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October 3, 1954, Château-Chinon, Nièvre:

Reference for this case: 3-Oct-54-Château-Chinon.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The Press for October 6 and 7, 1954 reported that in Château-Chinon, five people "whose sincerity can not be doubted" had "perceived a phenomenon that occurred several times before their more amazed than frightened eyes."

At 9 p.m., an oval-shaped spot of light appearing motionless at a very high altitude would have appeared in the sky, and at some point this spot would have started to turn at full speed, changing several times in color.

Then everything would have gone out, but after a few minutes, the luminous spot would have reappeared, would have split into "again" and would have started to turn again.

The newspaper La Montagne for October 7, 1954, gave a date, "Sunday evening", therefore October 3, 1954.

Reports:

[Ref. prs1:] UNKNOWN NEWSPAPER FOR OCTOBER 6, 1954:

To mystify his compatriots

A prankster built flying saucers

Lille, 5 October. - A retired mine worker of Beuvry-les-Bethune, known in his commune as a prankster, did not miss the opportunity offered to him by the mystery of the flying saucers to amuse himself at the expense of the inhabitants of the neighboring localities.

Inspired by the hot air balloon system, the happy retired man built machines that were three meters in diameter. The envelope consisted of sheets of gray paper, strongly glued together. At the base of the "saucer" was a small receptacle in which lay a tuft of tow impregnated with a flammable liquid. It was then enough to ignite the tow to see the machine rise and disappear at the winds, surrounded by yellowish and orange reflections.

It was after the discovery of one of these devices near a stack of straw, to which it had almost set fire, that the gendarmes were led to suspect the retired man. In fact, there were many models of "flying saucers" at his place, prototypes that their inventor was preparing to launch in the sky of the Nord.

The mystifier claimed that he had already built and launched more than a thousand of these devices. The ex-mine worker will no doubt be sentenced to fines for dangerous amusement.

Those who have seen...

Le Havre. -- Mr. André Lefèvre, a taxi driver, who was parked yesterday evening at 8 p.m. on the harbor, saw an incandescent disk which rose to the west of Deauville, leaving behind a phosphorescent trail and a slight smoke. This phenomenon, which was visible for ten minutes, was also witnessed by several sailors returning to their boat.

The Puy. -- Mr. and Mrs. Teyssier, of Saint-Etienne, who camped at Aurec-sur-Loire (Haute-Loire), saw in the sky a luminous object giving the impression of a large headlight moving at a rapid pace at about 2000 meters altitude. The craft emitted an orange-reddish light beam and followed a north-south trajectory. When it had disappeared, a second apparatus, similar to the first, appeared to follow it, in the same direction, and disappeared in its turn.

At about the same time, several persons saw above the bell-tower of Aurec similar machines which, after being immobilized for a moment, crossed the sky at a rapid pace towards the south-west.

Lens. -- Sunday evening, around 9:30 p.m., in Ablain-Saint-Nazaire, a machine that had the shape of a pot and which rotated on itself was seen in the sky by two people. It emitted a reddish glow and moved quickly.

At the same time, a craft which, this time, had the shape of a crescent, was seen in the sky of Liévin. After hovering for a few minutes, the crescent split in two. The upper part then remained motionless, while the other landed in a field between two haystacks, from which it took off shortly afterwards to join the part that was in the air.

Angoulême. -- Sunday evening, around 9:15 p.m., on the road from Montmoreau to Villebois-Lavallette (the Charente), Mr. Jean Allary, 22, saw very clearly, in the light of his moped's headlight, a sort of barrel high of about 1.50 meters, studded with gilded nails, which swayed on the side of the road. When Mr. Allary had passed the mysterious machine, he looked back, at a distance of about ten yards, but he saw nothing.

Witnesses saw, yesterday afternoon, at the very place indicated by Mr. Allary, traces about seven meters long in the grass that borders the road.

Autun. -- Several people said they saw in the region of Epinac-les-Mines (the Saône-et-Loire), a kind of large luminous ball moving slowly in a bizarre manner in the sky.

A similar phenomenon has been observed in the Ain and in the north of the Rhone department, towards the Col des Echarmaux, as well as in the Isère, near Morestel.

Nevers. -- In Chateau-Chinon, five persons whose sincerity could not be doubted, saw a phenomenon which occurred several times before their more astonished than frightened eyes.

At 9 o'clock a luminous spot of oval shape, seemingly motionless at a very high altitude, appeared in the sky. At one point the spot began to rotate at full speed, changing color several times. Then all went out, but after a few minutes the luminous spot reappeared, split again, and began to rotate.

[Ref. lme1:] NEWSPAPER "LA MONTAGNE":

Scan.

