The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 1-Oct-54-Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
In their 1979 book, ufologists Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon briefly noted, without giving any source, that on October 1, 1954, at 08:30 p.m., in Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe in the Vosges department, several inhabitants observed a cigar in the sky, shooting bright white lights and heading north.
The ufology group of the North-East of France "CNEGU" then noted, in 1986, in their catalog published by the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit, the observation of Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe on Friday, October 1, 1954, at 08:30 p.m. local time, witnessed by Mr. Paul Cloarec, 34, of Saulceray, and Mr. René Mathis. Their source is indicated to be an article in the newspaper La Liberté de l'Est for October 4, 1954, whose full text was given as:
"Two inhabitants of SAINT-MICHEL saw a flying saucer. In the evening of Friday between 08:30 p.m. and 08:45 p.m., Mr. Paul CLOAREC, aged 34, mason with the company of public works Charles BRUGHORT in SAINT DIE and domiciled in the hamlet of SAULCERAY in SAINT-MICHEL-SUR-MEURTHE had just gone to bed when he was suddenly called by his neighbor, Mr. Rene MATHIS, husband of the teacher of the hamlet born Marguerite DIEUDONNE. Mr. Rene MATHIS had just seen in the dark sky one of these luminous machines which one took habit to call flying saucer. It was the third consecutive time at appreciably the same hour that Mr. Rene MATHIS returning from taking care of his animals and fearing to be taken for a visionary, he made a point of having a witness with him. Thus the two men could look during 5 to 6 minutes at the machine evolving towards the VOIVRE, high in the sky, "You would have believed", entrusted Paul CLOAREC to us, "an oval lengthened form launching white gleams, very sharp, which flickered. It was as if a workman had made arc welding. But the saucer moved towards the North where it ended disappearing. It did not make any noise." Mr. Paul CLOAREC is decided, besides, to do like René MATHIS. He will watch for it every evening while being surrounded of other neighbors to be sure that it is not a matter of hallucination. (This phenomenon has been occurring at fixed hour for several days.)"
CNEGU commented by pointing out that this was about a repetitive phenomenon at a regular hour, and that the continuation is not known.
[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that on October 1, 1954 at 08:30 p.m., in Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe in the Vosges, several inhabitants observed a cigar in the sky, which launched very sharp white gleams and moved towards the north.
[Ref. lbs1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
|
16°) CASE Nr F/98/88541001 (01)
SAINT-MICHEL-SUR-MEURTHE - FRIDAY OCTOBER 1, 1954
8:30 p.m. local time
Witnesses: Mr. Paul CLOAREC, 34 years old (SAULCERAY) Mr. René MATHIS
Sources: La Liberté de l'Est article of 10/04/1954
"Observation in SAINT-MICHEL SUR MEURTHE (Vosges)
Two inhabitants of SAINT-MICHEL saw a flying saucer. On Friday evening between 8:30 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., Mr. Paul COAREC, 34 years old mason at the public works company Charles BRUGHORT in SAINT DIE and domiciled in the hamlet of SAULCERAY in SAINT-MICHEL SUR MEURTHE had just gone to bed when he was suddenly called by his neighbour, Mr. René MATHIS husband of the hamlet teacher born marguerite DIEUDONNE. Mr. René MATHIS had just seen in the dark sky one of these luminous craft which we use to calling a flying saucer. It was the third time in a row at roughly the same time as Mr. René MATHIS returning from giving the last care to his animals and fearing to be taken for a visionary, he wanted to have a witness with him. Thus the two men were able to watch for 5 to 6 minutes the craft moving towards the VOIVRE, high in the sky. "One would have believed told us Paul CLOAREC, an elongated oval shape throwing very bright white lights which flashed. It was as if a worker had done electric arc welding. But the saucer was moving towards the north where it ended up disappearing. It didn't make the slightest noise. Mr. Paul CLOAREC has moreover decided to do like René MATHIS. He goes to watch each evening, surrounding himself with other neighbors to be sure that it is not a hallucination. (This phenomenon repeated at fixed times for several days).
