The 1954 French flap:

Saucers, cigars, etc.

- Mr. René Hott, 35, from Jettingen (Haut-Rhin), an S.N.C.F. employee, claimed to have seen in a field, while going to work, a semi-spherical aluminum-colored dome, illuminated inside, which was about three meters from the road.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. However, he had time to notice that a door opened in the apparatus. It moved above him for a distance of 800 meters, before disappearing.

- Mr. Alexandre Tremblais, milk collector, said the truck he was driving suddenly stopped for an unknown reason at 6:20 a.m. on Friday on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean-d'Asse (Sarthe), that its headlights went off. Coming down from his cabin, he saw a luminous red and blue flying cigar pass above him. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later. The truck's engine then started to run again and the headlights came back on.

- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozévet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw a bright light in the sky which appeared to be surrounded by dense smoke. This glow, at first motionless, moved towards them, at an altitude of about 10 meters. It looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned into the house. Several fishermen who were preparing to go to sea at the same hour confirmed these statements.

The chronicle
of the sky

Mulhouse, October 9. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, of Jettingen, an S.N.C.F. employee, said he saw in a field, on his way to work, an aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit inside; which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had time, however, he said, to notice that a door opened in the craft. The latter moved above him on a distance of 800 meters before disappearing, the gendarmes did not detect any trace.

***

Le Mans, October 9. -- Mr. Alexandre Trembaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason yesterday morning on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean d'Asse and that his headlights went off. He got out of his cabin and saw passing over him a flying red and blue cigar, about a meter long. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the engine of the truck started to run again and the headlights went on again.

***

Cherbourg, October 9. -- Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Grestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw in the sky at a fairly high altitude a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

***

Châteauroux, October 9. -- Mr. Alfred Ramany, 62, resident of Chasseneuil, who had stopped at the side of the road, heard a whistling sound; looking up, he saw a gray machine immobilized about 100 meters above the ground. The craft left at a very fast pace, leaving a sort of fog behind it.

Also, Mr. Lucien Soulas, 25, of the same commune, declared that on returning from the village of Ligeaud, he had seen a luminous craft of pale orange-red color moving in a north-south direction.

***

Quimper, October 9. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw, in the sky, a bright gleam which seemed surrounded by dense smoke, this glow, at first motionless, moved towards them at an altitude of about ten meters, it looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Carion family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

THE 'FLYING SAUCERS'
CHANGE TO BALLS...

Cherbourg, 9. -- Thursday evening, around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Crestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw, in the sky, at a fairly high altitude, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

Quimper, 9. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchants [sic] in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw a bright glow in the sky which seemed to be surrounded by dense smoke. This glow, initially motionless, directed towards them, at an altitude of about ten meters it had the appearance of an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

... to half ball...

Mulhouse, 9. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, an SNCF employee, said he saw in a field on his way to work, an aluminum-colored semi-spherical dome, lit from the inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. The latter moved above him on a distance of 800 meters before disappearing the gendarmes did not detect any trace.

... and stop the cars

Le Mans, 9. - Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason yesterday morning, on a small departmental road near Saint-Jean d'Asse and that its headlights had gone out. He got out of his cabin and saw a luminous red and blue flying cigar pass over him, about a meter long.

The machine disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the truck's engine started to function again and the headlights came on. Isn't that somewhat... chilling? [untranslatable joke about the witness name]

STILL STRANGE
APPEARANCES IN
THE SKY OF FRANCE

Mulhouse. -- Mr. René Ott, 35, from Jettingen, employed at the S.N.C.F., said that he had seen in a field an aluminum-colored hemispherical saucer, lit inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground.

Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, he said, time to notice that a door opened in the craft. It moved above him over a distance of 800 meters before disappearing.

Le Mans. -- Mr. Alexandre Tremblaix, milk collector, said that the truck he was driving had suddenly stopped, for an unknown reason, on a small provincial road near St. Jean d'Asse and that his headlights went off. He got out of his cabin, and saw passing over him a flying red and blue cigar, about one meter long. The craft disappeared on the horizon a few minutes later, the engine of the truck started to run again and the headlights turned on again.

Cherbourg. -- Around 9 p.m., a resident of Octeville (Manche), Mr. Maurice Grestey, designer at the Arsenal, and several of his neighbors saw in the sky, at a high altitude asset, a luminous sphere which, after having stopped above the city, disappeared towards the South.

Quimper. -- Mr. François Cariou, itinerant fish merchant in Plozevet (Finistère), his wife and two daughters saw, in the sky, a bright gleam which seemed surrounded by dense smoke, this glow, at first motionless, came towards them at an altitude of about ten meters, it looked like an orange sphere.

