The 1954 French flap:

"CIGARS" FLY
IN FORMATION

Bayonne. -- Bayonne residents claim to have seen, Friday, very high in the sky, in North-East direction, three mysterious objects of clear hue, sharp on the pure sky at that hour.

A peacekeeper, Mr. Corrions, who was in the Halles district, observed these three motionless craft, arranged in a triangle, of slightly oval shape. They were, he said, the size of a rugby ball and appeared to be at a considerable height.

Passers-by said they saw the same bright objects in other places.

On the other hand, several dozen "Sidelor" workers living in the Lantéfontaine-lez-Baroches region (M.-et-M.), claim to have seen six flying cigars in the sky between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.

"We first saw, they said, two "cigars" then, after, four other craft joined the first two. All remained motionless for a moment and finally disappeared instantly. These statements are confirmed by several other people.

A formation of saucers
flying near La Rochelle

In La Charron (Charente-Maritime), three fishermen and a customs officer declare having seen, during one of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers moving very low and flying over the shore before disappearing.

"CIGARS"
FLY
IN FORMATION

Bayonne, 25. -- Bayonne residents claim to have seen Friday afternoon, very high in the sky, in a northeast direction, three mysterious light-colored objects sharp against the pure sky at that hour.

A peacekeeper, Mr. Carrions, who was in the hall area, observed these three motionless craft, arranged in a triangle, of slightly oval shape. They were, he said, the size of a rugby ball and appeared to be at a considerable height.

Passers-by said they saw the same bright objects in other places.

Nancy, 25. -- Several dozen "Sidelor" workers living in the Lantéfontaine-les-Baroches region (M. et M.), claim to have seen six flying cigars in the sky between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m..

"We first saw, they said, two" cigars ", then later four other craft came to join the first two. All remained motionless for a moment and finally disappeared instantly. These statements are confirmed by several other people... and an isolated one.

Le Puy, 25. -- Mrs. Chaumard, living in the Girette district in Le Puy, saw in the sky a craft having a shape like a cigar glowing at one end, silent and appearing motionless, she could observe the craft for almost a quarter of an hour, then the "cigar" suddenly disappeared while gaining altitude.

The sky of Auvergne
is also crossed
mysterious craft

Clermont-Ferrand, 25. -- Six residents of Langeac (Haute-Loire) saw a white glow move in the sky in direction South.

A resident of Gelles (Puy-de-Dôme), Mrs. widow Melle, claimed to have seen in the sky a luminous craft of a shape "like a cigar". The craft moved silently.

A resident of Clermont-Ferrand was picking mushrooms: he saw in the sky, at high altitude, a luminous trail "slightly colored in pink".

A FORMATION
of FLYING SAUCERS
NEAR LA ROCHELLE

La Rochelle, 23. - In Charron (Charente-Maritime), three fishermen and a customs officer declare having seen during a of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers moving very low and flying over the shore, before disappearing.

More saucers

More saucers to add to an already imposing pile!

It is a doctor from Le Puy who would have observed twice, above his city, a silent, round and shiny object.

In Charron (Charente-Maritime), three fishermen (moon fishermen, no doubt) and a customs officer would have seen a formation of saucers, moving very low, above the shore.

Bayonne residents claimed to have seen three mysterious objects, of light color.

Six flying cigars (note that they were not acrobats) would have crisscrossed the sky of Haute-Fontaine-les-Baroches (Meurthe-and-Moselle).

Mysterious craft were also reported above Epinal and Le Puy.

Certainly, the skies of France are very populated...

The Passer-By spends his time scanning the horizon. He even caught a painful stiff neck.

Fortunately, the English have just developed a flying "cage-bed", which will be of great service to saucer researchers.

A word of advice to those who find themselves in the presence of a "saucer" or a "cigar": be very... "diplomat"!

