The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.
Reference for this case: 28-Sep-54-Cuges.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
An article by J. P. Seligmann in the regional newspaper Le Méridional for October 5, 1954, reported an observation in the wood of Cuges, near Cuges-les-Pins, in the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
Mr. Albert Sion, a night clerk at the Bristol Hotel, received the journalist at his home in the Valbarelle, in the H. L. M. [low rent social dwelling] home he occupied with his wife and two children. The journalist described him as of "calm temperament, not subject to hallucinations, having lived enough 'dire straits' to be of quiet mind, he did not believe in flying saucers and even refused to see 'science fiction' movies."
Albert Sion told him that a week ago, he was trying his motorcycle coming out of the mechanic's workshop on the road to Toulon. On his way back to Marseilles, about ten kilometers before Cuges, he took a path to the right of the road. He was driving in first gear, when the noise of the motorcycle was followed of a long whistling sound, and the engine stalled.
He was unable to get the bike back on, he leaned over to check it, and looking up, he saw a flying saucer posed 15 meters ahead of him on a mound. He said:
"It was approximately eight meters in diameter, one meter seventy in height. Of rust color, it was made of two elements of unequal size, the top one being broader than the bottom one. Exactly like two saucers joined by their edges. But the junction of the two elements formed a projection of a few centimeters of height. On this one, a shady area makes me think that loopholes were spared in the hull. The whole was topped by a cupola of an appearance identical to the body of the saucer, a half-opened cupola but which was closed back like a plane's "cockpit," without any noise.
"I was not afraid. I was on duty, during the war, on a troop carrier. I was sunk once and bombed several times. I wanted to advance towards the saucer.
"I took two steps. The third was impossible for me. It seemed that a mass weighed on me and paralyzed me. I fell seated.
"Then, I saw the saucer rise slowly, vertically. The higher element showed a very gentle rotational clockwise movement. No "landing gear": the saucer rested directly on the rocky ground of small hill. It immobilized at forty meters of altitude, marked a pause and disappeared in thirty seconds from my field of vision, while rising in an angle of 45 degrees.
"I had not heard the least noise, nor seen a smoke or any ray. However, by taking height, the saucer seemed clearer, more scintillating that on the ground.
"I was nevertheless confused. While standing up, I felt my legs were numb, I stumbled twice and hurt an ankle. The motorbike was reluctant before starting. It worked, before, in a perfect manner. The mechanic to which I carried it again, returned it to me without finding anything abnormal there; however it did not recover its correct functioning again. I had a wristwatch which, for ten years, had never "stalled." It stopped, at the same time as my motorbike, at seven hours minus ten. I gave it to repair.
"The event had proceeded within four or five minutes. It was necessary that I gained my workplace, and, I acknowledge that, not being more reassured, I fled without asking for more. I tried, this morning, to find the path but in vain.
"But I am not the same man anymore. The saucer made me as nervous as I was calm before. I used to sleep like a log; now I suffer from insomnia. At work, my colleagues think I am very changed; I ended up telling them my history which left them very skeptical... as my wife is, besides. To me there is no doubt. I report only what I saw, and I am ready to take an oath on that."
[Ref. lml1:] NEWSPAPER "LE MERIDIONAL":
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claims Mr. Albert Sion, Hotel Bristol employee
I never saw a flying saucer and, as odd as that might appear, I knew of nobody who encountered one.
Since yesterday, all is changed. I still did not see a flying saucer, but Mr. Albert Sion, luckier - a quite debatable luck as we shall see - agreed to state to me: "I encountered a flying saucer, posed on the ground, in the wood of Cuges."
Rather sensational, isn't it? They are legion, the residents of Marseilles who, scanning the sky, saw or believed to see the mysterious craft. But the landing of the said craft is recent;
J.P. SELIGMANN
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5 UNDER THE HEADLINE
I ENCOUNTERED A SAUCER
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Continued from page 1
some were noted in the North and the East. Was the South going to be frustrated? No. These last days, fields of the Gard or the Drôme were used as saucerfields. Lastly, "descending", if you will, even more, one saucer chose the wood of Cuges for a stop. The geographical map is from now on complete.