Frightened, the Cariou family returned to the house.

Several fishermen who were about to set sail at the same time confirmed these statements.

THE "FLYING SAUCERS"

Pose many puzzles

NOW, CARS STOP

PARIS. - The "flying saucers" continue.

They are reported everywhere. And now, they are mingling to stop the engines.

In Le Mans a milk collector, Mr. Alexandre Tremblais, who was riding his truck on the small road near Saint-Jean-d'Assé (the Sarthe), suddenly noticed that the engine of his vehicle stopped and that the headlights extinguished.

M. Tremblais got out of his truck to see a red and blue luminous cigar, one meter long, disappearing on the horizon. A few minutes later, the engine started again and the headlights functioned again.

In Nancy, a true skeptic, Mr. Georges Bou, a 30-year-old driver at Sarrebruk [sic, Sarrebourg], was traveling on National Road 3 between Morsbach and Forbach when he saw a thick wide shadow blocking the road. He stopped, got out of his cabin, thinking of an accident. But he realized that he was stopped by a saucer. It was nine meters in diameter and about four meters high. It was illuminated by several light beams directed towards the ground.

The driver approached the strange device. Suddenly, the latter took off vertically, marked a pause at ten meters, then moved away very quickly.

The gendarmerie Captain Bohler went to the scene today with Mr. Bou. But he could not find any traces.

In the Island of Ré, Mr. Simonnetti said he saw a luminous sphere about 12 meters in diameter, which oscillated about fifty meters from the ground.

The sphere, he said, became red, turned blue and rose very quickly vertically.

Two other residents and two Parisians on vacation have confirmed.

At Duclair (Seine-Inf.), Mr. Landrin, a water attendant who was walking with his wife, was blinded by a light beam. When he opened his eyes, he said, he saw a ball disappear a few minutes later.

- Near Reims, a mechanic of the Panhard factories, Mr. Joseph Roy, 30, saw near the Isles-sur-Suippe a cigar posed on the ground, resembling according to his description to that of Marignane. Witnesses around have confirmed.

At la Montagne-de-Béruges (the Vienne), a farmer, Mr. Edouard Thébault, observed in his field an enormous luminous machine.

A few minutes later the craft was extinguished and a huge headlight swept the road, and when the witness returned with his father he had fetched, everything had disappeared.

- Several fishermen and the whole family of a fish dealer saw in the sky, in Plozevet (Finistère), a bright glow surrounded by dense smoke. This gleam, at first motionless, came towards them at an altitude of about ten meters. It had the appearance of an orange sphere.

- A whistling machine, gray in color, stood for a moment about 100 meters from Chassevreuil (Indre). The craft went off at a brisk pace, leaving behind it like a fog.

In the same commune, a young man saw a luminous red-orange machine that moved in a north-south direction.

- An aluminum half-spherical dome, illuminated inside, which was about three meters from the road and one meter from the ground, was seen in Jettingen (Haut-Rhin) by Mr. René Ott, an employee of the S.N.C.F. [national railyway company]. Frightened, Mr. Ott fled. He had, however, had the time to notice that a door was opening in the apparatus. The latter moved above him for a distance of 800 meters before disappearing. The gendarmes found no trace.

- A silent machine, moving like a spinning top, was seen in Calais, above the municipal theater, by a peacekeeper, a hairdresser, a taxi driver and a butcher. It moved away towards the sea.

- A flying saucer rising noiselessly vertically was seen at Vigneux (Seine-et-Oise) by Mr. Marais yesterday at 9 p.m.. It was luminous and had portholes.

THE EXPLODED SAUCER OF SAINT-VALERY-SUR-SOMME WAS ONLY A SOUNDING-BALLOON OF THE R.A.F.

ABBEVILLE. "Another false saucer!" The mysterious craft which broke out in the Picardy sky, and whose debris was scattered in a pasture at Boismont, near Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, was but a balloon.

The inhabitants of the region, fearing the famous "paralyzing" green ray, dared not approach the debris. Only Mr. Raymond Boucher, a sugar worker, had the courage to come and contemplate the saucer. It was more simply a balloon used by the meteorological services of the Royal Air Force which, by touching the ground, had burst noisily.

VIENNA. - Thousands of people saw yesterday a formation of flying saucers above Ried, flying from east to west.

THE OPINION OF A SCIENTIST

Asked about cars that stop, said:

- saucers or not saucers, it is necessary to consider as true the information that arrives at this moment. With regard to the sudden stop of engines at the passage of these craft, we must admit the presence and action of unknown rays. This does not mean that these rays have an extraterrestrial origin. Do you remember that famous Z ray, which was talked about so much before the last war? During the hostilities, the belligerents further perfected the process. I saw personally, some fifteen years ago, experiments in laboratories where electric rays ignited at distances of a few meters paper or other combustible materials.