THE PASSER-BY

"CIGARS" AND "SAUCERS" SEEN IN THE AUVERGNE

CLERMONT-FERRAND. -- Six inhabitants of Langeac (Haute-Loire) saw a white gleam moving in the sky in direction of the South.

A resident of Gelles (Puy-de-Dome), Mrs. wid. Melles, claimed to have seen in the sky a luminous machine of elongated form "in the kind of a cigar". The machine moved without noise.

A resident of Clermont-Ferrand was picking mushrooms: he saw in the sky, at high altitude, a luminous trail "slightly colored in pink".

Rugby players training at the Vichy stadium saw a "flying cigar".

... and near La Rochelle

LA ROCHELLE. -- In Charron (Charente-Maritime) three fishermen and a customs officer state to have seen, during one of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers evolving very low and flying over the shore before disappearing.

FROM THE MOSELLE TO THE BIDASSOA

WITNESSES SAW
"SAUCERS" AND "CIGARS"
FLYING IN FORMATION

Saucers and cigars now crisscross the sky in formation! At least that's what fishermen from La Rochelle and residents of Bayonne say.

The first declared to have seen, during one of these last nights, a "formation" of flying saucers evolving very low and flying over the village before disappearing.

The second claimed to have seen, Friday afternoon, very high in the sky, in a northeast direction, three mysterious objects, clear in color, sharp on the pure sky at that hour.

A peacekeeper, Mr. Corrions, who was in the Halles district, observed these three immobile craft, arranged in a triangle, of slightly oval shape. They were, he said, the size of a rugby ball and appeared to be at a considerable height.

Passers-by said they saw the same bright objects in other places.

In Auvergne, testimonies are pouring in from all sides.

Six residents of Langeac (Haute-Loire) saw a white glow moving in the sky towards the south.

A resident of Gelles (Puy-de-Dôme), Mrs. widow Melle, claimed to have seen in the sky a luminous craft of an elongated shape "like a cigar". The machine moved silently. A resident of Clermont-Ferrand was picking mushrooms: he saw in the sky, at high altitude, a luminous trail "slightly colored in pink".

In addition, several dozen of "Sidelor" workers living in the Lantéfontaine-les-Baroches region (M.-et-M.) claim to have seen six flying cigars in the sky between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., Friday.

"We first saw, they said, two "cigars", then after that four other craft came to join the first two. All of them stayed for a moment perfectly still and finally disappeared instantly. These statements are confirmed by several other people.

The gendarmes
are looking for a
"Martian" in the
Limousin maquis

From the Moselle to the Bidassoa, the "Martian" offensive is developing. It is now by squadrons that saucers and cigars fly over the territory. We counted up to six at a time, yesterday, above Lantefontaine-les-Baroches, in Lorraine. Several dozen workers saw them.

"We first saw," they said, "two 'cigars', then four more craft joined the first two. All of them stood perfectly still for a moment and finally disappeared instantly."

Their statements are confirmed by several other people.

In Bayonne, yesterday afternoon, three were seen. A peacekeeper, Mr. Corrions, who was in the Halles district, observed these three motionless craft, arranged in a triangle and slightly oval in shape. They were, he said, the size of a rugby ball and appeared to be at a considerable height.

In Le Puy, only one cigar, but the end was, it seems, glowing.

In Clermont-Ferrand, the same probably left behind a pink trail; in Langeac (Haute-Loire), it was a white glow.

In Epinal, it is no longer a cigar but a yellow saucer, "surrounded by a paler ring".

In the Charente-Maritime, three fishermen and a customs officer saw the other night a formation of three saucers which was scouring, while that with binoculars, yesterday afternoon, in Villebois-Lavalette (Charente), Mrs. Faubert and Miss Forgeron clearly distinguished a "slightly conical" cigar.

In the Limousin, terror reigns. In Roches (Creuse), the children no longer dare to go to school alone: a man of strange appearance who is hiding in thickets was seen. Two young shepherdesses also saw him near Chamboulève (Corrèze). One wonders whether the "Martian" who, the other day, kissed a Bugeat farmer and left without saying a word on board his saucer, left a companion who wanders through the Limousin maquis. The gendarmes are looking for the "Martian", but have not yet encountered him...

