These documents were reproduced in the ufological literature long ago.
Group: Bouches-du-Rhône.
Company: Arles.
Year 1977, February 3.
Preamble.
February 3, 1977 at 9 o'clock, at the office of our brigade, we are advised telephonically by. Mr. [Name], guard of municipal police force in [city] (13) that six girls, boarders at the Family House [Name] on the community, were witnesses of the manoeuvers of an unidentified flying object.
The same day, at 04:30 p.m., we proceed to the following observations:
1. State of the location:
The family house [-], where the phenomenon was observed, is located on the commune of [-] (13) at two kilometers approximately in the [direction] of the center of the locality.
This place is isolated, the nearest dwelling szands within 300 meters approximately.
II. Observations:
Upon our arrival at the place, and after collection of the first elements, we thoroughly inspect the park above which the machine is said to have maneuvered. No suspicous trace was noted.
According to the statements of the witnesses, the apparatus maneuvered near an orchard located at 100 meters in the south of the building. At this place, we managed to note the breaking of about fifteen branches on several apple trees and in a radius of 10 meters approximately. The origin of these broken branches remains unknown. The most probable cause seems to be due to a children's game. However this orchard is formally forbidden to the boarders of [-] under penalty of exclusion.
A broken window pane was also examined, without being able to give an origin to this incident. The breaking of this pane could have been caused by the panic of the girls.
No other observation could be made.
III. Actions:
The checks carried out using the compass on an iron barrel located at the vertical of the very place where the apparatus maneuvered, did not enable us to establish if a certain [magnetic] remanence remained.
The same operations were carried out on a metal post located at a hundred meters of the barrel. The result also proved to be negative.
Our commander of company in Arles (13) was advised of the facts by radio message and information bulletin.
The mayor of the community of [-] was also advised by our care.
IV. Investigation:
Proceeding with the investigation, we hear the same day at 5 p.m.:
C[-]. M[-]., aged 15, apprentice dressmaker, who states:
"On Tuesday, February 1, 1977, between 11 p.m. and midnight, I was in my bedroom in company of my two friends, S[-]. G[-]. and J[-]. G[-]. I was lying on my bed when I heard some noise outside."
"A whistling sound, like a lasso swung in the air. I was afraid, I shouted and my girlfriends came running. At this time, we saw a weird apparatus which seemed metallic, of circular form and a diameter from 60 to 70 centimetres approximately. The top was bumpy and on the circumference, we saw white, red, orange lights and they rotated very fast around the apparatus. The apparatus maneuvered at high speed between the trees, in front of the building and at a height from 15 to 20 meters approximately. It never landed, but it hovered in the middle of the trees during three minutes approximately while rotating. We observed the phenomenon during 10 to 15 minutes. Then it took the direction of the south, towards an orchard located at 100 meters, and came back to maneuver around the trees. I was so frightened that I choked. My comrade from A[] felt bad, her lips were bluish, her skin pale."
"The apparatus left suddenly in the direction of the south, very quickly, changing into a red ball. While the apparatus maneuvered, a window of the second floor burst."
Upon Interrogation: "The noise was not normal, not like an object which breaks a window. You would have been thought that the window was detached.
U.I.: "I never read books about UFOs, I did not believe in that. Now, I am forced to admit their existence, because I saw this apparatus. I am formal in my statements."
On February 3, 1977, at 06:30.
The same day, at 06:40 p.m., we hear: G[-] S[-], aged 14, coed, who states:
"On February 1, 1977 between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, I was the witness of an appearance of a weird apparatus. It was of circular shape, of a diameter of 60 centimetres approximately, whose top was bent and appeared metallic. The circumference was lit by orange, yellow and red lights which rotated very quickly. I observed this phenomenon during five minutes approximately. The apparatus maneuvered between the trees of the park, at 20 meters height approximately. It never landed. I did not see the apparatus going away, the window was encumbered. I am formal, I did not have any visions. It is the first time that I see such a phenomenon."
