The 1954 French flap:

"I SAW A 'SAUCER"
on the banks of the Loire
and I spoke with the occupant"

writes a reader who gives a detailed account of her conversation

Here is the surprising story we received from a reader of the conversation she had on the banks of the Loire, between the river and the saucer, with a character of beyond.

We put it into the debate by reference:

What I want to tell you is not taken from a science fiction novel. These are real events that occurred in front of me. You will probably think I'm an hallucined, because I too have seen a flying saucer, but I did not dream, strange as it may seem.

Until lately I did not believe in these unknown craft [illegible] in the sky. I too called eyewitnesses of these appearances fanciful. Yet the facts are there, I saw a flying saucer, and I spoke with the occupant. Here are the facts:

Last Monday, in the morning, I was riding a bicycle on the banks of the Loire. Suddenly, I heard myself called by a normal looking man, who stood in a grove near the road. Not paying attention to it the man repeated his call. I stopped and asked him what he wanted. He did not answer, but made a gesture for me to approach. Hesitantly I walked and it was then that I noticed the strange garb of man. He wore a sort of brown combination, boots and in the hand he was holding a kind of mask vaguely resembling a gas mask. He made me a sign to follow him to a nearby field. Surprised but curious I followed with some anxiety. I will never forget the moment when I saw a saucer, yes a flying saucer, posed in the field.

Literally frozen with fear, I tried to run away, but my legs did not respond, leaving me there, awestruck, like living a dream. My eyes went from the strange craft to the man standing beside me smiling mockingly. I began to doubt my reason, but I had to face the facts, I was not dreaming. Gradually I regained my composure, I detailed the craft placed in front of me. It was a translucent disc, ten meters in diameter and about two feet high. It was topped with a kind of transparent dome. A door was open on the surface, showing the inside of the apparatus. On the inner walls were all kinds of weird devices.

In the center was a circular table covered with knobs, buttons and lit green lamps. The craft rested on three retractable legs, like on airplanes. I noticed weird signs painted in black on the hull that were unlike any letter of languages or dialects of our world. At that moment, I had no doubt that I was in the presence of an extraterrestrial being. I turned to him in amazement. There he was, brown, tall and thin, smiling at me. And then he spoke to me in French, with a strange accent. He told me not to be scared, he did not want any harm. Imagine my amazement when he assured me h was coming from another world.

Amazed, I literally drank his words. He continued:

"Do not be surprised if I speak your language, our civilization is much more advanced than yours, it has powers that your kind could not imagine to exist.

"We are aware of all the conflicts that disrupt your earth and this is why for some time you see unknown craft roam in the sky. Tests on weapons you have trouble us. Our concern is for our peace and the duration of the solar system in which your planet and ours belong.

If another world war is declared, we would be there as observers. All attempts to destroy would be annihilated by means unknown to your scientists. We hope we will not have to act in your interest and ours."

This strange conversation ended with these words. He headed to the "saucer". I saw him puttin on a helmet looking like that of mine workers. He gesture to me and then entered the craft. The door closed by sliding silently and suddenly a pale yellow light illuminated the saucer. A kind of whistling sound came from openings around the hull.

It slowly rose vertically, like a helicopter, up to ten meters above the ground. Crutches disappeared then it moved slowly taking height and then faster and faster to soon reach a vertiginous speed. It soon disappeared from my view.

There are no words to describe the state of mind in which I was after this extraordinary occurrence. I told my strange adventure to my husband. At first he thought I was making fun of him, or that I had lost my mind. But as I repeated my claims his skepticism gradually disappeared and it was he who inspired me to write to you.

I, who did not believe in these stories of "hallucinated" I now say that there are other beings superior to us and who live in a different world. I repeat that I'm not crazy, I have my reason. I wish to remain anonymous to protect me from some inconveniences. What will the future that appears to us scary bring!

Editors' note - Note that this story is not without a rather striking resemblance to the script of the movie "The Day the Earth stoos still" by Robert Wise. Our correspondent may be a person who frequents the movie theaters.

Last Monday, in the morning, I was wandering by bicycle on the edges of the Loire. Suddenly, I heard myself called by a man of normal aspect who stood in a thicket, close to the way. As I was not paying attention, the man renewed his call. I stopped and asked him what he wanted. He did not answer, but beckoned to me to approach. With hesitation I advanced and at this point in time I noticed the strange getup of the man. He wore an aviator suit of brown color, boots, and in the hand he held a sort of mask resembling vaguely a gas mask. He beckoned to me to follow him in a nearby field. Astonished but curious, I followed him with a certain apprehension. I will never forget the moment when, emerging in the field, I saw his saucer, yes, a flying saucer.

Literally frozen in fright, I wanted to flee, but my legs did not obey and I stayed there, amazed, as if living a dream. My eyes went from the strange machine to the man standing close to me who smiled with a mocking face. I found myself doubting my reason, but I had to surrender to reality, I did not dream. Little by little I begun to recover my coolness, I detailed the apparatus posed in front of me. It was a translucent disc, of ten meters in diameter by two meters height approximately. It was surmounted by a kind of transparent cupola. A door opened on the smooth surface letting the interior of the machine appear. On the inside walls were all sorts of bizarre apparatuses.

