France 1954 -> Home 

Cette page en françaisCliquez!

The 1954 French flap:

The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this website is here.

< Previous  All  Next >

October 17, 1954, Varigney, Haute-Saône:

Reference for this case: 17-Oct-54-Varigney.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper L'Est Républicain for October 19, 1954, reported on page 7 from Saint-Loup-sur-Semouse via their Press correspondent, that "Sunday", thus on October 17, 1954, around 8:30 p.m., people from Varigney, in the Haute-Saône, went to the movies in Conflans, when they noticed, after having passed the level crossing, a kind of fire even more red than the setting sun, but of of a roughly square shape, according to one of the witnesses, rounded according to others.

The thing was motionless at the highest and most distant part of the pasture on the edge of the road from Conflans to Saint-Loup, against the bowling alley of Café Beuclair.

While no one came nearer to see what this was, Mr. Jean Beuclair, warned by Mr. Barrat, gatekeeper of the crossing, went into the pasture and stayed there in observation, accompanied by his eldest daughter Jeanne, 16, who was standing 10 meters back.

Mr. Beuclair stated to have seen a kind of globe approaching without noise, very quickly, to less than 20 meters of him, while going down the slope of the meadow. At that moment, it seemed to him that the craft emitted white radiations and other, juxtaposed, red radiations.

The newspaper quoted him:

"These radiations were insufficient to illuminate the meadow, but strong enough to influence my view and prevent me from approaching."

"I saw two kinds of legs supporting the apparatus, which at a certain point bent, and I shouted, but received no answer."

His daughter corroborated his statements in part, but she was less assertive and less accurate, having seen the "thing" from further away.

On the objurgations of his wife and other family members, very frightened even though they saw nothing terrifying, Mr. Beuclair and his daughter withdrew. When Mr. Beuclair came outside again a few minutes later, the apparition had "vanished" without anyone having seen how.

Gendarmes from Saint-Loup went to the place, and found no abnormal trace.

In his 1958 book on the French wave of 1954, the pioneering ufologist Aimé Michel evoked this case of October 17, 1954, around 08:30 p.m. in Varigney, somewhat differently, and without indicating any source:

Several people who were driving on the departmental road 10 towards Conflans-sur-Lanterne in the Haute-Saône department had crossed the railway crossing that separates the village from the road, and saw a kind of sharp red luminous body, motionless, standing in the highest part of the pasture bordering the departmental road 10.

They had stopped at the edge of the pasture in the cafe held by Mr. Beuclair, from Varigney, who with the crossing gatekeeper Mr. Barrat were alerted, and everyone looked at the phenomenon from afar.

Then Mr. Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne decided to have a closer look, they crossed the fence and began to climb the slope of the pasture while the other witnesses were watching from afar.

After Mr. Beuclair and his daughter had walked about ten meters, the object had moved, descended the slope approaching the terrorized witnesses, and stopped at about twenty meters from them.

Everyone clearly saw the circular shape of the object, half-spherical on its top.

Mr. Beuclair and his daughter suddenly saw white and red superimposed radiations spurt parallel under the craft. Mr. Beuclair shouted, "What is it, who's there?" but received no answer. But as his wife begged him to return, he moved back. The show continued for a few more minutes, then the object flew away at high speed - claims Aimé Michel.

The case will be summarized by Jacques Vallée who gave no source and presented Mr. Beuclair as a "policeman", then Michel Figuet and others would instead rely on the version by Aimé Michel,

In 1979, in an article published in a Belgian ufology magazine, the two "skeptical" ufologists Gérard Barthel and Jacques Brucker gave their version in opposition to that of Vallée, signaling that "the investigation" showed that Mr Beuclair was never a policeman, he worked in the factory (which seems wrong), and the case "is just a hoax that was confirmed to us by another witness."

The version of Barthel and Brucker apparently gained no afficionados; the following "skeptical" explanation would be that of Renaud Leclet who cites the case as an example of "similarities with helicopters" and by its formulation makes think that, in the object, there were "persons", which obviously had never been reported.

Nothing more seemed to have been learned later, the many versions published next, including on the Web, are only more or less summarized versions of Vallée's or Michel's versions.

Reports:

[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":

Scan.

From the top of Lorraine to Franche-Comté

The "Martians" are becoming more and more reckless...
... When they do not prove to the "Earthmen" that they have the imagination too beautiful!

Walscheid (from our correspondent). -- Each province, if not every city, had its "saucer" which its "cigar" that its Martian (true or false). Apart from certain graceful young girls, the latter presented themselves in various forms: small, hairy or without weight, round and disproportionate heads, piercing eyes, point of ear, in short, forms which ... a priori ... do not attract sympathy.

