref. jve7:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Jacques Vallée indicates that on October 7, 1954, Mr. Margaillon saw an object that had landed in a field in Monteux, France. It was shaped like a hemisphere, about two and a half yards in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt paralyzed during the observation.

Vallée comments that the sudden lack of air is "frequently reported" by witnesses of landings, "as are the peculiar eyes of the small entities: reddish-orange, glowing in the dark."

[Ref. jve8:] JACQUES VALLEE:

As an example of a case which he claims would show that the occupants of UFOs are not extraterrestrials but "inhabitants of another reality" like the alves of the old times, Jacques Vallée indicates:

On October 7, 1954, Mr. Margaillon saw an object that had landed in a field in Monteux, France. It had the shape of a hemisphere about eight feet in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt paralyzed during the observation.

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 7th. Monteux, France, (no known hour)

Another "landing" was supposed to have taken place in the vicinity of Monteux, France, on the 7th when a M. Margaillon encountered a hay stack shaped object on the ground which he estimated was about 8 feet in diameter. M. Margaillon felt so paralyzed for some reason even his breathing was affected and he gasped for air. 68.

68. Vallee, Jacques. Passport to Magonia. Chicago, Ill.: Henry Regnery, 1969. p.85.

[Ref. hjf1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND HENRI JULIEN:

In their co-authored book, the two ufologists report that on October 7, 1954, at 02:30 p.m., Mr. Rene M., who lives in the district "la Pourpiasse" of Monteux, goes to his occupations with his horse and his carriage.

He is between Althen-les-Paluds and Monteux when he sees an unusual machine of spherical shape resting in a field withint approximately 100 meters in front of him.

The machine may have had 2 meters 20, it is of metallic aspect appears phosphorescent.

René M. stated:

"I stopped the carriage and put on its brake. And I advanced, by foot, towards this astonishing object that I managed to observe during a good moment. By approaching, I felt a suffocation; then I was like paralysed. This lasted several minutes. Then the phenomenon disappeared in only one blow, as if it had evaporated on the spot."

The authors note the insufficiency of the accounts of a possible effect on the witness among various ufologists who mention the case: according to Aime Michel, he felt a suffocating paralysis which lasted several seconds. According to Jacques Vallée and the GABRIEL group, he had short breath and felt "paralyzed." According to Jimmy Guieu, he "was suffocated by this frightening disappearance." By Garreau and Lavier, there is no mention of paralysis neither suffocation.

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider indicates that on October 7, 1954, at 02:30 p.m., in Monteux, in the Vaucluse department, Mr. René Margaillan drives in a car between Monteux and Althen-des-Paluds, and suddenly sees a bizarre object posed in a field at a hundred meters from him. The craft is about two meters fifty high, is phosphorescent and metallic in appearance. Then, the phenomenon spontaneously disappeared, as evaporated.

Jean Sider indicates his source as "Figuet, p 132"

He notes that Aimé Michel, on page 181, said that the witness, trying to approach, felt a suffocating paralysis that lasted several seconds.

He adds that Barthel and Brucker claim that it is a hoax, and that "therefore it is likely to be valid!"

Finally he suggests that "the fact" that the phenomenon has "evaporated" may "hide another type of experience" (an abduction, according to him.)

[Ref. jsc1:] JOHN SCHUESSLER:

1954/10/07 FRANCE, MONTEUX

Source: Official UFO, Feb. 76

A witness ran toward a landed UFO in a field. When it took off, he was forced to gasp for air and experienced a suffocating paralysis that lasted for several minutes.

EFFECTS:
Paralysis
Breathing problem

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

4008: 1954/10/07 14:30 15 5:00:00 E 44:02:20 N 3333 WEU FRN VCL 8:8

MONTEUX,FR:9' HEMISPHERE LANDS/FIELD:FARMER TEMP PARALYZED+GASPS FOR AIR:/LDLN

Ref# 4 VALLEE:DIMENSIONS: Casebook/Contact. Page No. 95 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The ufologist indicates that in 1954, on October 7, in France, in Monteux (Vaucluse), Rene Margaillan, or Margaillou, saw at 14. 30 an object having landed in a field. It was hemispherical and it had approximately 25 Mr. the witness missed air and felt paralysed.

She indicates that the source for this is Jacques Vallée: "Chronique des apparitions ET" - DENOEL 1972 - COLL. J'AI LU - p. 271.