New invasion of flying cigars in the sky of France
Witnesses claim: "They had the dimension of a rugby ball"

Bayonne, September 25. -- Residents of Bayonne claim to have seen, this afternoon, very high in the sky, in the north-eastern direction, three mysterious objects of light color, contrasting on the pure sky at this hour there.

A policeman, Mr. Carrions, who was in the district of the Halles, observed these three motionless machines, laid out in triangle, of slightly oval shape. They had, he said, the dimension of a rugby ball and appeared to be at a considerable height.

Passersby stated to have seen the same luminous objects in other places.

In the Meurthe et Moselle

Several tens of workmen of "Sidelor" living the area of Lantefontaine-les-Baroches (Meurthe et Moselle) claim to have seen in the sky, six flying cigars, between 04:30 and 05:30. "We initially saw, they stated, two "cigars" then four other apparatuses came to join the two first. All remained perfectly motionless one moment to finally disappear instantaneously." These statements are confirmed by several other people.

In Le Puy

Mrs Chaumard, living in the La Girette district in Le Puy, saw in the sky, a machine having the shape of a cigar, reddish at an end. Silent and appearing motionless, she managed to observe the machine during nearly a quarter of an hour, then the "cigar" suddenly disappeared by taking altitude.

In the sky of the Auvergne

Clermont Ferrand. -- Six residents of Langeac (the Haute Loire) saw a white gleam moving in the sky in direction of the ground.

A resident of Gelles (the Puy de Dôme), Mrs widow Melles claims to have seen in the sky, a luminous machine of lengthened form "of the cigar kind". The craft moved silently. A resident of Clermont Ferrand gathered mushrooms: he saw in the sky at high altitude, a luminous trail "slightly pink colored".

Rugby players, training in the Vichy stadium, saw a flying cigar.

Near La Rochelle

La Rochelle. -– At La Charron – (the Charente Maritime), three fishermen and a a customs observer state to have seen, during one of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers moving very low and flying over the shore, before disappearing.

The sky of France is furrowed by "cigars" and "flying saucers"

Paris. September 25. -- From several localities of France, the appearance of "cigars" or "flying saucers" in the sky is reported.

Thus in Charron (the Charente-Maritime), three fishermen and a customs officer state to have seen during one of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers evolving very low and flying over the shore before disappearing.

In Bayonne, inhabitants claim to have seen, very high in the sky, three mysterious objects of clear color, contrasting with the sky. A police officer, Mr. Corrions, observed these three motionless machines, laid out in triangle, of slightly oval form. "They had, he said, the dimension

(Read ahead on page 2)

The whole "truth"
on the "Martians"

The partial explanation we gave yesterday of "flying cigars" did not stop the round of "saucers". Almost everywhere, mysterious craft still caught the eyes of witnesses who all say they did not dream.

They have hair on their faces
and eyes like "crow's egg"

The most extraordinary adventure of the day occurred Tuesday, at 4 a.m., to Mr. Pierre Lucas, a baker from Loctudy, in the Finistère.

Mr. Lucas was busy fetching water from the bakery courtyard when he suddenly saw a craft in the shape of a 2 m 50 to 3 m diameter saucer during the night. He saw an individual about 1 m 20 tall come out of it, who approached and tapped him on the shoulder (no doubt, by hoisting himself on tiptoe), articulating unintelligible words. The worker baker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakery where the individual 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 could come down, the stranger had disappeared, as well as his saucer, of which no trace was found.

They dress in red

The "Martians" also seem to want to visit Italy. A fisherman from Roverbella, in the province of Mantua, said he was approached, still on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, by a "mysterious individual", dressed in red, who allegedly told "unintelligible words" to him, and quickly went away, before the fisherman had time to call his wife.