On February 3, 1977, at 06:45 p.m..
The same day, at 06:50 p.m., we hear:
G[-] J[-], aged 15 ans, coed, who states:
"On February 1, 1977, between 11 p.m. and mmidnight, I was the witness of the appearance of a weird apparatus which maneuvered between the trees of the park."
"I was in my room, which I share with four of my comrades. We were chatting, when my comrade C[-] saw a yellow light passing in front of the window of our room. Having seen the reflection of this light from my bed, I hid under the covers. On the invitation of M[-], I stood up and I also saw this light. It would be precisely an object, not completely circular, projecting a yellow gleam with red and white points, the size of a car's steering wheel. This phenomenon was at about fifty meters of us and meneuvered between two trees separated of thirty meters approximately. This light was rather far away from the ground, I cannot specify exactly at which distance. The comrades sleeping in the nearby room, alerted by our shouting, also observed this phenomenon. After a moment of observation, the apparatus approached the house, then moved towards an orchard and disappeared. This light moved per moments at high speed, or seemed to become motionless, as posed on the branches of the trees. When the machine moved, it left behind it a whitish trail. This observation lasted approximately a quarter of an hour."
"That is all I can tell you about this affair."
On February 3, 1977, at 07:15 p.m..
On March 22, 1977, proceeding with our investigation, we hear:
H[-] N[-], aged 15, who states:
"On Tuesday, February 1, 1977, at approximately 11:30 p.m., I was in my bedroom, when my comrade M[-] C[-] called me. She was in a state of panic, crying while pointing her finger at the trees of the park. Around those, I saw an apparatus of circular form maneuvering, it was the size of a large car's steering wheel and the upper part was domed. The circumference was lit by white, red and yellow lights. The whole was rotating. I think that the lights flickered while rotating."
"This is all I saw."
March 22, 1977, at 10:10.
The same day, at 10:15, we hear:
G[-] M[-], aged 16, coed, who states:
"On February 1, 1977, at approximately 11:30 p.m., I was in my room located on the northern face of the building. I heard my comrades of the nearby rooms shouting. I thought that they were ahvinf fun and I did not leave my room. A few moments afterwards, I heard shout and cry. I worried and I reached the room of M[-] C[-], who immediately told me: "don't switch the light on, look at what's on the tree." I saw an apparatus of circular form, of a diameter of 60 centimeters approximately and with a domed upper part. I did not notice anything on the lower part. On the circumference of the machine, lights rotated very fast, they were of red, green, color, very bright, and orange. I observed this phenomenon a few seconds only, for I arrived after the others. Then it took the direction of Saint-Rémy of Provence, towards the south. I did not distinguish anything more than one red ball."
"That is all I can state."
March 22, 1977, at 10:35.
Degré de vraisemblance:
These girls were unanimous on the description of the phenomenon, except a small contradiction on the colors of the lights (very bright green noticed by G[-] M[-].).
Taking into account the precision given in the description of the phenomenon, the panic of the witnesses and the entourage, the communicated information appears possible.
Miscellaneous information:
A copy of the result of the analysis of the branches is joined to each forwarding of this official report.
Done and closed at C[-], March 22, 1977.
Official Report #197: February 1977.
Analysis of the broken branches by [Name - nor Pr. Bounias] of the CNRS, Toulouse.
Copy
Dear Sir,
I thank you for your letter of last 9 February. I examined the branches without finding anything that can confirm or deny what the witnesses of this observation told you.
The wrenching could have been made by hand. It took place on two dates, quite distant one from the other, but I cannot determine any delay between the two dates.
This is not new, it is extremely rare that we learn anything with vegetable samples. Only a noted important action can be useful (example: a large grass circle or dried sheets).
The best, in this case, is not to take samples, but to make photographs first.
Moreover, if the samples of the plants are not analyzed immediately after the event (less than 4 hours afterwards) you cannot find anything. Sorry.
[Signed]
See also this press article.