Van Overmeire notes that all the other sources say the diameter was 2.50 meters, not 25 meters. [1]

She indicates that in Jimmy GUIEU's "Black-out sur les S.V.", Fleuve Noir, page 198, the story is: "He saw an odd machine, stopped its attachment, stopped his cart, put on the brake and advanced in direction of the phosphorescent apparatus. It was of metal appearance and was approximately 2,50 m high, and of rather spherical form. Intrigued, the witness looled at this spacecraft lengthily, then, suddenly, he did not see anything any more. The machine had spontaneously disappeared."

[Note 1:] All the other versions say 2.5 m, including all the other versions by Jacques Vallée; van Overmeire just stumbled on the only version that had this obvious misprint, not due to Vallée.

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Thursday October 7, 1954

[...]

At 02:30 p.m. Mr. Margaillon observes an object which had landed in a field of Monteux (France). It has the shape of a hemisphere of approximately 2,50 m in diameter. The witness lacks air and feels paralysed during the observation.

[...]

[Ref. kbd1:] KEITH BASTERFIELD:

The Australian ufologist indicates that on October 7, 1954, at 14:30 in Monteux, France, male witness Margaillan saw a landed object in the act of taking off from a field. He ran towards it and at take off point he suffered paralysis which lasted several minutes.

The source is indicated as the Vallée catalogue.

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

Donald Johnson indicates that on October 7, 1954, in Monteux, France, at 2:30 p.m., Rene Margaillon, a farmer, was traveling between Monteux and Althen-des-Paluds when saw a metallic object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 meters in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed."

The sources are indicated as Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 145; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 220; Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 131.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Vaucluse in Monteux on October 7, 1954 at 02:30 p.m., a witness goes to work. Between Monteux and Althen-des-Paludss, at approximately 100 meters of him, he saw, posed in a field, a phosphorescent apparatus of a rather spherical shape, of metallic appearance, approximately 2 m 50 high or 2 m 50 in diameter.

He said: "I stopped my cart. I put on the brake of my cart. I then advanced in direction of this phosphorescent object of metallic appearance. I looked at it lengthily and, all of a sudden, it spontaneously disappeared, like evaporated."

Luc Chastan notes there are several interpretations of a possible effect on the witness depending to the authors:

The witness felt a suffocating paralysis which lasted several seconds according to Aimé Michel in A Propos des S.V., p. 181.

The witness became short-breathers and felt "paralysed" according to Jacques Vallée, case 208, and the G.A.B.R.I.E.L. group's "special paralysis" Ouranos magazine.

He comments on: "Jimmy Guieu, in Black out sur les S.V.. p. 198 quotes: the witness was suffocated by this frightening disappearance. In this case, we do not know if it a physical effects or fear?"

C. Garreau and R. Lavier in Face aux E.T., page 165, do not mention paralysis neither suffocation.

The sources are indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. jbu2:] JEROME BEAU:

Jérôme Beau indicates that on October 7, 1957 at 02:30 p.m. in Monteux (France), R. Margaillon observes an object which had landed in a field and had the shape of a half-sphere of approximately 2,50 (25?) m of diameter. The witness lacks air and feels paralysed during the observation.

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on October 7, 1954 at 14:30, in Monteux, France, R. Margaillan saw an object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 meters in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed."

The website comments: "An object was observed. Physiological effects were noted. One ball, about 5 feet across, was observed by one male witness on a farm for over 15 minutes."

The sources are indicated as Guieu, Jimmy, Flying Saucers Come from Another World, Citadel, New York, 1956; Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Sparks, Brad, Computer Catalog of Type 9 Cases (N=150); Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Vallee, Jacques, Passport to Magonia, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hall, Richard H., The UFO Evidence, NICAP, Washington, 1964; Vallee, Jacques, Dimensions: A Casebook of Alien Contact, Contemporary Books, Chicago, 1988, ISBN:0-8092-4586-8; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

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

*Oct. 7, 1954 - Monteux, France. At 2:30 p.m. Rene Margaillon, a farmer, was traveling between Monteux and Althen-des-Paluds when saw a metallic object that had landed in a field. It was hemispherical, about 2.5 meters in diameter. The witness gasped for air and felt "paralyzed." (Source: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 145; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 220, case # 208; Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, pp. 131).

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

This database recorded the case 13 times instead of one time:

Case Nr.	Date of observation	Place of observation	Country of observation	Hour of observation	Classification
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE I
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France		CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France		CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	14.30	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France	Afternoon	CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France		CE II
19541007	07.10.1954	Montreux [sic, Monteux]	France
19541007	07.10.1954	Montreux [sic, Monteux]	France
19541007	07.10.1954	Monteux	France		CE II

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

October 7 1954. 1430hrs.