In Mantua, moreover, traffic was interrupted for more than an hour 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 rapid moves, the craft, of spherical shape - and which, according to certain witnesses, was part of "a formation of flying saucers" - remained motionless in the sky for a while, before disappearing on the horizon.

They function with nitro-benzine

"Saucers" also in the sky of the Massif Central. Tuesday afternoon, a "mysterious craft" was seen 10 km from Beaumont, moving east. The witnesses declared that the object approached them and became less and less brilliant. When it was only 150 meters away, they felt a "curious feeling" and were nailed to the spot. At that time there was a smell of nitro-benzine. Soon the craft moved away. The discomfort ceased and the "saucer" disappeared.

Another saucer was seen above the Chanturgue hill, near Clermont. It moved vertically and was bright white.

They draw a map of the earth

"According to all the available information, the occupants of the saucers draw the map of the entire surface of the earth" said for his part, most seriously in the world, Mr. Fletcher, vice-president of the astronomers of Kenya.

"Visitors from another world are observing the earth. They have recently turned their attention to East Africa. The most encouraging feature of the case is that unidentified flying objects do not appear to be piloted by beings with hostile intentions towards the inhabitants of our planet", Mr. Fletcherestimates, formulating his hypothesis following the deluge of information provided by many Europeans, Asians and Africans established in Kenya, and refusing to believe that all these "witnesses" are victims of hallucination.

They take samples

Among these "witnesses", a Frenchman, Mr. Jean Allary, farmer in the Charente.

Sunday evening, getting home, around 11:15 p.m., while riding a moped on the Departmental Road 16, he suddenly saw in the beam of his headlight a strange craft on the roadside. He was afraid and did not stop. When he looked back ten meters away, he saw nothing. It was a barrel about 1.50 m. in diameter and 1.50 m. in height, which, he said, swayed as if it had been mounted on a [??]. The barrel was brown in color, studded with yellow "nails" that shone in the light.

After the "saucer" and the "cigar", here is the "flying barrel". In the "other world", one seems to appreciate this drink that we call "wine" on earth. Perhaps an astute "Martian" took advantage of the harvest to come to our planet to "fill up" with an adequate machine...

They turn the tables

Maybe... But there are better things in "Martian" squadrons than barrels...

A Concarneau beer merchant, claims to have seen on his side, in the sky, two luminous discs "in the form of round tables prolonged of a kind of tail." One of the disks was stationary, while the other was moving nearby. The two discs disappeared after ten minutes, after launching a rocket.

In Saint-Brieuc, several residents saw a "flying saucer" which took the form of a cigar, before disappearing. They were able to observe it for over an hour.

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

Near La Rochelle, also, ten "luminous objects" moving at a very high speed, were spotted. Mr. and Mrs. Guillemoteau even saw, about a meter from the ground, just in front of their farm, a "spherical saucer" which could measure from 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 climbed 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.

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."

AS THE MARTIANS
Take us seriously...

Definitely, the abundance of materials will push us to create a new chronicle: that of flying saucers. It seems that they are no longer just flying. They land, level off, change shape, leave oil traces on the ground, give off a smell of nitro-benzine, let out purple, greenish flames. They are one meter in diameter, 2,3, 10. They move horizontally, vertically, immobilize, vanish.

They have furry passengers like monkeys who enter a baker's bakery, tap a cultivator on the shoulder; beings the size of children. This time, we have more details. Let us rejoice deeply: they have not yet caused harm to anyone. Our visitors, for sure, are almost ready to break the ice.

Let's wait with serenity.

But before this historic hour strikes strong souls no longer dare to look up at the sky without emotion: "It it my turn to see a saucer?"

Planes of Koksijde, which run along the coast, balloons - meteorological probes, fanciful meteors of which Sénèque - already - had described the whims, shooting stars, full or half-full moon when you find yourself gathered in the big celestial concert you must laugh at the people of the earth!