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS

"Saucers" and flying cigars still roam our region

From the Puy-de-Dôme and the Haute-Loire came to us some disturbing testimonies

SINCE the mysterious encounter of a farmer from Corrèze with "the man from space" the appearances of flying saucers in the sky of the Auvergne succeeded one another at an accelerated pace.

Not a day goes by without several disturbing testimonies reaching us with new statements from people of good faith on the curious evolutions of these craft which belong more to the field of dreams but not yet to that of the unknown.

Five Clermont residents saw a luminous ball

Two residents of Clermont, MM. Brun and Martsarem [?] saw a flying saucer on Tuesday a few kilometers from Beaumont. Here is their story:

"It was during a walk in the company of Messrs. Dubois and M[?] that we were amazed to see an aerial vehicle moving; which in our opinion is a flying saucer.

"It was exactly 3:45 p.m. when we saw 500 meters from us a ball that was moving like [?] a few kilometers from Beaumont. But what was not our amazement when the craft approached us. It became less luminescent and gained in [...]. Arrived at 150 meters approximately, we felt a very particular sensation and we were like nailed on the ground. All around us there was an odor of nitro-benzene. A few seconds later, we [...] saw the luminous ball moving [...] above our heads. Then it disappeared."

Mr. Baurreux [?] Avenue de la [Braublieu] also witnessed this curious appearance.

"At [03? 05?]: 27 p.m., as I was about to close the shutters in my bedroom, my gaze was caught by two luminous objects which moved with great rapidity in the cloudy sky."

"Intrigued, I observed this phenomenon with intense curiosity."

"These two round-shaped shiny white craft circled over the city for a moment [...] then landed on the Chanturgue hill."

"More and more curious I took a pair of binoculars that I pointed in the direction of the two craft of which I already suspected the origin."

"Against all expectations and to my great disappointment [?] of these craft which hid almost instantly from my sight [...] then disappeared behind the hill at a very high speed."

A strange apparition in the sky of Château-Chinon

NEVERS. -- According to the testimonies of five people whose sincerity cannot be doubted, a flying saucer crossed the sky of Château-Chinon on Sunday evening.

The strange apparition took place around 9 p.m. This time it is an oval-shaped luminous spot remaining motionless at very high altitude.

At one time the spot seemed to separate into two parts and each of the formed discs started spinning at full speed changing color several times, then everything went out and after a few minutes the luminous spot reappeared before splitting again and spinning.

The same phenomenon occurred several times before the eyes, more astonished than frightened, of the five Château-Chinon residents.

A saucer was seen above Billom

Sunday evening at 7:45 p.m. a flying saucer was seen by about twenty people all credible in the Billom sky south of the city in the direction of Coppel.

The craft, extremely bright, remained three to four minutes in its horizontal position while moving quite [...]. Then suddenly stood up vertically and disappeared leaving no trace.

Several people have had time to [...] for [...] the phenomenon because of the intense light that emanated from the saucer.

Shiny objects in the sky of Le Puy

During the night of Monday to Tuesday shining objects were seen in the sky of Le Puy whose nature was not determined exactly.

Around 8:30 p.m. several of our compatriots saw a craft flying above the Place du Breuil and the Place Michelet which looked like a balloon to which a light would have been attached.

This craft which flew appreciably in the east / west direction passed at about fifteen meters above the sauqre and approximately at the same height above the newly built place Michelet buildings. Its speed could be 7 to 8 kilometers per hour.

Several people followed it for a while in its moves.

A little later, leaving the cinema around 11:30 p.m., several people also saw in the sky, another object whose luminous intensity was variable, of an apparent diameter smaller than that of a football. This craft which moved, it seems, rather quickly at high altitude followed a rectilinear trajectory.

Finally during the afternoon of Tuesday around 3:15 p.m. many passers-by and traders on Boulevard Maréchal Fayolle saw a shiny white object above their heads which rose vertically in the sky.

[Ref. rln1:] JOURNAL "LE REPUBLICAIN LORRAIN":

Scan.

FLYING SAUCERS

A "Martian" enters
in a bakery
in Loctudy (Finistère)

He had a face covered with hair
and eyes "like a crow's egg"

Quimper. -- Around 4 o'clock in the morning, Mr. Pierre Lucas, a bakery worker in Loctudy (Finistère), who was busy drawing water from the courtyard of the bakery, suddenly saw in the night a craft in the shape of a saucer of 2 meters 50 to 3 meters in diameter.

The baker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakery, where the stranger followed him.

In the light, Mr. Lucas was able to stare at the visitor. He had an oval face, all covered with hair and eyes the size of a crow's egg.

The young man called his boss, but before he had time to come down, the nocturnal stranger had disappeared, as well as his saucer, of which no trace was found.

A beer merchant from Concarneau, for his part, declared having seen in the sky two luminous discs in the form of extended round tables with a kind of tail.