This being said, I will not be ironical about the remarks of Mr. Albert Sion without claiming however (and due) their authenticity. Mr. Sion, night employee at the hotel Bristol, received me at his place, in Valbarelle, in the H.L.M. [low rent, state sponsored] dwelling that he occupies with his wife and her two children. Of a calm temperament, not prone to hallucinations, having had in his life enough "hard times" to get a balanced temper, he did not believe in the flying saucers and even refused to attend "science fiction" movies. Until...
- I was testing my motorbike on the road of Toulon one week ago; it came out of the workshop of the mechanic. While returning towards Marseilles, ten kilometers approximately before Cuges, I engage on a path, on the right of the road. I rode in first gear, when the backfires of the motorbike were followed by a long whistling sound... and the engine stalled. Impossible to start it again. I lean to examine it, and while looking up, I see, within fifteen meters in front of me, resting on a small hill, a flying saucer.
"It was approximately eight meters in diameter, one meter seventy in height. Of rust color, it was made of two elements of unequal size, the top one being broader than the bottom one. Exactly like two saucers joined by their edges. But the junction of the two elements formed a projection of a few centimeters of height. On this one, a shady area makes me think that loopholes were spared in the hull. The whole was topped by a cupola of an appearance identical to the body of the saucer, a half-opened cupola but which was closed back like a plane's "cockpit," without any noise.
"I was not afraid. I was on duty, during the war, on a troop carrier. I was sunk once and bombed several times. I wanted to advance towards the saucer.
"I took two steps. The third was impossible for me. It seemed that a mass weighed on me and paralyzed me. I fell seated.
"Then, I saw the saucer rise slowly, vertically. The higher element showed a very gentle rotational clockwise movement. No "landing gear": the saucer rested directly on the rocky ground of small hill. It immobilized at forty meters of altitude, marked a pause and disappeared in thirty seconds from my field of vision, while rising in an angle of 45 degrees.
"I had not heard the least noise, nor seen a smoke or any ray. However, by taking height, the saucer seemed clearer, more scintillating that on the ground.
"I was nevertheless confused. While standing up, I felt my legs were numb, I stumbled twice and hurt an ankle. The motorbike was reluctant before starting. It worked, before, in a perfect manner. The mechanic to which I carried it again, returned it to me without finding anything abnormal there; however it did not recover its correct functioning again. I had a wristwatch which, for ten years, had never "stalled." It stopped, at the same time as my motorbike, at seven hours minus ten. I gave it to repair.
"The event had proceeded within four or five minutes. It was necessary that I gained my workplace, and, I acknowledge that, not being more reassured, I fled without asking for more. I tried, this morning, to find the path but in vain.
"But I am not the same man anymore. The saucer made me as nervous as I was calm before. I used to sleep like a log; now I suffer from insomnia. At work, my colleagues think I am very changed; I ended up telling them my history which left them very skeptical... as my wife is, besides. To me there is no doubt. I report only what I saw, and I am ready to take an oath on that."
[Ref. rdr1:] "RADAR" MAGAZINE:
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[Caption of photograph:] A. Sion: "The saucer took off like an ashtray."
Albert Sion, hotel employee, is a privileged person. The saucer which he encountered was posed with ground within 15 m. of him! He was riding his motorbike on a path close to Cuges, between Toulon and Marseilles, when it broke down at the same time he came face to face onto an astonishing apparatus. He explains: "I remained paralyzed at this sight." "It" had an 8 m. diameter and 2 m. height with a kind of cockpit at the top. It was of rust color and disappeared silently while turning..."
[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:
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Beginning of October [1954]
[... Other cases...]
: Cuges les Pins (Bouches-du-Rhône) (About 10/05/54?))
[... Other cases...]
[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:
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October 5, 1954: (about?): Cuges-les-Pins (near of, on rd. Toulon-Marseille--Bouches-du-Rhône):(UAP landing)
[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":
| 10/0554 | ( ) | Cuges-les-Pins | 000V2 |
[Ref. mcs1:] "MICHEL CARROUGES":
Michel Carrouges indicates that around October 15, 1954, Albert Sion, hotel employee, was riding a motorbike on a small path between Toulon and Marseilles, when he suddenly came nose to nose with a flying saucer already posed on the ground 15 meters in front of him.
