The article below was published in the daily newspaper La Croix du Nord, Lille, Pas-de-Calais, France, pages 1 and 8, September 30, 1954.
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Either the most skeptical will soon have to face the facts, or we are currently witnessing a curious phenomenon of collective hallucination from Sweden to the South of France..., unless it is a matter of a vast farce. Everywhere cigars and discs crisscross the sky. They even made a victim in the Redon region. Messrs Gérard, mechanic and Paroux, driver, who were driving a high-speed locomotive from Nantes, saw Tuesday evening, as they passed through the town of Saint-Nicolas-de-Redon, "a craft that rose from neighboring swamps." Whereas the mechanic remained calm, the driver, however, was so frightened that he fell ill and had to undergo a medical examination Wednesday morning. Twice, on the other hand, "Martians" have been seen.
The first, a kind of "diver", was reportedly seen on the road from Cenon to Vouneuil (Vienne) on September 9, 10 p.m., by Mr. Yves David, 23 years old, farmer in the town.
The "diver" came to caress his arm, emitted unintelligible sounds and withdrew towards a craft that Mr. David could not describe and which disappeared silently in the sky while projecting a green luminous beam.
The second "Martian" was very small and oddly dressed. He was reportedly seen by a resident of Valence who was walking near Chabeuil (Drôme). Mrs. L. clarified that she first thought she saw a cellophane scarecrow. The accompanying dog barked furiously, overcome with terror. Mrs. L. then saw rising from the cornfield which bordered the road, a disc from which came a whistling sound. Local peasants claim that there is a circular trace of about 3 meters, with lying ears of corn and broken branches at the edge.
Continued on the last page,
in the third column, under the title
"SAUCERS"
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In addition to these exceptional encounters, there is a real aerial carousel in the sky of the Dauphiné.
In the departments of Rhône, Isère, Drôme and Savoie, many people claim to have seen, in recent days, with more or less clarity, craft having either the form of cigars or those of discs.
In the Arbresle region, one of these witnesses, director of a Parisian music hall, even filmed one of these mysterious craft which was evolving at a height estimated by him at around 700 meters. We will thus know, after development of the film, whether or not it is an optical illusion.
And everywhere we claim to have seen saucers: that makes a total of at least a hundred testimonies.
The Southeast is not the only sector affected by the "invasion". Similar descriptions are reported from the regions of Toulouse and Perpignan.
Finally, a luminous sphere is said to have been photographed Tuesday evening in Bjuv, in the south-east of Sweden.
In the vast international saraband of saucers, the Nord region has recently featured with the adventure of Quarouble. In good capital, Lille could not stay behind. Yes, laugh good people... Lille now also has its saucer or cigar... unless it is a disc.
About twenty people from Lille - everyone knows they are reasonable people and hardly subject to hallucinations - saw Wednesday evening, around 8:30 p.m., a mysterious craft which moved in the sky. Always the same green glow and the same silence.
The observers of one evening were gathered near the Porte de Béthune.
One can laugh, one can call people jokers or more wickedly hallucinated... these facts happen all the same very often and in many latitudes. April's Fool lasts only 24 hours.
And let us hope that the "Martians" - if Martians there are - are understanding and peaceful. Otherwise beware! because they seem to have strong aviation.
