The article below was published in the daily newspaper L'Est Républicain, France, on October 1, 1954.
See the case file here.
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Doctor Martinet, a dermatologist in Chambéry, considered to be a methodical, observant and balanced mind, did not believe until last week in the existence of flying saucers. And he shrugged every time he was told about these mysterious machines.
Former observer of artillery, with the rank of captain, the physician has just been struck by an observation of which he entrusted us in detail. He also sent a copy of the report which will follow, with evem more details, to the prefecture of Savoy.
Here are the facts:
"It was about 5:12 p.m. last Sunday (September 26).
"My family and I were returning by car from the Col du Chat, above Aix-les-Bains, when suddenly I caught sight at the Croix du Nivollet, about two thousand meters of altitude, at the limit of the foggy zone, of a gray aluminum mass.
"I stopped my vehicle, and three other cars followed me did the same and we followed the evolutions of the "saucer." It was then 5 hours 14 minutes 30 seconds p.m..
"First of all, I thought of a whirlwind, but the wind was blowing from the northwest and the phenomenon came from the south.
"Thirty seconds later, when we were about fifteen people watching the saucer, it came down in "falling dead leaf" manner and then presented itself in the form of a hollow plate whose relief was turned upwards.
"At last, at 5:16 p.m., when it presented itself from the front, that is to say, in the form of a perfect disc, we could see that the lighter part occupied the center of the whole and that dark spots were all around.
"After that, the saucer came in line with the station of the Revard cable car, descended a bit then suddenly disappeared like a flash.
"According to the angles under which we observed it, it changed color, going from the dark gray to the lighter gray.
"It was exactly 5 hours 18 minutes 40 seconds p.m. when it disappeared.
"The phenomenon lasted a little more than four minutes, which allowed me to record on a notebook the different steps of its maneuvers and to timing them."
The doctor made a sketch of the tormented trajectory the saucer followed. A sketch he communicated us with his descriptions.