Because today the testimonies are such that nobody is thinking about you anymore.

Go pretend that the orange disc identified by Mr. Julien Bédié, Mr. and Mrs. Quennehen was not a saucer; go pretend to Mrs. Nelly Mansart that she was not literally chased on the road from Hérissart, to Amiens by a dazzling ball which followed her car, bypassing the villages, resuming hunting at their exit, stopping when the car stopped, leaving at the same time as it, that its terrors were in vain... Might as well promise the moon.

In the Somme where sky users become invasive, from Saint-Just to Boves, from Montières to Dreuil, from Rainneville to Amiens, in Brittany, to Saint-Brieuc and Trégueux, in the Vendée, at Thouare-sur-Vie, in the Finistère in Quimper, the daily quota of new visions fuels the myth. Once again let us do so, let us welcome with a wide smirk the accumulation of this new form of testimonies from the beyond.

If it were to be true that beings from other planets would be busy raising, as a scientist from Kenya put it - that's all that far! - the map of the earth, let's not bother them in their work.

Better, shave our mountains, divert the course of our rivers to the best of our industrial aspirations, fertilize the deserts, in short, let us work hard for the good of humanity to change the appearance of this earth. No doubt this will not go unnoticed by the Martians. And that they will take all the time they want to play this card.

Lady, you have to be sure of yourself to change the planet.

And above all, let's take a serious look at our astrology.

Jean HAUTEFEUILLE

A FORMATION OF
FLYING SAUCERS
NEAR LA ROCHELLE

In la Charron (Charente-Maritime), three fishermen and a customs officer declare having seen, a formation of flying saucers moving very low and flying over the shore before disappearing.

September 24, 1954

05:00 a.m.: Charron (25 km N.E. La Rochelle--Charente Maritime)

Now here is a series of articles that Daniel Vidal of Nîmes sent us. This young boy, well known to the VERONICA group had to carry out a long and painstaking research work in the archive of the newspaper "Midi-Libre" in order to be able to communicate to us these articles and we congratulate him.

- The sky of France is furrowed with "cigars" and "flying saucers"

Paris, September 25 - In several localities in France, there is the appearance of "cigars" or "flying saucers" in the sky.

Thus in Charron (Charente-Maritime), three fishermen and a customs officer declare having seen during one of these last nights, a formation of flying saucers moving very low and flying over the shore before disappearing.

In Bayonne, locals say they saw high up in the sky three mysterious objects of clear hue, sharply visible on the sky. A peace officer, Mr. Carrions, observed these three immobile craft set in triangle, of slightly oval shape.

"They had, he said, the size of a rugby ball and seemed to be at a considerable height."

In the Meurthe-et-Moselle, dozens of workers from "Sidelor" living in the region of Lantéfontaine-les-Baroches (M-and-M) claim to have seen six "flying cigars" in the sky between 4:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m.

"We first saw, they said, two "cigars", then after four other craft joined the first two, all remained motionless to finally disappear instantly."

In Le Puy, Mrs. Chaumard, living in the Trinité district, saw in the sky a craft in the shape of a cigar glowing red at one end, silent and motionless. She was able to observe the craft hovering nearly fifteen minutes, then the "cigar" suddenly disappeared while gaining altitude.

The same observations were made by six residents of Langeac (Haute-Loire) and several others from Les Gelles (Puy-de-Dôme) or Clermont-Ferrand. In this region, rugby players at the Vichy stadium, saw a "flying cigar".

In the Aveyron

From Villefranche de Rouergue in the Aveyron, an owner of Vabre-Tizac, Mr. Marre, is reported to have seen a yellow-colored mass moving southwards, without leaving behind any traces of smoke.

Mr. Marre's attention was drawn to the sound of a motor. Other inhabitants of the locality also heard the same noise from inside their house, but not having come out, they did not see the singular "mass". (Midi Libre 09/26/54.) (2-3)

Marcel Maiant [?], à Charron (Ch.-Maritime).