Michel Carrouges indicates that his source is Radar magazine for October 17, 1954.
[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:
| 241 | -005.70861 | 43.27560 | 05 | 10 | 1954 | CUGES-LES-PINS | F | 001 | G |
[Ref. fjn1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND HENRI JULIEN:
The two well-known French ufologists bring back the article of the newspaper "Le Méridional" of October 5, 1954 by the journalist P. Seligmann in connection with an observation made by Mr. Albert S. on September 28, 1954 on the national road RN 8 at the level of the wood of Cuges-les-Pins:
The authors specify that no official survey was carried out into this observation.
"I was testing my motorbike on the road to Toulon; it came out of the workshop. While going towards Marseilles, at 10 km before Cuges, I went into a path on the right of the road. I drove in first gear. A long whistling sound succeeds to the backfires of my motorbike... and the engine stalls. Impossible to restart it. I examine it, and when I looked up, I see within 15 meters in front of me, perched on a very small hill, a "flying saucer."
"It was approximately 8 meters in diameter by 1 m 70 of height. Of rust color, it was made of two parts of unequal size, the top part being bulkier than the lower part. Exactly like two saucers joined by their edge. The junction of the two elements formed a visibly thick projection. On the projection, a shady area made me think that "portholes" were carved in the hull. The whole was topped by an half-opened cupola which shut back like the cockpit of a plane, without any noise."
"I took two steps in its direction. A third step proved impossible for me. It seemed that a mass weighed on my shoulders and paralyzed me. I fell sit."
"Then, I saw the "saucer" rise slowly vertically. The higher part showed a very soft rotational movement, clockwise. No landing gear; it must have been landed directly on the rocky ground. It became motionless at forty meters of altitude, marking a pause, and disappeared from my field of vision in thirty seconds, while rising at an angle of 45 degrees."
"I was confused. When I stood up, I felt that my legs were numb. I stumbled by twice and I hurt my ankle. The motorbike was rebellious before it finally started. My watch, which had never be late for ten years, had stopped at the same time as my motorbike, at 07:10..."
"The event proceeded into four or five minutes. I had to go to work. Not reassured at all, I fled without asking for more."
"I am not the same person anymore. The vision of this "saucer" made me as nervous as I had been calm. I, who slept like a cat, I suffer from insomnia. At work, my colleagues found me changed; I ended up telling my story to them, which left them skeptic. As was my wife, incidentally..."
[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:
4 - September 27 or 28, 6:40 p.m., Bois de Cuges, Var side.
Mr. Albert Sion, night worker at the Hotel Bristol, residing in Valbarelle in an social housing, was trying out a new motorcycle he had just bought. Suddenly, the backfires of the motorbike are followed by a long whistling sound and the engine stalls. He could not get it back on. The witness then sees 15m from him, a flying saucer perched on a mound. It was 8m in diameter, 1m70 high, rust-colored, made of two unequal parts, the top one being wider than the bottom one, a bit like two saucers joined by their edges. On the craft, a gray area evoked loopholes in the hull. The whole thing was surmounted by a half-open dome, but it folded down like an airplane cockpit in front of the witness. He took two steps towards the object, but the third was impossible. He felt paralyzed as if a mass was weighing on him, then he fell to his seat. Then the craft rose slowly vertically. No landing gear was noticed. The object stopped at about 40m, paused and disappeared in 30 seconds at an angle of 45°. No noise. No smoke. No light. The craft appeared to be a lighter color in the air than on the ground. The witness, his legs wobbly, sprained his ankle on his way back to his motorcycle. The engine of this one grumbled before starting and functioning normally. The witness' watch, which had never given any sign of failure for ten years, stopped at the same time as the motorcycle at 6:40 p.m., and had to be repaired. The motorcycle, re-examined by a mechanic, showed nothing abnormal. Since that day, the witness is no longer the same. He suffers from insomnia and his behavior has changed, as noted by his work colleagues.
Source: Le Méridonal-La France, Marseille, October 5, 1954, p. 1 and 5.