In the center was a circular table covered of levers, buttons and lit green lamps. The machine rested on three retractable crutches, as on the planes. At this point in time I noticed, on the hull, odd signs painted in black, which did not correspond to any letter of languages or dialects of our world. At this moment, I did not doubt any more that I was in the presence of an extraterrestrial being. I turned over to him, amazed. He was there, brown, large and thin, always smiling by looking at me. And at this point in time he spoke to me in French, with a strange accent. He told me not to be frightened, that he wanted no evil with me. Imagine my stupor when he ensured me to arrive of another world. Amazed, I literally drank his words. He continued:

"Do not be astonished that I speak your language, our civilization, much more advanced than yours, has means which your scientists would not even imagine the existence. We are informed of all the wars which plague your planet and it is for this reason that for some time you see unknown machines furrowing your sky. The tests of the weapons you have worry us. We fear for our peace and for the duration of the solar system of which your earth and ours are part. If another world war were declared, we would be there, as mediators. Any attempt at destruction would be annihilated by means unknown to your scientists. We hope that we will not have to intervene, in your interest as in ours".

This strange briefing finished on these words. He moved towards the "saucer". I saw him pu on a helmet carrying an eye, like that of the minors. He made a sign of the hand to me then entered in its apparatus. The door slid without noise and suddenly a pale yellow light illuminated the saucer. A kind of whistling sound escaped from openings located all around the saucer. It rose gently vertically, like a helicopter, up to ten meters above the ground. The crutches disappeared, then it moved slowly, taking height, and this more and more quickly, to reach a vertiginous speed. It soon disappeared from my sight.

There is no word to describe the state of heart in which I was after this extraordinary appearance. I told my strange adventure to my husband. He believed initially that I was making fun of him, or that I had lost my reason. But in face of my repeated assertions, his skepticism disappeared little by little and it is him who urged me to write to you.

Me, who did not believe in these stories of "hallucinated", I claim now that there are other beings higher than us and who live in another world. I repeat to you that I am not insane, that I have all my reason. I make a point of keeping anonymity to preserve me certain nuisances. What does such an alarming looking future reserve to us?"

Editors note: This account is not without presenting a quite striking analogy with the scenario of movie "the Day the Earth stood still", by Robert Wise. Our correspondent is perhaps a person who attends movie theaters.

3962: 1954/10/04 10:00 9 1:33:00 W 47:14:00 N 3331 WEU FRN LRA A:6

NANTES,FR:'AVIATOR/FLITE-SUIT' on BRIDGE:SCR W/CLEAR DOME/FLD:/LDLN#319

Ref#217 Jean SIDER: Le DOSSIER 1954 (2 vol.) Page No. 182 : ROAD+RAILS

Location: Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, France

Date: October 4 1954

Time: morning

The witness was on his bicycle exploring the river edge when suddenly he heard a man calling him, who stood by a thicket close to him. At first he ignored the man but he called for him again. He stopped and asked him want he wanted. He did not answer, but beckoned for him to approach. With hesitation he advanced towards the man and at this point noticed what he was wearing. He wore a brown aviator suit, boots and in his hand held something resembling a gas mask. He beckoned the witness to follow him to a nearby field. Astonished but curious, he followed him with a certain apprehension. As he arrived at the field he saw what appeared to be a disc-shaped craft on the ground. Frozen with fright he wanted to flee, but his legs did not obey him and he stayed there, stunned as if in a dream. The man standing next to smiled at him with a mocking face. He described the object as a translucent disc, about ten meters in diameter by two meters in height approximately. It was surmounted by a kind of transparent cupola. A door opened on the smooth surface making the interior of the machine visible. On the inside walls there well all sorts of bizarre apparatuses. In the center there was a circular table covered with levels buttons and lit with green lights. The machine rested on three retractable legs. At this point he noticed on the hull odd sings painted in black, which did not correspond to any letter or languages or dialects on earth. Amazed he looked at the man who was still there smiling at him. At this point he spoke to the witness in French, with a strange accent. He told him not to be frightened, that he wasn’t going to harm him. He then told the witness that he was from another world. He then added, ‘Do not be astonished that I speak your language, our civilization, is much more advanced than yours. We know all about the wars that plague your planet (and the ones to come) and is for this reason that for some time our aircraft have been flying over your world”. He then continued, “Your nuclear weapons tests worry us. We fear for the peace of the solar system of which your Earth if part of. If another World War would start we would intervene. Any attempt of destruction would be stopped and annihilated by means unknown by your science. We hope that we will never have to intervene.” The strange briefing finished with these words. The extraterrestrial then walked toward his saucer at the same time putting on the helmet that he was carrying. He saluted the witness with his hand and then entered the object. The door slid close without a sound and suddenly a pale yellow light illuminated the saucer. A sort of whistling escaped from openings located all around the saucer. It then rose gently vertically like a helicopter ten meters from the ground. The landing gear disappeared, it then moved slowly gaining altitude and reaching a vertiginous speed it disappeared from sight.

Source: Jean Sider, France

October 4 1954. Morning.

NANTES (LOIRE-ATLANTIQUE : FRANCE)

A woman, who did not want her name given, was cycling by the banks of the river Loire when she was accosted by a man wearing a brown suit and boots and holding something like a mask in his hand. The stranger invited her to follow him and led her to a field where there was a translucent disk 10m diameter, 2m high, surmounted by a transparent dome. Through an opening she could see an interior in the centre of which was a table with handles, buttons and lamps and their other devises on the walls. The object rested on three struts and there were marks on its hull which were not from any known alphabet. The stranger then told the woman that he came from another world and they were worried about the earth‘s nuclear weapons, "they" were natural observers but could annihilate everything if attacked. The stranger then put on a helmet, entered the object, which emitted a pale yellow light withdrew its struts and took off, whistling as it did so. It increased in speed and shot off out of sight.

Letter from the alleged witness in La Resistance de l'Ouest 9/10 October 1954. p2

Evaluation - Patrick Gross suggests the style is more that of a man than a woman. A journalist hoax based on the The Day the Earth Stood Still?