The 1954 French flap:

A cyclist from Antibes
almost crushed
a flying cigar

A cyclist from Biot, near Antibes, bordered on a disaster: he almost collided with a flying cigar that was parked on the road.

- I had, he said, just the time to brake.. In front of me: a kind of cylinder, terminated by a metallic tail in gray color. The craft went to the vertical with a slight hissind sound.

"Above all, do not reveal my name, I would not like to be taken for a crackpot," asked the witness, telling his story to the first deputy of the town hall of Antibes.

A few hours later, workers announced that they too had seen the cigar. Antibes newspaper "L'Indépendant" has published a special edition.

The Midi, currently, is invaded by saucers. Martians must fear the cold...

One saw above Nice an orange disc, above Cannes a "green tailed yellow craft"; grape pickers from the Var saw a white and blue flying cigar. A pensioner met, near the swimming pool of Perpignan, a Martian dressed in a diving suit, descended from a large reddish sphere, which flew away without a trace.

As for the flying cigar of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, it turned out, after investigation, that it was only a saucer ghost. Local residents, mayor first, say they saw it. But the two fighter pilots sent to chase it vainly sought it in the sky. They did not even distinguish the slightest weather balloon. One reported another cigar a little later at the Italian border, but this time no one bothered.

Moreover, many cigars were seen yesterday in Italy. The most curious information concerns one who would have landed near Rovigo: at the place where the locals claim to have seen it take off, a crater, six meters in diameter opens, and six poplars trees which stood nearby were half charred.

Finally yesterday afternoon, the residents of Tulle and Brive examined under the binocular a gigantic "elongated drug drop container" which flew over the region until nightfall. It was also seen from the weather station of Puy-Chadrac and from that of Rueyres (Cantal), but observers compare it to an olive surmounted by an antenna...

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MONDAY, the continuation of our investigation:

"What you need to know about flying saucers"

Flying saucers...
... in the sky of France

Paris, 18. -- Mysterious craft continue to regularly frequent the skies of France. The testimonies accumulate, coming every day to bring some new details, either on the saucers, or on the flying cigars.

While on Saturday evening, several reliable people, including Mr. Béranger, mayor of St-Laurent-du-Var, general councilor, had seen above Nice, an orange disc, last night, this time above Cannes, several people observed a luminous craft of yellow color with a green tail, but the more interesting testimony was to be brought by an employee of the municipal recipe of Antibes.

Mr. Casella, living in Bio [sic], returning home in the evening, found himself "face to face with a huge mechanical machine measuring 7 to 8 meters in diameter placed in the middle of the road." The witness who was on a bicycle approached the craft until almost touching it, but then it rose vertically and, with a slight hiss, disappeared into the sky.

In the Provence sky, in Venergues, several grape pickers saw, Friday afternoon, a craft of elongated shape like a cigar, one said, white and blue, said a second. A third picker said the rocket appeared to be emitting luminous rays.

In Le Puy, a luminous object was observed between 5:50 p.m. and 6:36 p.m., by the Puy Chadrac weather station. The craft appeared like a straight olive with a sort of black antenna at the top. The station chief said he believed he was in the presence of the planet Jupiter. Mr. Casella, a resident of Bio who piter, but the sudden disappearance of the object demonstrated that he had been mistaken.

The same phenomenon was seen by the meteorological center of Ruyères (Cantal). One can compare these testimonies to that of thousands of inhabitants of Tulle who, around 3:35 p.m., saw in the sky, in a south-southeast direction, a big bright and motionless point. It appeared transparent and showed the shape of a cylinder whose two ends were conical.

In Murat (Cantal), an object also shiny and ovoid in shape, was to be observed for an hour. In this case, it seems to be a strongly lit balloon.

In two villages in the Haute-Marne, Vignory and Brottes, orange-colored objects were seen on Thursday evening. These objects rose vertiginously but without noise.

Finally, in the Finistère, Mr. René le Viol, transporter at Fouesnant, saw Thursday evening, behind a curtain of trees, a flat-shaped craft with the appearance of an overturned plate and surrounded by a reddish glow, this first disc was then followed by a second and both disappeared towards the sea.

THE "SAUCERS" EXPLORE ITALY

Rome, 15. -- Many mysterious craft were seen yesterday in the sky of Italy. One of these machines landed near Rovigo in the area known as Po Di Gnocca, where several people observed it. The circular craft, after having slowly hovered, landed on the ground without noise. After a few minutes of immobility, it resumed its silent vertical flight, but at the place where it took off, there is now a fairly deep crater six meters in diameter. Six poplars that stood nearby were also charred. Authorities will travel to the scene to verify the authenticity of the witnesses' accounts.

In the Modena region, a trader saw an incandescent "flying cigar" flying over the countryside at an altitude of around two hundred meters. After a brief stop, the craft reportedly headed to the northwest. This observation was confirmed by other witnesses.

Finally a flying saucer with silver reflections is reported to have flown over the Loino area at 5.000 meters. Witnesses to this observation stated that the saucer did not emit any noise and did not release any smoke. It disappeared in the direction of Switzerland.