Further on, Jean Sider indicates that in September 1954, Mr. Albert Sion, of Valbarelle, tested a motorbike which he had just bought. Arrived at the level of the wood of Cuges, on the side of the department of the Var, the engine stalled and refused to start again. He then saw within fifteen meters of him a flying saucer, landed on a small elevation. He wanted to approach, but felt suddenly paralyzed at the point of falling seated. The object then took off and was out of his sight in thirty seconds. Before leaving on his motorbike whose engine now started, Mr. Sion had noted that his wristwatch which had never given any sign of failure since ten years had stopped. The watch had to be repaired.
Further in his book, he indicates that on September 27 or 28, 1954 at 06:40 p.m., at the Bois de Cuges, on the Var side, Mr. Albert Sion, after the landing of a UFO, sees the engine of his motorcycle stall, and he wobbled on his legs. His watch stopped and had to be repaired. After the object's departure, the bike started to function again.
He indicates that the local source is "Le Méridional-La France, Marseille, October 5, 1954, pp. 1 and 5."
[Ref. jsr2:] JEAN SIDER:
Jean Sider learned by the newspaper Le Méridional-La France, of Marseilles, for October 5, 1954, pages 1 and 5, that on September 27th or 28th, 1954, at 06:40 p.m. in the wood of Cuges, side of the Var, Albert Sion, night employee at the Hotel Bristol, resident in Valbarelle in low rent building, was testing a new motorbike he had just bought.
Suddenly, to the backfires of the motorbike succeeded a long whistling sound and the engine stalled. It was impossible to start it again. The witness then saw within 15 meters of him a flying saucer perched on a hillock.
It was 8 meters in diameter, 1 meter 70 in height, of rust color, made of two uneven parts, that of the top being broader than that of the bottom, a little like two saucers joined by their edges.
On the apparatus, a shady area evoked loopholes in the hull. The whole was overcome by a half-opened cupola, but it was closed back like a cockpit of plane in front of the witness.
The latter took two steps towards the object, but the third was impossible, as he felt paralyzed as if a mass weighed on him, then he fell seated.
The apparatus then rose slowly and vertically. No landing gear was noticed. The object was immobilized at approximately 40 meters, marked a pause and disappeared in 30 seconds at a 45° angle. No noise. No smoke. No light. The apparatus appeared to be of a clearer color in the air than it was on the ground.
The witness, his legs shaking, hurt his ankle when getting his motorbike. The motorbike engine did not start well but it eventually did and then functioned normally. The watch of the witness, who had never shown sign of failure for ten years, stopped at the same time as the motorbike at 06:40 p.m., and had to be repaired.
The motorbike, re-examined by a mechanic, did not show anything abnormal. Since that day, the witness has not been the same anymore. He suffers from insomnia and his behavior changed, as his colleagues at work noted.
[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":
3849: 1954/09/27 18:40 10 5:42:00 E 43:17:00 N 3333 WEU FRN BDR A:6
CUGES-les-PINS,FR:MOTO EMEs:8M DOMED SCR/HILL:WATCH STOPS:^^/45°:MST?:/r217p86
Ref#194 LUMIERES dans la NUIT.(LDLN France) Issue No. 319 : ROAD+RAILS
[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, in September, in France, in Valbarelle "Albert Sion tested a motor bike which he had just bought. At the level of the wood of Cuges, on the side of the Var, his engine stalled and refused to start again. He then saw within fifteen meters of him, posed on a hillock, a flying saucer. He wanted to approach but suddenly felt paralyzed to the point of falling seated. Then the object took off and disappeared from his sight in thirty seconds. Before starting again his motor bike whose engine had agreed to start, Sion had noted that his watch had stopped. It even had to be repaired."
The source is indicated as "Jean SIDER: 'Ovni, les envahisseurs démasqués' - Ramuel pub. 1999, p. 144".