One of the discs was stationary while the other was moving nearby. Both disks disappeared after 10 minutes after launching a rocket.

A "curious sensation in Clermont

Clermont-Ferrand. -- Two saucers were seen in the Clermont sky. The first ten kilometers from Beaumont, at 4:45 p.m.. It was moving in a west-east direction. Witnesses said the craft approached them and became less and less bright. When it was only 150 meters away, they felt a "curious sensation" and were like rooted to the spot. At this moment there was a smell of nitro-benzine. Soon the craft moved away, the discomfort ceased and the saucer disappeared.

The other saucer was seen above the hill of Chanturgue near Clermont. It moved vertically and was of a brilliant white.

A saucer was also seen in Billom by a group of thirty people. The craft was flying above the town. It was moving horizontally. It was visible for three or four minutes before disappearing. An intense light emanated from the device.

A group of ten

La Rochelle. -- Last night, several people from Thouare-sur-Vie (Vendée) saw about ten shiny objects in the sky [...?...] MM. André Gardin and André Darsens, who were driving in a truck on the road [...?...] claimed to have seen a disc-shaped craft land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could approach it, it surrounded itself with a blinding glow and disappeared.

Everywhere

Bergerac. -- Mr. Jean Defiz, firefighter in Bergerac, and Mr. Jean Labonne, claimed to have seen landing in the garden of the latter, a luminous disc about three meters in diameter, [...?...] by three crutches.

Dinan. -- In Mégrit (Côtes-du-Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Henri Lehérissé, claimed to have seen in the yard of his farm a craft with a diameter of about one meter inside which appeared two human shapes, motionless and the size of a child.

Nevers. -- At [?], Five residents of Château-Chinon (Nièvre) declared having seen, at very high altitude, a sort of luminous spot, which split into two disks. The object, they say, began to rotate, changing color several times.

Dunkirk. -- A resident of Dunkirk had, several days ago, declared having seen strange luminous objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation had been opened. It concluded that they were two military aircraft whose metallic coating could have caused the illusion.

Finally, saucers, discs, cigars, spheres and other flying objects were seen at Granvillars (Territoire de Belfort), at Magnac-Laval (Haute-Vienne), at Saint-Jean-d'Assé (Charente-Maritime), at [...?...], (Côtes-du-Nord).

[Ref. ads1:] NEWSPAPER "L'ARDENNAIS":

Finally! Paris had his saucers too!

A few days ago, a French radio broadcaster complained bitterly of the disdain that the "Uranids" and their heavenly vehicles were showing towards the capital. Only the inhabitants of the countryside seemed to interest the interplanetary travelers who approached them willingly and even tried to enter into conversation with them. Well, it was not an arbitrary privilege. Injustice is repaired. Paris, the big city, had its flying saucers!

Several Parisians have indeed said they saw, Tuesday afternoon, a craft moving in the sky. Passersby claimed to have seen one around 04:30 p.m., near the Porte Dorée.

Mr. Pierre Allouis, salesman in cardboard, went to his business by taxi, when the vehicle was stopped by a red light; Hearing, he said, a shrill whistling sound, he looked out of the door and saw a flying craft escaping high, leaving a plume of smoke in its wake.

Mr. Allouis describes the saucer as a disc bigger than a normal plane and silver. The same testimony is given by Mr. Gilbert Bacon and Mr. Paul Julien, a house painter. The latter, however, believe that it is not a saucer but a flying wing that affects the shape of a triangle with rounded edges.

At Le Bourget, it is explained that given the intensity of the air traffic, it is impossible to confirm by radar the passage of the craft at the insufficiently specified time. On the other hand, the radar cannot record the passage of a heavier than air more than by a bright spot regardless of the nature of the craft.

Finally! Paris had his saucers too!

(Continued from the first page.)

LEZIGNAN. -- Two inhabitants of Lezignan, Messrs. André Garcia and André Darzens, who were driving in a truck on the departmental road D3, claimed to have seen a disc-shaped machine land in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could get close, it surrounded them in a bright glow and disappeared.

BERGERAC. -- Mr. Jean Defix, firefighter at Bergerac, and Mr. Jean Labonne, said that they saw a luminous disk about 3 meters in diameter, supported by three crutches, in the garden of the latter.

DINAN. -- In Megrit (Côtes du Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Henri Leherissé, said he saw in the yard of his farm a craft with a diameter of about 1 meter, around which appeared two human forms, immobile and the size of a child.

NEVERS. -- In Nevers, five residents of Château-Chinon said they saw Monday evening, at very high altitude, a kind of bright spot that split into two discs. These, they say, began to turn by changing color several times.

DUNKIRK. -- A Dunkirk merchant had, several days ago, said to have seen strange luminous objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation had been opened. It concluded that they were two military planes whose metal coating had been misleading.