(Full article.
Comments: A repetitive phenomenon at constant times! We do not know what happens next.
[Ref. lbs2:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "LA LIGNE BLEUE SURVOLEE?":
| Num. | DATE | PLACE | TIME | SHORT DESCRIPTION | 1234 | SOURCES | EXPLANATIONS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10/01/1954 | SAINT-MICHEL-SUR-MEURTHE | 08:30 p.m. | Oval luminous phenomenon casting very bright white lights. Moving North. Several witnesses. Phenomenon observed on several consecutive days at a fixed time. | ...X | Airplane?? |
[Ref. cnu1:] CNEGU:
CNEGU notes that their case F/98/88541001 (01) is in Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe, on Friday, October 1, 1954, at 08:30 p.m. local time, the witnesses being Mr. Paul CLOAREC, aged 34, of Saulceray, and Mr. Rene MATHIS. The source is an article in La Liberté de l'Est for October 4, 1954, the entire article being:
"Observation in SAINT-MICHEL-SUR-MEURTHE (Vosges)"
"Two inhabitants of SAINT-MICHEL saw a flying saucer. In the evening of Friday between 08:30 p.m. and 08:45 p.m., Mr. Paul CLOAREC, aged 34, mason with the company of public works Charles BRUGHORT in SAINT DIE and domiciled in the hamlet of SAULCERAY in SAINT-MICHEL-SUR-MEURTHE had just gone to bed when he was suddenly called by his neighbor, Mr. Rene MATHIS, husband of the teacher of the hamlet born Marguerite DIEUDONNE. Mr. Rene MATHIS had just seen in the dark sky one of these luminous machines which one took habit to call flying saucer. It was the third consecutive time at appreciably the same hour that Mr. Rene MATHIS returning from taking care of his animals and fearing to be taken for a visionary, he made a point of having a witness with him. Thus the two men could look during 5 to 6 minutes at the machine evolving towards the VOIVRE, high in the sky, "You would have believed", entrusted Paul CLOAREC to us, "an oval lengthened form launching white gleams, very sharp, which flickered. It was as if a workman had made arc welding. But the saucer moved towards the North where it ended disappearing. It did not make any noise." Mr. Paul CLOAREC is decided, besides, to do like René MATHIS. He will watch for it every evening while being surrounded of other neighbors to be sure that it is not a matter of hallucination. (This phenomenon has been occurring at fixed hour for several days.)"
CNEGU comments by pointing out that this is about a repetitive phenomenon at a regular hour, and that the continuation is not known.
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
19 - Case of Remiremont, Vosges
Page 178, their version [that of Barthel and Brucker [bbr1]] of this case is as follows:
"That same day in Remiremont, if we are to believe L’Est Républicain, it was around a hundred people visiting the fair-exhibition who observed... what we believed to be a flying saucer which released a trail of smoke in its wake... Inquiries taken, what was believed to be a UFO was only a balloon released for the occasion".
"That same day" refers to Sunday, October 3, 1954, a memorable day at the time, because a plethora of observations were made at different places in France, particularly in the East, in Moselle more precisely. L'Est Républicain (undated, therefore another borrowing from a casual author or more probably from an incomplete file), is a title that did not exist in 1954. At that time it was was still called Le Lorrain, and did not become L'Est Républicain until several years later, even though some of its inside pages bear this title at the top.
All the October 1954 issues of this daily were scrutinized by me page by page at the B.N. de Versailles [National Library], in vain. That of October 5 includes a substantial article on the events of October 3, but none related to Remiremont. I also checked La Liberté de l'Est, which covers this city, with no more success. In its issue of October 4, we find the one and only observation made in the Remiremont sector on October 3, in the hamlet of Saulceray, commune of St. Michel-sur-Meurthe, but it is unrelated to that put forward by our couple of censors.