[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:
Luc Chastan indicates that in the Bouches du Rhone with Cuges les Pins on September 28, 1954, at 06:50 hours, "the witness rides a motorbike on the road RN 8 on the level of the wood of Cuges les Pins. The motor bike came out of the workshop. While going towards Marseilles, 10 km before Cuges, he enters a path on the right of the road, in first gear. At the backfires of the motor bike follows a long whistling sound... and the engine stalls. Impossible to restart it. The witness examines it then looks up, then he sees within 15 meters in front of him, perched on a monticule, an object. It was approximately 8 meters in diameter by 1m 70 in height. Of rust color, it was made of two pieces of unequal size, the higher being bulkier than the lower. Exactly like two saucers joined by their edge. The junction of the two elements formed an obvious protrusion. On this one, a zone of shade made think that "loopholes" were pierced in the hull. The whole was topped of a half-opened cupola which was folded back like a plane's cockpit, without the least noise. The witness takes two steps in its direction. At the third he feels like a mass weighing on his shoulders and paralyzing him. He falls seated. He sees the object then rising slowly vertically. The higher element showing a very soft rotational movement, in the clockwise direction. No landing gear. The craft is immobilized at forty meters of altitude, marks a pause and disappears in thirty seconds from the field of vision, while rising at a 45 degrees angle. The watch, which had never been fixed for ten years, had stopped at the same time as my motor bike, at 10 before 7... The event proceeded in four or five minutes. The witness feels nervous since then."
The source is noted: "OVNI en Provence by Figuet M, Henri J ** Ed Haute Provence 1993".
[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 27 September 1954 at 18:40 in Cuges-les-Pins, France, "Electromagnetic effect: engine dies. 8m diameter disc on hill. Watch stops. Possible missing time."
And: "An object was observed. Electromagnetic effects were noted. One domed disc, about 40 feet across, was observed on a road for ten minutes."
The sources are indicated as "Lumieres dans la Nuit, Lumieres dans la Nuit; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".
[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":
This database recorded this case twice:
| Case Nr. | New case Nr. | Investigator | Date of observation | Zip | Place of observation | Country of observation | Hour of observation | Classification | Comments | Identification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19541005 | 05.10.1954 | Cuges Pins | France | |||||||
| 19541005 | 05.10.1954 | Cuges Pins | France | CE II |
[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":
September 28 1954. 1845hrs.
CUGES-LES PINS ( BOUCHES DU RHONE : FRANCE)
Albert Zion (or Sion), a night clerk at the Hotel Bristol, was driving between Toulon and Marseilles along a path to the side of the road, when 10km before Cuges his cycle stalled. 15 ahead, on a hill was an object 8m diameter, 1.7m high. It was rust coloured and consisted of two sections, rim to rim, the top being wider than the bottom, A gap appeared between them, and a sort of shadow appeared. Albert took a couple of steps forward then felt "weighed down" and had to sit down. The top section started rotating and the object slowly took off. He could see no sign of a landing gear. Albert stumbled to his feet and found that the cycle now worked. He got it checked out by a mechanic who could find nothing wrong.
Evaluation - This just looks like some kind of helicopter
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It is quite revealing to see that the British "skeptical" ufologist Peter Rogerson [prn2], who seems sure that the saucer was a helicopter, who indicates my page in his sources, completely silenced the fact that Mr. Sion declared to Le Méridional, which I quote in full, that the craft was silent.
I can understand that some parts of the description of the craft (seen in daylight) may be reminiscent of a helicopter, but others are totally opposed to that; the description is that of a "classic saucer". To silence what "disturbs" an explanation is not a good ufological practice, especially since here, the witness would have been only 15 meters from the craft, with his motorcycle stopped, which makes it unthinkable that he did not hear the noise of a helicopter or did not report any gush of air.
Of course, nothing proves that the story is not entirely invented. Obviously, no one took care of investigating the report. Regrettable...
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Cuges-les-Pins, Bouches-du-Rhône, Albert Sion, road, path, wood, motorbike, stall, rust, brown, saucer, object, craft, dome, rim, portholes, paralyzed, effect, landing, vertically, clock
[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.
| Version: | Created/Changed by: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | November 8, 2006 | First published. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 21, 2010 | Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1]. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | June 22, 2010 | Addition [jve5]. |
| 1.2 | Patrick Gross | September 27, 2019 | Additions [lhh1], [prn2], Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet." |
| 1.3 | Patrick Gross | November 16, 2021 | Addition [gqy1]. |
| 1.4 | Patrick Gross | April 4, 2022 | Addition [gep1]. |
| 1.5 | Patrick Gross | May 14, 2022 | Addition [gqy2]. |