MONTEUX (VACLUSE [sic]: FRANCE)

Rene [sic] Margaillon [sic] (40) was going about on his cart when he saw a strange object in a field 100m away. He stopped, got down and approached the 2.5m high luminous object. It suddenly disappeared, leaving him feeling choked (and some sources say paralysed) for some seconds. No traces were found

Gross 1954. citing le Provencal 9 October 1954. + Guieu 1956b

Evaluation - Possible hoax

Explanations:

The case of "11" October 1954, 2:30 p.m., Monteux, was a hoax according to Barthel and Brucker: same case or not? Confusion of dates?

According to the French INSEE census, between 1891-1915 there were only 3 births in France with the name "Margaillon", 2 with "Margaillou", and 158 births with the name "Margaillan". It is therefore likely that when Aimé Michel wrote "Margaillan", he had the correct name.

Keywords:

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

Monteux, Vaucluse, Margaillan, Margaillon, Margaillou, object, landing, large, hemispherical, hemisphere, effects, paralyzed, disappeared, disappearance, round, field, hoax, cart

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

[lpl1] Article in the regional newspaper Le Provençal, France, October 9, 1954.
[jgu1] "Black-Out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", book by Jimmy Guieu, Fleuve Noir publisher, France, 1956.
[jgu1] "Flying Saucers Come from Another World", book by Jimmy Guieu, English version of "Black-out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", Citadel Press publishers, USA, 1956.
[aml1] "Mystérieux Objets Célestes", book by Aimé Michel, Seghers publisher, pp 198, 199, 202, 1958/1977.
[aml1] "Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery", book my Aimé Michel, S. G. Phillips publishers, USA, page 145, 1958.
[aml2] "Soucoupes volantes - L'étrange découverte d'Aimé Michel", article by Aimé Michel in the popular science magazine Science & Vie, France, #485, February 1958.
[aml3] "Un nouvel accès au problème des soucoupes volantes - (suite et fin)", article by Aimé Michel, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #5, pages 3,4, June 1958.
[gqy1] "Observations 1954", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, page 13, the 1950's.
[gqy2] "Atterrissages au XXe siècle", monograph by Guy Quincy, France - Algeria, private publication, unnumbered pages, the 1950's.
[----] "The UFO Evidence", book by Richard H. Hall for NICAP, USA, 1964.
[jve1] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Jannine Vallée, Table Ronde publisher, France, 1966.
[jve2] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publisher, USA, page 85, 1969.
[jve2] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", catalogue by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #101 bis, page 3, November 1969.
[jve3] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publisher, USA, page 220, 1969.
[jve4] Summary by Jacques Vallée in "The Humanoids: a survey of world-wide reports of landings of unconventional aerial objects and their alleged occupants", book by Charles Bowen, Neville Spearman publisher, 1969.
[pis1] Ufology bulletin Phénomènes Inconnus, C.F.R.S, France, #14, pages 20,21, 1971.
[jve2] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoël publisher, page 133, 1972.
[jve5] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoël publisher, page 294, 1972.
[ldl1] "Réenquêtes 1954", in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #118, page 4, June 1972.
[jve2] "Chronique des Apparitions Extraterrestres", livre par Jacques Vallée, J'ai Lu éditeur, page 128, 1974.
[jve6] "Chronique des Apparitions Extraterrestres", livre par Jacques Vallée, J'ai Lu éditeur, page 271, 1974.
[jgu1] "Black-Out Sur Les Soucoupes Volantes", book by Jimmy Guieu, Omnium Littéraire publisher, France, pp 197-198, 1972.
[ous1] "La Paralysie - Synthèse provisoire des recherches entreprises par l'équipe G.A.B.R.I.E.L.", in the ufology magazine Ouranos, France, new series #1, page 4, 4^th quarter 1973.
[jve2] "Chronique des Apparitions Extraterrestres", book by Jacques Vallée, J'ai Lu éditeur, page 271, 1974.
[jve4] Summary by Jacques Vallée in "En Quête des Humanoïdes", book by Charles Bowen, French translation of "The Humanoids", J'ai Lu publisher, page 45, 1974.
[gal1] "Face aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Delarge publisher, page 163, J'ai Lu, page 164, 1975.
[----] Official UFO, USA, February 1976.
[pdl1] "Le Grand Livre des Objets Volants Non-Identifiés", book by Pierre Delval with the Ouranos Committee, De Vecchi publisher, pp 252-253, 1976.
[jve1] "Catalogue préliminaire de 500 observations", listing in "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques and Jannine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 250, 1978.