Figuet's catalogue, no more than Michel's M.O.C., mention an incident in Remiremont for that day, nor on any other date, moreover, at least for 1954. It is the expression "Fair-Exposition" which will put me on track. In Le Lorrain of October 14, page 5, we can read the following:
"One remains skeptical about the presence of a mysterious craft above the Metz Fair (Sunday October 10 - Author's note). A luminous circle was caught in the beam of a military searchlight for several hours. In high places, an investigation was ordered. The person in charge of the Army stand, a commander, was instructed to transmit a report to the hierarchy."
The content of this report was never released to the press.
On the other hand, in Le Lorrain of October 16, page 7, a short text appeared which ended with this sentence: "There is no reason to take into consideration the information in this particular case". No explanation was given, so the B& B explanation is imaginary!
In other words, B & B have offered their readers authentic fiction! Let's do the count, according to the "information taken" by our two debunkers. We have: an undated inaccurate reference, a wrong city, a wrong date, and a bogus solution!
It is to believe that Monnerie did not read the manuscript, since he writes on page 13: "The concern of my friends (B & B - NdA), is precision".
You bet Joe! I would rather say: it's the IMAGINATION!
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
3895: 1954/10/01 20:30 3 6:53:00 E 48:19:00 N 3333 WEU FRN VSG 7:9
St-MICHEL-sur-MEURTHE,FR:SVRL OBS:CGR SHOOTS LITE BEAMS:HIGH ALT:GOES >N
Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 106 : TOWN &CITY
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that on October 1, 1954, in France, in St Michel sur Meurthe, "towards 08:30 p.m., several residents observe high in the sky a cigar launching white sharp gleams and moving towards the north."
The source is indicated as "M. FIGUET/ J.L. RUCHON: 'Ovni, Premier dossier complet...' éd. Alain Lefeuvre 1979, p. 106".
[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
On this Day
October 1
[...]
1954 - At 8:30 p.m. several inhabitants of St-Michel-sur-Meurthe, France saw a cigar-shaped object in the sky with very bright white lights fly towards the north. (Source: Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 106).
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Vosges in St Michel sur Meurthe, on October 1, 1954, at 20:30 hours, "several residents observe in the sky a cigar launching very sharp white gleams and moving towards the north."
The source is indicated as "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".
[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":
*Oct. 1, 1954 - At 8:30 p.m. several inhabitants of St-Michel-sur-Meurthe, France saw a cigar-shaped object in the sky with very bright white lights fly towards the north. (Source: Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 106).
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541001 | 01.10.1954 | St. Michel Meurthe | France | 20.30 | NL |
|
The moon set at 7:42 p.m., Venus set at 7:11 p.m., Jupiter set in the afternoon.
Mars, very bright, was at 198° 10' (South-South-East), elevation 14° 21' and set at 230° (East-Southeast) at 11:08 p.m.. It is to the south, and one could have clumsily said that it was going northwards. The setting down hours are to be put into perspective, they are visually earlier, because the village does not have a flat horizon.
The two bright stars, capable of causing misinterpretations, are Cappella, at 33° 54' (North-Northeast), elevation 14° 17', and Arcturus, at 287° 25' (North-North-West), elevation 10° 35'.
So, it is possible that it was Mars, or Arcturus; but the data is not specific enough to get any certainty about that.
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Saint-Michel-sur-Meurthe, Vosges, multiple, night, duration, repetition, Paul Cloarec, René Mathis, mason, luminous, lengthened, white, flickering, silent
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | March 6, 2007 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 12, 2009 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1]. |
| 1.0a | Patrick Gross | Novemebr 12, 2009 | Correction of the broken link to this page. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | January 2, 2017 | Additions [ubk11]. |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | July 22, 2019 | Additions [lhh1], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet, probably astronomical." |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | June 9, 2022 | Additions [lbs1], [lbs2]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | July 5, 2022 | Addition [jsr1]. |