In Walscheid (Moselle), yet Martians of another form - but come to the facts. The prayer was scarcely finished, on certain evenings, when the city was alerted by childish cries, cries of anguish, fright ... of those who create the atmospheres of black novels. And all at once the walkers ran up and, with them, swelled the enormous news, which was transmitted like a thunderbolt: Martians were there, preparing to attack Walscheid.

Resistance is organized

And with a trembling finger, the face streaming with tears, the toddlers, hidden behind the bravest of their elders, pointed out on a terrace there, behind the house, a "commando" Of a good dozen subjects.

In the ambient shade, which was hardly disturbed by public lighting, one indeed distinguished the rather high shapes, angular, and at the same time bulky of those who spied before the invasion's H hour.

The resistance was soon organized, and the young men came running, equipped with the most various weaponry: sticks, axes, forks, held with a firm hand, announcing the solemn moment of the assault. And, in the noisy atmosphere of the moment, in the midst of cries and tears, more than one volunteer felt With the excitement of the combat, the feeling of heroism and the certainty of victory.

And peace came back

The assault was going to be given. Reinforcements had come, which children hastened to seek, When, in the tumult, the owner of the house awoke at last, and appeared at his door. His eyes still swollen from his interrupted sleep. He was warned at once, with the utmost caution, of the unusual presence of the Martians on his terrace. And no doubt at Walscheid no one ever heard more formidable bursts of laughter than that which gushed forth and broke over the astonished crowd.

The stupefaction of some and the astonishment of the others were scarcely blunted when finally the new Which was going to relax them came.

"Martians, do you mind, these are my chrysanthemums... The radio had announced the frost, so I covered them, that's all!"

And in the general appeasement, perhaps some will they always regret that they were not the brave fighters of a new war of sidereal level.

Redder than the setting sun

Saint-Loup-sur-Semouse (from our correspondent). -- The luminous nocturnal visions multiply to such an extent that we do not despair of seeing one day out of order on our planet one of those innumerable discs or cigars whose presence has been reported for quite some time. While waiting for this breakdown, if desired but very problematic, because according to many testimonies, these devices are extremely sophisticated, we are reduced to statements of those who had the chance to see one of these mysterious craft.

Thus on Sunday, around 08:30 p.m., people from Varigney (the Haute-Saône) going to the movies in Conflans, saw, after passing the railway crossing, a kind of fire even redder than the setting sun, but of almost square shape, according to one of the witnesses (others, however, assert that the machine was rather rounded). It was in any case motionless at the highest and farther part of the pasture along the road from Conflans to Saint-Loup, against the Bowling game of the Beuclair coffee shop.

Nobody then approached to see more clearly what it was. Only Mr. Jean Beuclair, alerted by Mr. Barrat, a barrister, entered the pasture and remained there for observation, accompanied by his eldest daughter, Jeanne, aged 16, who was standing about ten yards behind.

Without leaving any traces

Mr. Beuclair was to declare that he had seen this kind of globe approach noiselessly, very quickly, until it was less than twenty meters from him, descending the slope of the meadow. At that moment it seemed to him that the apparatus emitted white radiations and other reds, juxtaposed.

"These radiations," he said, "were insufficient to illuminate the meadow, but strong enough to influence my sight and prevent me from approaching".

And he goes on: "I saw two kinds of legs supporting the apparatus which, at a certain moment, folded. I shouted, but received no answer." Her daughter corroborates his statements in part, but she is less affirmative and less precise, having seen the "Thing" from further on.

On the objections of his wife and other members of his family, who were very frightened, although they saw nothing terrifying, M. Beuclair and his daughter withdrew.

When Mr. Beuclair came out a few minutes later, the apparition had vanished. The manner in which the craft disappeared thus remains mysterious.

The gendarmerie of Saint-Loup, who went to the scene, found no abnormal trace. This unique testimony, if it strengthened the convictions of some who believe in flying saucers, also increased the skepticism of others.

[Ref. aml1:] AIME MICHEL:

French ufologist Aimé Michel notes that on October 17, 1954 at about 08:30 P.M. in Varigney, several people were driving on secondary road 10 in the direction of Conflans-sur-Lanterne in the Haute-Saône.

After they crossed the railway crossing which separates the village from the road, they saw a sort of sharp red luminous body, still, which stood in the highest part of the pasture which bordered the secondary road 10.

The witnesses stopped at the edge of this pasture in the coffee held by Mr. Beuclair, of Varigney. Mr. Beuclair as well as the railway crossing keeper Mr. Barrat were alerted and everyone looked at the phenomenon from a distance.

Then, Mr. Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne decided to go to go observe it more closely, crossed the fence and started to climb the slope of the pasture, while the other witnesses remained observing from where they were.

After Mr. Beuclair and his daughter walked ten meters, the object started to move, descended the slope while approaching the witnesses who were terrified by that. The object stopped at about twenty meters of them.