[...]

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:

1. 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;
2. 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.
3. 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

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".

4. PLOZEVET: ..sharp gleam, dense smoke.. (France-Soir for 9-10-54).

October 7 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

About 00:00: Plozevet (Finistère):lum. cloud sph.+moves near g

[... other cases...]

October 7, 1954: Plozevet (10 km SE Audierne--Finistère):family of fishmongers(cloud sphere descends to 10 m of the ground)

204) October 7, 1954, early morning. Plozevet (France):

The crew of several fishing boats saw a luminous, orange-colored object over the coast, apparently surrounded by dense smoke. Villagers saw the same object and stated independently that it came within 10 m of the ground, then flew away to the southeast. (P. 42, M. 140).

October 7, 1954, early, Plozevet (France):

The crew of several fishing boats saw a luminous, orange-colored object over the coast, apparently surrounded by dense smoke. Villagers saw the same object and stated independently that it came within 10 m of the ground, then flew away to the southeast. (France-Soir, Oct. 9. 1954).

For the day of October 7, Aimé Michel noted among others, two alignments: Hennezis-Montlevicq-Bompas and Plozevet-Montlevicq-Beauvoir; which was conform to the theory of the star-shaped networks.

That is to say: in the center of the stars that appeared by the crossing of several orthotenic lines, always appeared a cigar or a sphere of clouds. It is so here, with the observation of Montlévicq, sometimes recorded at Saint Plantaire (Indre).

Let's go back to the first line: Hennezis, no credibility at all anymore; Bompas doubts on the date, Jacques Vallée gives October 7, the "Figaro" for October 13gives the 9th, Quincy says it is in the night from the 7th to the 8th. As of the second one: Plozevet recorded by Quincy at about 0 o'clock, investigation is impossible; Beauvoir, the weather balloon cannot be excluded. These two alignments intersect over the department of the Indre. So we find here the observation noticed by Aimé Michel. Only here, on the admission of a witness, the affair is a hoax. Aimé Michel was right, in the center of a network one always observes a cigar of clouds or a sphere... devoid of any interest.

October 7th. Plozevet, France, (pas d'heure conue. Early morning?)

A smoky, glowing, orange-colored, object appeared in the sky near the coastal village of Plozevet. Villagers claimed the UFO at one time dipped to an altitude of only 30 feet before moving away to the southeast. Numerous fishermen at sea also witnessed the phenomenon. 65.

• 64. France-Soir. 10 October 54.
• 65. Ibid.

4003: 1954/10/07 06:00 44 4:28:00 W 47:56:00 N 3332 WEU FRN FNS 7:8

off PLOZEVET,FR:SVRL BOAT CREWS:ORG SCR HVRS IN SMOKE/HOURS:LITE BEAM:>>SE:/r8

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 131 : OFFSHORE

1954 - Plozevet, France. October 7. Early in the day the crew of several fishing boats at sea saw a luminous, orange-colored object over the coast, apparently surrounded by dense smoke. Villagers in Plozevet saw the same object and stated independently that it came within 10 meters of the ground, then flew away to the southeast. (Sources: France-Soir, October 9, 1954; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia, p. 219; Michel Figeut & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 131).

Thursday, October 7, 1954

[...]

Early in the morning in Plozevet (France), the crews of several fishing boats see 1 luminous object of orange color above the coast, apparently surrounded by a dense smoke. The villagers see the same object and see it approaching to approximately 10 m the ground then fly away towards the south-east.

[...]

*Oct. 7, 1954 - Plozevet, France. Early in the day the crew of several fishing boats at sea saw a luminous, orange-colored object over the coast, apparently surrounded by dense smoke. Villagers in Plozevet saw the same object and stated independently that it came within 10 meters of the ground, then flew away to the southeast. (Sources: France-Soir, October 9, 1954; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 219, case # 204; Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 131).

Plozevet ( 29 710 ), 07 October 1954, Tôt le matin ...

Testimony nr. FR 29 710 1954 10 07 .. ..

Available documents:

October 7 1954. Early.

PLOZEVET (FINISTERE : FRANCE)

The crews of several fishing vessels saw in the sky, towards the land, a spot of orange coloured light, surrounded by a cloud of dense smoke, which hovered then rapidly crossed the sky, disappearing in the south east. In the village, a fisherman's family observed the same object descending perhaps as low as 10m before disappearing.

Michel 1958b p138

Vallee Case 204 citing France Soir 10 [sic] October 1954.