CLERMONT-FERRAND. -- Two saucers were seen Tuesday in the sky of Clermont. The first 10 kilometers from Beaumont at 03:45 p.m. It was moving west-east. Witnesses testified that the craft got closer to them and became less and less brilliant.

When they were only 150 meters away, they felt a "curious sensation" and were nailed to the spot. At that moment there was a smell of nitro-benzene. Soon the machine moved away, the discomfort ceased, and the saucer disappeared.

The other saucer was sighted over the hills of Chanturgue, near Clermont. It was moving vertically and was bright white.

A saucer was also sighted in Billom by a group of 30 people. The craft was moving over the city. It was moving horizontally. It was visible for 3 to 4 minutes before disappearing. An intense light emanated from the craft.

SAINT-BRIEUC. -- Several residents of Saint-Brieuc saw, during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, a flying saucer that took the shape of a cigar before disappearing. They could watch it for over an hour.

The same phenomenon was noted in Trégueux where a cyclist returned home frightened by what he had seen.

LA ROCHELLE. -- In the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, several people from Thouare-sur-Vie (Vendée) saw in the sky a dozen luminous objects having an elongated shape and passing at a very high speed and high altitude.

LA ROCHELLE. -- Mr. and Mrs. Guillemoteau were standing in front of their farm when they saw about one meter from the ground, a spherical saucer measuring 2 to 3 meters in height and 5 meters in diameter.

The machine, which produced no noise, stopped for a few minutes, then climbed vertically. Mr. Guillemoteau went to the place where he had seen the machine the next day and was able to note oily traces on the grass.

QUIMPER. -- Around 4 o'clock Tuesday morning, Mr. Pierre Lucas, baker worker in Loctudy (Finistère), who was busy drawing water from the bakery yard, suddenly saw in the night a craft of the shape of a saucer 2 m 50 to 3 m in diameter. He saw an individual about 1m20 come out of it and hit him on the shoulder while uttering unintelligible words.

The baker's worker managed to keep his cool and returned to the bakehouse where the stranger followed him. In the light, Mr. Lucas could stare at the visitor. His face was hairy and his eyes were the size of a raven's egg. The young man called his boss, but before he had time to go down, the stranger had disappeared as well as his saucer of which no trace was found.

A Concarneau beer merchant, for his part, said he saw in the sky two luminous discs of the shape of round tables prolonged by a kind of tail. One of the disks was motionless while the other was moving nearby. Both disks disappeared after ten minutes after having launching a rocket.

Italy does not stay on the sidelines of this invasion

MANTUA. -- The traffic was interrupted for more than an hour in the center of Mantua by groups of people gathered to observe a strange "white object" which, at a high height stood out clearly on the background of the blue sky.

After making extremely rapid maneuvers, the spherical machine - which according to some witnesses, was part of "a flying saucer formation" - remained motionless for some time in the sky, before disappear on the horizon.

On the other hand, the "Uranids" seem to want to visit the whole peninsula. Indeed, a fisherman from Roverbella, in the province of Mantua, said he was approached during the night by a a mysterious individual, dressed in red, who would have told him "unintelligible words" and who would have moved away quickly before the fisherman had time to call his wife.

Finally, a host of testimonials of saucers, disks, cigars, spheres and other flying objects having been seen in Quend (Somme), in Grandvillars (Belfort territory), in Magnac-Laval (Haute-Vienne), in Saint-Jean-d'Angely (Charente-Maritime), in Forges (Corrèze), in Perros-Guirrec (Côtes-du-Nord).

Finally, to a host of testimonials that may be doubted can be added some information such as the one we produce below, the indisputable seriousness of which leaves the most skeptical speechless.

MELUN. -- The Coulommiers newspaper, "Le Pays Briard", publishes a letter sent by one of their readers, Mr. Eugène Farnier, a member of the Society of Civil Engineers of France, about a flying saucer.

In this letter, Mr. Farnier states that he saw above his property, in Jouy-sur-Morin, a big disc of 8 to 10 meters in diameter "turning on itself", letting out red-violet gleams, with a tail reminding a little of the arrival of a jet plane. "The craft was about 400 meters above the ground and it was more above me for than 20 minutes," said Mr. Farnier, "so I had the opportunity to examine it well." The craft then disappeared in the direction of Coulommiers."

In his letter Mr. Farnier said: "Former Commissioner of the French Flying Club, having been in the aviation, I could not be a victim of hallucination. This machine was not a balloon but a thick wing hovering on the spot and moving at a very high speed while gradually taking height."

[Ref. ecr1:] "L'ECHO REPUBLICAIN" NEWSPAPER:

Scan.

The disturbing waltz continues...

