The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 19-sep-54-Beal.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In his 1958 book about the 1954 French flap, Aimé Michel indicated that on September 19, 1954, after 04:30 p.m., a number of picnickers at the pass of Béal at 1400 meters of altitude between the Puy-de-Dome and the Loire departments observed a phenomenon described as follows by Miss Delaire and two sisters, Marie-Christine and Madeleine Gauthier, resident of Vertolaye in the Puy-de-Dome:
A flat circular object of gray color and metallic appearance suddenly appeared towards the north. It slowed down, stopped during about thirty seconds while oscillating, then set out again, went above the witnesses in direction of the North-West, accelerated quickly and was lost of sight.
Two motorcyclists who were crossing the pass confirmed the account of the picnickers. Michel said.
Many ufological sources repeated this, or summarized it even more. In the 1970s, ufologist Jean Giraud gave a version sourced La Montagne, Aurillac edition of September 22, 1954, stating that the case was not investigated:
On Sunday, September 19, 1954 at 04:30 p.m. at the Pas de la Croix, between Brugeron and the Col de Béal in the Puy-de-Dôme department, two tourists had observed an elongated machine, metallic gray, moving at low altitude, silently and seeming to be touching the ground for a moment. It had swayed for about thirty seconds, started again slowly and then "disappeared" quickly towards Clermont-Ferrand. Two motorcyclists had also witnessed this.
Later I found the brief version published in Paris-Presse on September 22, 1954; which constitutes at least one contemporary source.
[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":
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CLERMONT-FERRAND, September 21 (part. envoy.) - Another flying cigar! Five people saw it while it was flying low over the region.
On an excursion near the Col du Béal on the road to the Brugeron, Miss Delaire and the sisters Marie-Christine and Madeleine Gauthier saw it, they say, move in the sky. It was gray in color. They first took it for a plane, but it made no noise.
Two motorcyclists also saw it swing for around thirty seconds and start slowly, then accelerate its pace and disappear in the sky towards Clermont-Ferrand. When it passed over them they noticed that it was round, flattened and about twenty meters in diameter.
A resident of Moulin also saw, in Rougires [sic], a flying cigar and a few seconds later, a second object in the shape of a globe. This globe, very bright, flew in a circle in 15 seconds and quickly took the direction of the Southeast.
[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:
Aimé Michel indicates that on September 19, 1954, after 04:30 p.m., a number of picnickers at the pass of Béal at 1400 meters of altitude between the Puy-de-Dome and the Loire observed a phenomenon described as follows by Miss Delaire and two sisters, Marie-Christine and Madeleine Gauthier, resident of Vertolaye in the Puy-de-Dome:
A flat circular object of gray color and metallic appearance suddenly appeared towards the north.
It slowed down, stopped during about thirty seconds while oscillating, then set out again, went above the witnesses in direction of the North-West, accelerated quickly and was lost of sight.
Two motorcyclists who were crossing the pass confirmed the account of the picnickers.
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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September 19, [1954]
04:30 p.m.: Col du Béal (Région d'Ambert--Puy-de-Dôme)
[Ref. jve6:] JACQUES VALLEE:
Jacques Vallée says that in France on September 19, 1954, a flat gray circular object that appeared metallic suddenly appeared in the north, slowed, stopped, remained motionless for about 30 secondes during which it swayed back and forth, and after a half minute it went off in a north-western direction.
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 125 | -003.78630 | 45.68400 | 19 | 09 | 1954 | 16 | 30 | 101 | COL DU BEAL | F | 3016 | C | 090 |
[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":
The magazine indicates that on September 19, 1954, numerous tourists at Col-du-Béal in a location named "Le-Cas-de-Croix", saw a flat round object flew abobe their head and go in the direction of Clermont-Ferrand. The magazine indicate Aimé Michel and the regional newspaper La Montagne for September 21, 1954, as sources.
[Ref. jgd1:] JEAN GIRAUD:
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- 42 -
DATE 09/19/1954
HOUR 04:30 p.m.
PLACE Brugeron Ambert (Puy de Dôme)
WITNESSES Four people
THE FACTS.
That Sunday, at the Pas de la Croix, between Brugeron and the Pass of Béal, two tourists observed an elongated machine, metallic gray which moved at low altitude. It was silent and seemed to be touching the ground for a moment. It swayed for thirty seconds, started slowly and then disappeared quickly towards Clermont. Two moped riders also witnessed the sighting.
SOURCES.
Regional press "La Montagne Aurillac" for 09/22/1954
INVESTIGATION.
No investigation done.
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors report that on September 19, 1954 at 04:30 p.m., at the location "Pas de la Croix" on the road to Béal pass, two tourists observed an elongated machine, of gray metal, which evolved at a low altitude. It was silent and appeared per moment to touch the ground. It balanced about thirty seconds loke this, set out slowly, accelerated and disappeared quickly in the direction to Clermont. Two motorcycle riders were also witness of the phenomenon. They indicate as source the newspaper "La Montagne" of Aurillac and the "INFO OVNI" Auvergne landings catalog.
The sources are indicated as La Montagne, of aurillac, for 09/22/54; and "Catalogue d'Observations, atterrissages en Auvergne, Info-OVNI".