[vau2] Cases list in the ufology bulletin Vaucluse Ufologie, France, #7, January / February 1978.
[vau3] Ufology bulletin Vaucluse Ufologie, France, #11, September / October 1978.
[bbr1] "La Grande Peur Martienne", book by Gerard Barthel and Jacques Brucker, Les Nouvelles Editions Rationalistes publishers, France, pages 115,116,195, 1979.
[fru1] "OVNI, Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, pp 131-132, 1979.
[jge1] "L'isocélie de Fumoux: un premier résultat scientifique", article by Jean-François Gille, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #209, page 17, November 1981.
[gep1] "Catalogue mondial Pasqualini, list, in the ufology bulletin GEPO Informations, ufology group GEPO, France, #21, September / December 1980.
[vau1] "30 années d'observations vauclusiennes", catalogue in the ufology bulletin Vaucluse Ufologie, of the GREPO ufology group, Special Issue #1, page 18, 1981.
[mft1] "ATTERRISSAGES D'UFO sur le continent français du 26 septembre 1954 au 18 octobre 1954", list compiled by Michel Figuet in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #249-250, page 26, March / April 1985.
[mft2] "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 18, November / December 1985.
[jve7] "Dimensions - A Casebook of Alien Contacts", book by Jacques Vallée, Souvenir Press publishers, U-K, page 108, 1988.
[jve8] "Autres Dimensions - Chroniques des contacts avec un autre monde", book by Jacques Vallée, Robert Laffont - J'Ai Lu publishers, France, page 140, 1991.
[lgs1] "The Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse - UFOs: A History - 1954 October", monography by Loren E. Gross, USA, page 15, 1991.
[hjf1] "OVNI en Provence", book by Henri Julien et Michel Figuet, Editions de Haute-Provence publisher, page 182, 1993.
[jsr1] "Le Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste", book by Jean Sider, Ramuel publisher, France, page 247, 1997.
[jsc1] "UFO-Related Human Physiological Effects", paper by John F. Schuessler, in "Physical Evidence Related to UFO Reports, The Proceedings of a Workshop Held at the Pocantico Conference Center, Tarrytown, New York September 29 – October 4, 1997", published by the Journal of Scientific Exploration, USA, 1997.
[lhh1] "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
[goe1] "Chronologie OVNI", web page compiled by Godelieve Van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2002, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/chron13.html
[----] "Computer Catalog of Type 9 Cases", compiled by Brad Sparks, USA.
[kbd1] "Paralysis and the UFO Phenomenon", article by Keith Basterfield, Australia, 2002, at auforn.com/Keith_Basterfield_4.htm
[jbu1] RR0, website by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2002, at www.chez.com/rr0/temoins.html
[djn1] "Encounters with Aliens on this Day - October 7", web page by Donald Johnson, USA, circa 2005, at www.ufoinfo.com/onthisday/October07.html
[lcn1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2005, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/detobs.php?numobs=784
[jbu2] "Jeudi 7 octobre 1954", web page by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2008, at www.rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/07/index.html
[jbu2] "Témoins d'ovnis", web page by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2008, at rr0.org/personne/temoins.html
[uda1] "7 Oct 1954 - Monteux, France", web page by the website UFOdna, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189082.htm
[nip1] List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
[ubk1] Online database UFO-Datenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
[prn2] "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

Document history:

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	April 5, 2003	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	December 18, 2008	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [kbd1], [djn1], [goe1], [jbu2], [lcn1], [uda1].
1.1	Patrick Gross	June 24, 2010	Addition [jsc1].
1.2	Patrick Gross	June 26, 2010	Addition [jve15].
1.3	Patrick Gross	August 14, 2013	Addition [prn1].
1.4	Patrick Gross	October 7, 2014	Addition [nip1].
1.5	Patrick Gross	December 19, 2016.	Additions [lgs1], [ubk1].
1.6	Patrick Gross	October 13, 2019.	Additions [aml2], [aml3], [pis1], [ldl1], [ous1], [vau1], [jge1], [mft1], [mft2], [jsr1], [lhh1], [prn2], Summary.
1.7	Patrick Gross	April 29, 2022.	Additions [gqy1], [gqy2], [gep1].
1.8	Patrick Gross	May 28, 2022.	Addition [jve8].
1.9	Patrick Gross	June 30, 2022.	Additions [vau2], [vau3].

This page was last updated on June 30, 2022.