Saucers in the French and Italian way

PARIS, 6. - Several Parisians said they saw yesterday afternoon flying saucers moving in the sky of the capital. Bystanders claimed to have seen one at 4:30 p.m., near the porte Dorée.

Mr. Pierre Allouis, cardboard reseller, was traveling in a cab for business when the vehicle was stopped by a red light. Hearing, he said, a shrill whistling sound, he looked through the window and saw a flying vehicle that fled in height, leaving behind a plume of smoke.

Mr. Allouis described the saucer as a disc larger than a normal plane and of silver color.

The same testimony is given by Mr. Gilbert Bason, residing 35, Faubourg St. Antoine, and Mr. Paul Julien, house painter, who lives 3, rue de la Pompe; the latter, however, believes that this is not a saucer but a flying wing that has the shape of a triangle with rounded edges.

BERGERAC, 4. - Mr. Jean Defix, fireman in Bergerac and Jean Labonne stated they have seen landing in the garden of the latter, a luminous disc about three meters in diameter, supported by three legs.

LEZIGNAN, 6. - Two residents of Lezignan Misters André Gardia and André Darsens, who were driving in a truck on the main road 3, said they saw a disc-shaped craft rise in a field between the village of Lagrasse and the hamlet of Villemagne (Aude).

The craft, they said, was about ten meters in diameter. Before they could approach it, it wrapped a bright glow and disappeared.

DINAN, 6. - In Mégrit (Côtes-du-Nord), a young farmer, Mr. Hen [missing part]

[...]oped MM. Andre and Andre Guardia Darsens of a glow before disappearing. The one in Clermont-Ferrand literally transfixed witnesses who wanted to see it up close and it emitted a strong smell of nitro-benzine.

When the craft moved away, the discomfort ceased like the smell.

Mr. Lehérissé claimed to have seen in the yard of his farm a craft of about 1 meter in diameter, within which appeared two human forms, motionless and the size of a child.


MYSTERIOUS CRAFT IN THE SKY IN SAINT-LUPERCE AND JANVILLE


see our information page 4

NEVERS, 6. - In Nevers, five inhabitants of Château-Chinon said they saw last night at high altitude, a kind of bright spot, which split in two discs. These, they say, began to turn while changing color several times.

DUNKIRK, 6. - A merchant of Dunkirk had, several days ago, reported seeing strange bright objects in the sky of Bray-Dunes. An investigation was opened. It concluded that they were two military airplanes whose metallic coating could have been misleading.

SAINT-BRIEUC, 6. - Several residents of Saint-Brieuc saw, last night, a flying saucer which took the shape of a cigar before disapea[...]

- CONTINUED ON THE LAST PAGE

The beautiful story of the poor fisherman

Fragrant, colorful and inhabited, the "saucers" are also international. In Mantua, they rose in tight formations and one of them broke off from the group to make a small air carousel number that lasted an hour... and blocked traffic in the center of the city, witnesses being in the streets to see better.

In Roverbella, finally, a poor fisherman entered into conversation with a "Martian" dressed in red, but they did not understand each other and his companion disappeared when the fisherman's wife came around. Misogynist perhaps...

[Ref. ppe1:] NEWSPAPER "PARIS-PRESSE":

Scan.

Descended from his "saucer" in Loctudy (Finistère)

A MARTIAN, SMALL, HAIRY AND UGLY, TAPPED ON THE SHOULDER
OF A COURAGEOUS BAKERY APPRENTICE

... While in Paris, a cardboard salesman sees a "flying disc" above the Porte Dorée

AGAIN a Martian. Each department will soon have its own. It was in the Finistère that the last specimen of the species appeared. This time, he showed himself without a helmet, with his face uncovered. He was not pretty.

A baker from Loctudy, Mr. Pierre Lucas, saw him disembark yesterday at 4 a.m. in a saucer flying three meters in diameter, in the courtyard of the bakery.

- He was no more than 1 m. 20 tall, he says. He approached me and tapped me on the shoulder with unintelligible words.

"I managed to keep my cool," continues the courageous bakery apprentice. The visitor followed me into the bakery. In the light, I could stare at him. His face was covered with hair and eyes the size of a crow's egg. I called my boss, but the Martian, when he arrived, was already gone. And the saucer was gone."

That same night, a Concarneau beer merchant saw two luminous round tables in the sky, extended by a sort of tail.

In the Nord, one did not see a Martian, but the gendarmes of Beuvry-les-Béthune wrote up a report against a manufacturer of flying saucers. He is a pensioner, named d'Oliveira. He is not Martian, but Portuguese. A whole stock of saucers was found in his attic. In fact, they were paper balloons 1 m. 50 to 5 meters in diameter, and of all colors.

I launched thousands of them, he said. It was so beautiful. In the evening, it looked like fireballs...