[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:
| CASE Nr | CLASSIFICATION | DATE | HOUR | PLACE | ZIP CODE | CREDIBILITY SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68 | CE0 | 19 09 1954 | 16.30 | le Brugeron (près de) | 63112 C6 | P-RS, OVNI: p. 79 |
[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:
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September 19th.
Just north of Vichy and approximately in the center of France is the village of Rongers [sic] where a bright elliptical UFO crossed the sky at 4:30 the afternoon of September 19th. A second UFO quickly followed the first, zipping by directly overhead, the object clearly revealed its circular outline. Instead of ignoring the village like the earlier UFO, this object braked to a stop, made a big orbit of the community, and then swiftly left on a southeastly course.
Moments later at Beal Pass, some 40 miles southeast of Rongers, three sisters having a picnic, Mme. Delaire, Madeline [sic] Gauthier, and Marie Christine; sighted a gray metallic-looking disc come out of the northern sky and hover within easy viewing distance. The women watched as the flat object hovered for approximately half a minute, swaying gently, until it sped away in the direction of Clermont-Ferrand.
A couple of motorcyclists passing by at the time added their testimony to that of the sisters.
Another such object appeared at Montlucon at the same time. Montlucon is about 70 miles northwest of Beal Pass. 93.
The source "93" is indicated further on as: "Michel, Aime. Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery. p.62."
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
3795: 1954/09/19 16:30 1 3:47:00 E 45:41:40 N 3333 WEU FRN PDD 6:8
COL-DU-BEAL,FR:4 OBS:MTLC GREY SCR STOPS/30 SEC:ZOOMS>NW:a remote mtn. pass
Ref# 2 VALLEE:UFOS IN SPACE:Anatomy/phenon. Page No. 96 : FARMLANDS
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, on September 19, in France, at the Pas de la Croix - Brugeron, towards 04:30 p.m. "two tourists observe a lengthened object, metallic-gray, which moves at low altitude. It is silent and appears at certain moment to touch the ground. It swings like this during 30 seconds, starts slowly and disappears quickly in the direction to Clermont. Two motocycle riders are also witness of the phenomenon."
The sources are indicated as "M. FIGUET/J.L. RUCHON: 'Ovni, le premier dossier complet..' - Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979, p. 81".
[Ref. amn1:] AUGUSTE MEESSEN:
Auguste Meessen indicates that on September 19, 1954 towards 16:30, a series of people who has a picnic at the Bréal [sic, Béal] pass, saw in the sky an object circular, flat, of gray color and metallic appearence. It arrived quickly, stopped and swung slightly during about thirty seconds, then accelerated and disappeared quickly.
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the "Puy de Dômes" in Brugeron on September 19, 1954 at 16:30 hours, "At the place called Pas de la croix on the road of the Béal pass, two tourists observe a lengthened, gray machine metal which moves at low altitude. It is silent and appears, by moment, to touch the ground. It swings like that about thirty seconds, starts slowly, accelerates and disappears quickly in the direction of Clermont. Two motor-cycle riders are also witness of the phenomenon."
Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** éd. Alain Lefeuvre 1979".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 19 September 1954 at 16:30 in Col Du Beal, France, "Hovered for 30 seconds. Flat grey circular object, accelerated rapidly to northwest ." And: "A hovering object was observed. One metallic disc was observed by six female witnesses on a farm for over one minute (Delaire)."
The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Preliminary Catalog (N = 500), (in JVallee01); Vallee, Jacques, Anatomy of a Phenomenon, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1965; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Sep. 19, 1954 - At 4:30 p.m. five women in Col du Beal, Puy-de-Dome, France saw a flat gray, metallic disc-shaped object that hovered for 30 seconds, then accelerated rapidly and flew away to the northwest. (Source: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 62).
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case three times:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19540919 | 19.09.1954 | Col Beal | France | 16.30 | ||||||
| 19540919 | 19.09.1954 | Col Beal | France | 16.30 | ||||||
| 19540919 | 19.09.1954 | Col Beal | France | 16.30 | DD |
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A possibility of misinterpretation would be that of an explanation similar to that of the case of La Croix de Nivollet: a flock of birds.
Another possibility would be that of a helicopter; which must have been far enough, or under unfavorable wind direction, not to be heard... unless the two motorcyclists covered the noise.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Col du Béal, Puy-de-Dôme, object, craft, Le-Pas-de-Croix, multiple, object, round, flat, overhead, Marie-Christine Gauthier, Madeleine Gauthier, Delaire, stationnary, acceleration, manoeuver, daylight, grey
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 23, 2006 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | June 16, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | January 14, 2010 | Addition [amn1]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | June 17, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | July 6, 2010 | Addition [jve6]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | November 15, 2014 | Addition [nip1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | January 29, 2017 | Addition [ubk1]. |
| 1.6 | Patrick Gross | September 26, 2019 | Additions [jgd1], [mft1], [lhh1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet. Flock of birds?" |
| 1.7 | Patrick Gross | December 22, 2019 | Addition [ppe1]. |
| 1.8 | Patrick Gross | March 11, 2021 | Addition [gqy1]. |
| 1.9 | Patrick Gross | April 8, 2022 | Addition [lgs1]. |