Martians in single line

Amiens, 16. -- Mr. and Mrs. Dumeige, cattle dealers in Domart-en-Ponthieu, and Mr. Lourdel, cattle broker in Condé-Folie, who, on Thursday, around 9:00 p.m., were traveling by automobile truck on the road to Domart in Condé-Folie, said they saw a very bright glow not far from La Folie farms, which seemed to land in a meadow not far from the road.

Mr. Dumeige, who was driving, stopped his vehicle and got out with his wife and Mr. Lourdel. It was then that they saw clearly, near the light, six or seven small beings advancing in line. They were so frightened that they immediately set off again, leaving the craft and its occupants there.

MIGRATING TO MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES

Saucers flew over Provence and Italy

Do saucers fear the cold? We cannot answer this question, but, in any case, the accounts of the mysterious apparitions are becoming scarce north of Lyon and increase in the South of France and northern Italy.

Indeed, many mysterious craft were seen Friday in the sky of Italy.

Near Rovigo, several people were able to observe a circular craft which, after slowly hovering, landed silently on the ground. After a few minutes of immobility, it resumed its silent flight vertically. At the place of takeoff, witnesses noticed a fairly deep crater six meters in diameter. Six poplars in the area had also been charred.

Authorities will visit the scene to verify the authenticity of the witnesses' accounts.

In the Modano region, a trader saw an incandescent "flying cigar" flying over the country at an altitude of around two hundred meters. After a brief stop, the craft would have headed for

Continued on the last page
under the title: SAUCERS

Saucers

the northwest. This observation was confirmed by other witnesses.

Finally, a flying saucer with silver reflections flew over Luino, near the Swiss border. Many witnesses said they saw it.

IN THE PROVENCE SKY

Mr. Bérenger, mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Var, general councilor and many people saw an orange disc over Nice on Friday.

Several residents also observed, above Cannes, a luminous machine of yellow color with a green tail. The most interesting testimony was brought by an employee of the municipal recipe of Antibes, Mr. Casella, who, returning home, found himself "nose to nose with a huge mechanical machine measuring 7 to 8 meters in diameter and posed in the middle of the road."

The witness approached the craft. He was going to touch it when it rose vertically and disappeared into the sky with a slight hissing sound.

In Venergues, several grape pickers saw "a cigar of white and blue color", which emitted luminous rays.

In Le Puy, a bright object was observed for almost an hour, by the weather station of Puy Chadrac.

The craft appeared like a straight olive with a black antenna at the top. The station chief said he believed he was in the presence of the planet Jupiter, but the sudden disappearance of the object showed that he had made a mistake. The same phenomenon was seen by the meteorological center of Ruyeres (Cantal). Thousands of residents of Tulle saw a big shiny and transparent dot in the sky. Some believe it was a weather balloon.

MYSTERIOUS CRAFT
continue to furrow the skies of France

Testimonies accumulate coming each day to bring some new detail either on the saucers, or on the flying cigars.

Whereas Saturday evening, several witnesses in good faith, including M. Béranger, Mayor of Saint-Laurent-du-Var, regional councilman, had seen above Nice, a disc of orange color, this time above Cannes, several people observed a luminous machine of yellow color with a green tail. But the most interesting witness was to be brought by an employee of the municipal receipt of Antibes, Mr. Casella, resident of Biot, who, returning home in the evening, was face to face with an enormous mechanical machine measuring 7 to 8 meters in diameter posed in the middle of the road. The witness who was on a bicycle approached the craft until almost touching it but then the latter rose vertically and, with a soft whistling sound, disappeared in the sky.

In the sky of Provence, in Venergues, several vintagers saw a craft of lengthened form like a cigar, one of them stated, and of white and blue color, a second specified. A third vintager indicated that the rocket appeared to emit luminous beams.

At Le Puy, a brilliant object was observed between 17:30 and 18:35 by the weather station of Puy-Chaudrac. The machine looked like a straight ["vertical" probably] olive with at the top, a kind of black antenna. The chief of the station specified that he believed being in the presence of the planet Jupiter, but the sudden disappearance of the object proved that he had made a mistake. The same phenomenon was seen by the center of meteorology of Ruyères (Cantal). One can bring closer these testimonies to that of thousands of residents of Tulle who, towards 15:30, saw in the sky, in the south south-eastern direction, a large shining and motionless dot. It seemed transparent and had the shape of a cylinder whose two ends were conical.

Attack missed against a false Martian

Mr. Maurice Ruant, farmer in Sinceny, close to Chauny (Aisne), failed to be victim of the panic which causes to some people the appearance of the flying saucers or other machines. He was busy repairing hiss car, in a meadow near his home, when two gunshots were fired in his direction. Bullets crushed on the hull of the vehicle, not far from his head. Mr. Maurice Ruant pressed charges and the investigation at once open allowed to quickly find the author of the two shots who was neighbor to Mr. Ruant, Mr. Faizan.

The latter told the police force:

"I believed, when seeing a silhouette moving in the light of two headlights, I was in the presence of a Martian repairing his flying saucer. I went to get my rifle and I shot."

Despite his good faith, Mr. Faizan will be prosecuted.

4021: 1954/10/08 23:00 1 7:11:00 E 43:40:00 N 3333 WEU FRN AMR 6:7

St-LAURENT-du-VAR,AM,FR:MAYOR SEES DISC W/LUMINOUS TRAIL OF LITE

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 135 : TOWN &CITY