The saucer factory is now closed. The industrialist will be prosecuted for "having set off flaming devices within 100 meters of the homes".

Bad day yesterday for the saucers in the Nord: an investigation, carried out at Bray-Dunes, near Dunkirk, allowed to establish that the craft seen in this region were jet planes from the Belgian base of Coxide.

"Flying tram"

A resident of Haubourdin however observed a "flying tram", and a child saw a saucer land at Cheny, near Lille; which left traces "like that, he said, of a frog man". The gendarmes examined these traces; they looked very similar to those of horse hooves.

Paris, which the saucers have neglected until now, was favored by an appearance yesterday afternoon. A flying disc, followed by a plume of smoke, flew at 4:30 p.m. over the Porte Dorée under the eyes of Mr. Allouis, cardboard salesman. Several other people confirmed his testimony. But a spoilsport suggests that the flying disc, which he also observed, was, it seemed, a flying wing.

One saw yesterday a good twenty saucers, cigars, fireballs, light globes, at Limoges, at Brive, at Azat-le-Ris and at Magnac-Laval (Haute-Vienne), at Forgès and Le Mazin (Corrèze), at Payzac (Dordogne), at Chàteau-Chinon, at Nassier, in the Poitou marshes, at Vix (Vendée), at La Rochelle, at Albi.

Near Clermont-Ferrand, two saucers which, in passing, gave off a smell of nitro-benzine; near La Rochelle, another one that left oil stains when it landed in a meadow.

Finally, a technician from the weather station at Mans-Arnage observed yesterday morning at 6:08 a.m. two strong dark red lights.

- They were, he said, neither planes, nor sounding balloons, nor meteors. But I will not go so far as to claim that these are flying saucers...

[Ref. lbr1:] NEWSPAPER "LA BOURGOGNE REPUBLICAINE":

Scan.

THE WANDERING "MARTIANS"

(Continued)

Nevers (from our Press Correspondent.). -- According to the testimonies of five people, whose sincerity cannot be doubted, a flying saucer crossed the sky of Château-Chinon on Sunday evening, around 9 p.m. The strange apparition took place around 9 pm. This time, it is a luminous spot, of oval shape, appearing motionless at a very high altitude. At one time the spot appeared to separate into two parts, and each of the formed discs began to turn at full speed, changing color several times. Then everything went out. At the end of a few minutes, the first light spot reappeared, before splitting again and turning. The same phenomenon repeated several times under the more amazed than frightened eyes of the five residents of Chateau-Chinon.

Is it the same machine that was seen at Santenay at approximately the same hour? In any case, the testimony of the residents of Santenay is confirmed by that of the Lille residents who, a few moments earlier, saw three luminous "croissants" above the region.

The "Sauceritis" continues its ravages

Morez (from our special correspondent). -- In the Upper Jura where the statements of the children of Prémanon affirming that they had stoned a saucer, the minds are heated.

The other day, a resident of Les Rousses (whose name is not given) announced that a saucer had landed at the "Combe aux Chèvres" in a small clearing in the forest of the Massacre.

In fact, the many curious (20 cars at least) who drove there, did see a metallic object resplendent in the sun.

In addition, police roadblocks had been installed on all roads. It was learned later that the police were hunting more for Baranès, whose passage to Switzerland was feared, than for the Martian, for the saucer of the forest of the Massacre was only a rain gauge installed there for years!

FLYING SAUCER IN SAVIGNY-LES-BEAUNE

Saturday, 10 pm. 30 and 23 h. 45, a group of four people from Savigny-les-Beaune saw a very bright "ball of fire" followed by a long green trail, which crossed the sky at a dizzying pace.

Two other people who were in a different place also noticed the phenomenon.

It is therefore not a hallucination ... but is it really a "saucer"?

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

Aimé Michel reports the "sky display of Château-Chinon" on October 3, 1954.

In this city, around 21 hours, the inhabitants see a sort of luminous spot of oval contour, evoking a flat and circular disc seen slightly by its profile. The spot is motionless and seems to be at a very high altitude, this during several minutes during which the number of people who look at it increases.

Then the spot suddenly divided into two parts which started to turn quickly while changing color several times.

Then, all light disappears and nothing any more is seen during a few moments.

The spot however reappears, and again separates in two object which start to turn, changing color quickly, then disappear again.

The same thing happened five times, after that the light definitively disappeared. The duration of the observation was of approximately five minutes.

[Ref. aml2:] AIME MICHEL:

In an article in 1963, Aimé Michel adds:

b) a low-size object that witnesses saying their were close describe as like circular, hemispherical on the top, changing aspect in the bottom. In the night and in flight, the object is generally luminous, the reddish, orange or gilded top, the lower part likely to emit green, white, red, purple colors, either separately, or simultaneously; the closest witnesses state that, in this latter case (simultaneous emission of several colors), the sources of light are sort of small verticals rods under the object which were seen appearing, disappearing, exchanging between them their colors and thus giving an impression of whirling (for example, October 3, 1954, in Armentières, in Château-Chinon, in Montbeliard, and other dates a little everywhere in the world). Instead of the small rods, under the main object, sometimesappears a smaller object, very luminous, interdependent of the first but likely to go down vertically below him (for example, this same 3 October, in Marcoing, in Liévin, Ablain-St-Nazaire, Milly, Champigny).

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

October 3 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

09:02 p.m.: Château-Chinon (Nièvre): lum. oval splitting in 2.

[... other cases...]

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

215 -003.93471 47.06550 03 10 1954 21 00 105 CHATEAU-CHINON F 301 C** 214

[Ref. ldl1:] UFOLOGY MAGAZINE "LUMIERES DANS LA NUIT":

In an article about the alleged UFO trace case of Marliens in 1967, the magazine noted:

[...] an object was observed along a line [... other cases...], on October 3 [1954] (line [... other case...], Château-Chinon (Nièvre); [... other cases...].

[Ref. cgu1:] CHARLES GARREAU:

Charles Garreau mentions that there was an observation on October 3, 1954, in Château-Chinon in the Nièvre.

[Ref. gab1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "G.A.B.R.I.E.L.":

The observation of Montbéliard on 10/03/1954 quite similar to that of Château-Chinon on the same day showed that there could also be a relationship between rotation and color. Indeed, while spinning, the observed apparatus changed from red to green and vice versa... Although there is no certainty on this subject, some witnesses were convinced that the observed object did not change color but presented alternately red and green facets.

[...]

10/03/1954 Montbelliard [sic] (Doubs)

The object remained visible for several minutes, sometimes motionless, sometimes turning in circles, sometimes moving in zig-zag, agitated by a kind of Brownian movement...

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The two authors indicate that in Château-Chinon in the department of the Nièvre, on October 3, 1954, at some unknown time, five people saw a "luminous spot of oval shape" appearing motionless at a very high altitude. The spot seemed to separate in two parts and each formed a disc which started to rotate at a sharp pace while changing of color several times. Then all died out. At the end of a few minutes, the luminous spot reappeared before being divided again. The same phenomenon occurred on several occasions.

The authors indicate that the source is a newspaper article.

[Ref. gep1:] UFOLOGY GROUP "GEPO":

10/03/54 (21) Chateau Chinon R 100XV2 (cc)

[Ref. via1:] UFOLOGY BULLETIN "VIMANA 21":

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 6th: LUMINOUS SPOT IN NEVERS -

In Chateau Chinon, five people, whose sincerity cannot be put in doubt, saw a phenomenon that occurred several times. Under their eyes, more amazed than frightened, at 9 p.m., a bright spot of oval shape, seeming to be motionless at very high altitude, appeared in the sky. At one time, the spot split into two parts, each formed discs began to spin at full speed changing color several times. Then everything went out, but after a few minutes the spot reappeared, split again and began to spin again.

The source is said to be the newspaper Le Bien Public.

[Ref. jca1:] "LE JOURNAL DU CENTRE" NEWSPAPER:

The newspaper indicates that on October 3, 1954 in the same evening five people observed a luminous spot in the sky of Château-Chinon. The spot separated in two discs which started to turn at full speed, changing several times of color. All disappeared, then the luminous spot reappeared, and the phenomenon reproduced several times.

The source is indicated as the newspaper itself in their October 5, 1954, issue.

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

3943: 1954/10/03 21:00 1 3:56:00 E 47:04:00 N 3333 WEU FRN NVR 6:8

CHATEAU-CHINON,FR:5 OBS:CIRF.LUMN.BLOT SPLITS+REJOINS 5 X:MNVRS:CLRS:/r197p53

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 115 : FARMLANDS

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that in 1954, on October 3 in France in Chateau-Chinon (the Nièvre), five witnesses saw a luminous spot of oval form appearing motionless at very high altitude. The spot seemed to separate in two parts and each one produced a disc. They started to ratate fast while changing color, then this died out. At the end of a few minutes, one stain appeared, which separated in two. etc.

The source is indicated as M. Figuet / J.L. Ruchon: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet..." Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979, p. 115.

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in "the Nièvres in Château Chinon" on October 3, 1954 at 21:00 hours, five witnesses saw a " luminous spot of oval form "appearing motionless at very high altitude. The spot seemed to separate in two parts and each formed a disc that started to rotate fast while changing colors several times; then it all died out and, at the end of a few minutes, the luminous spot reappeared before splitting again. The same phenomenon occurred several times.

Luc Chastan indicates that the source is "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 3 October 1954 at 21:00 in Chateau-Chinon, France, an "unusual object was sighted, that had unconventional appearance and performance. One object was observed by numerous witnesses on a farm for over five minutes. Explanation: Re-entry."

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); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002".

[Ref. dcn1] DOMINIQUE CAUDRON:

Dominique Caudron indicates that the catalogue of 800 cases published in 1970 by Maurice Santos, is a good example of what one should not do; he indicates to extract from it the list of the cases of October 3, 1954; which he knows well as he had investigated into these cases of his area of Nord. For each case, below the text of the Santos catalogue, he states what should have been written, and the explanation after analysis, when there is one.

Santos wrote that for this case #550 of October 3, 1954, of "Various Forms", there had been in Château-Chinon an observation of an Unknown Object Flying in form of two superimposed lids.

Dominique Caudron says that at 9 p.m., in "Château-Chinon, 58, a motionless luminous spot appeared to split in two discs turning and changing color, disappeared and reappeared several times (in fact: possible Moon)"

He notes that the numbering of the cases by Santos seemed a good idea, but that it prevents the evolution of the catalogue, whose numbering becomes incoherent at the first update: "For example, this catalogue contains only 10 cases for the area of the Nord, whereas we know 48 of them. How to place the 38 others?"

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

That same case was recorded 5 times in this database:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541003 03.10.1954 Chateau Chinon France 21.00
19541003 03.10.1954 Chateau Chinon France 21.00 NL
19541003 03.10.1954 Chateau Chinon France 21.00 NL
19541003 03.10.1954 Chateau-Chinon France
19541005 05.10.1954 Chateau Chinon France Evening

[Ref. aln1:] ALAIN LEQUIEN:

This author reports that in Château-Chinon, on October 3, 1954, around 9:00 p.m., five witnesses saw a luminous spot of oval shape appearing motionless at very high altitude, which seemed to separate into two parts. Each of the discs thus formed began to spin at high speed, changing color several times.

Then it all died out. After a few minutes the light spot reappeared before splitting again in two. This phenomenon reproduced several times. The author adds that no investigation has been carried out.

He indicates that the source is the 1979 book by Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon "OVNI - le premier dossier des rencontres rapprochées en France."

Explanations:

Map.

Not looked for yet.

About the straight line indicated by Aimé Michel:

Aimé Michel estimated that the cases of La Chapelle Hugon, Château-Chinon, Montbéliard and Grandvillars were on the same straight line.

It is true these four cities are on a straight line. But these are only 4 sightings on a straight line, whereas I counted no less than 94 sighting reports for October 3, 1954, not counting the 40 sighting reports dated "beginning of October" for lack of a more precise date, and of course not counting those that I do not know of yet.

Taking only those of October 3, 1954, at about 9 p.m., there are still 36 left.

Moreover, the date of the case in Grandvillars is not bulletproof.

This makes this straight line quite statististically insignificant, explainable by chance alone. The straight line would also be explainable if these sightings were sightings of a meteor, an idea rejected by Michel by explaining that the witnesses in Montbéliard had enough time to fetch binoculars and pass them from one to another during their observation.

The observation:

On October 3, 1954, mainly in the Nord region, many observations are explained by a setting red moon whose crescent was barred by a cloud, rendering it unrecognizable to most people, and giving the impression of a "split" in two.

This observation may be caused by the same mechanism.

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Château-Chinon, Nièvre, object, light, luminous, colors, divides, splits, separatation, multiple, altitude, manoeuvre, duration, city

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross January 17, 2006 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross January 9, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1].
1.1 Patrick Gross March 15, 2010 Addition [jca1].
1.2 Patrick Gross June 21, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.3 Patrick Gross July 7, 2010 Addition [cgu1].
1.4 Patrick Gross October 14, 2016 Addition [dcn1].
1.5 Patrick Gross October 29, 2016 Additions [ecr1], [ubk1].
1.6 Patrick Gross December 30, 2016 Addition [prs1].
1.7 Patrick Gross January 18, 2017 Addition [lbr1].
1.8 Patrick Gross June 9, 2019 Additions [ads1], [via1], [lhh1], Summary.
1.9 Patrick Gross December 25, 2019 Addition [ppe1].
2.0 Patrick Gross February 10, 2021 Additions [lme1], [aln1]. In the Summary, "Ufologist Aimé Michel gave the date of October 3, 1954, to this observation." changed to "The newspaper La Montagne for October 7, 1954, gave a date, "Sunday evening", therefore October 3, 1954."
2.1 Patrick Gross November 25, 2021 Addition [gqy1].
2.2 Patrick Gross March 9, 2022 Addition [rnl1].
2.3 Patrick Gross April 23, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [gep1].
2.4 Patrick Gross July 15, 2022 Addition [gab1].

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