Everyone clearly saw the circular shape of the object which was half-spherical from above.

Mr. Beuclair and his daughter saw that suddenly, some sort of white and red radiations spout out in parallel from under the machine.

Mr. Beuclair shouted, "what it this? Who goes there?" but had no answer. His wife however called him, begging him to come back, and he then moved back. The sighting continued during still a few minutes, then the object flew away at high speed.

[Ref. gqy1:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

October 17 [, 1954]

[... other cases...]

08:30 p.m. apx.: Varigney(13 km W.apx.Luxeuil-les-Bains--Haute-Saône): lumin. disc with dome"jellyfish"motionless near ground+ lum.rad.

[... other cases...]

[Ref. gqy2:] GUY QUINCY:

Scan.

[... other cases...]

October 17, 1954: Varigney (on Rte.Déptale.10,at 13 km ISL in the W. of Luxeuil-les-Bains--Haute-Saône): Mr. Beuclair, coffeshop manager,Miss.Jeanne Beuclair,Mr.Barret,gamekeeper and svrl. other people (lumin. disc with dome hoverng. near the ground + luminous rad.)

[... other cases...]

[Ref. mcs1:] MICHEL CARROUGES:

Michel Carrouges, based on Aimé Michel, reports that on October 17, 1954 at 08:30 p.m., a very precise and very rich observation took place, with many witnesses of which the first are motorists who got out of their car to observe a luminous thing, sharp red, motionless in a pasture close to a road near Varigney in the department of the Haute-Saône.

These motorists alerted Mr. Barrat, a gate-keeper, and Mr. Beuclair, coffee shop owner, as well as his wife and their daughter. These four people lived in houses at the edge of the road beside the pasture. Everyone came out and looked at the phenomenon with an extreme attention.

The object had a circular shape, hemispherical on the higher part. Mr. Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne crossed the fence of the pasture and approached the object.

The object in its turn then approached them: "it went down quickly towards the two curious terrorized people and stopped at some 20 meters from them", indicates Aimé Michel.

There was a deadly silence. White and red radiations then spouted out under the apparatus. The coffee owner shouted: "What is it? Who goes there?" but there was no answer. His wife shouted at him from the road, begging him to return, and Mr. Beuclair moved back to join her. The observation still lasted a few minutes.

Michel Carrouges comments on the high interest of the case because of the number and the variety of the witnesses, of the short distance at which they were, of the luminosity of the strange object that all saw, and by the behavior of Mr. Beuclair and his daughter who go towards the object, this unknown object which then also moves to meet the witnesses, "and suddenly in this "fantastic" scene, two shouts, so human, of the man and of his wife."

Elsewhere he notes that the observation distance was 20 meters and the sighting duration a few minutes.

[Ref. mcs2:] "MICHEL CARROUGES":

Beuclair came out of his home, crossed the road, a part of the pasture, to approach at 20 m of the object.

We have, of course, such indications only in the detailed cases. For how many others would we have similar data if we had taken the trouble to search for them?

[Ref. ton1:] THOMAS M. OLSEN:

DATE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION SOURCE PAGE
Oct. 17, 1954 VARIGNEY (P. D-DO), FRANCE (MICHEL 1958 P 188) M. W. 3-37

[Ref. jve5:] JACQUES VALLEE:

368 -006.21621 47.83500 17 10 1954 (VARIGNEY HT-SAONE) F 0016 G

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

280) October 17, 1954, 08:30 p.p. Varigney (France):

Several witnesses, among them Mr. Beuclair, a policeman, saw a bright red dome-shaped object descend to ground level 20 m away. The underside showed red and white lights. (M 188).

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Scan.

October 17, 1954, 08:30 p.p. Varigney (France):

Several witnesses, among them Mr. Beuclair, a policeman, saw a bright red dome-shaped object descend to ground level 20 m away. The underside showed red and white lights.

[Ref. obr1:] OTTO BINDER:

October 17, 1954, Varigney, France, 8:30 P.M. Motorists stopped on route D-10 when they spied a bright red luminous object in the fields. M. Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne walked closer, when suddenly the object moved and swooped toward them, coming within 60 feet.

Now they could see its peculiar form, a hemispherical body with a flat bottom. All at once, the Beuclairs reported, radiation burst out from the bottom in parallel streams of red and white.

"What is it?" yelled M. Beuclair in panic. "Who's there?" He had evidently presumed that someone was inside guiding the strange craft. There was no answer, and after a moment the eerie vehicle sped off at high speed. (From "The Reference")

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

Scan.

The "Jellyfish Saucers"

Perfectly observed, they are a particularly homogeneous whole.

[...other cases...]

No. 5. 10/17/1954 Varigney (Haute Saône) 8:30 p.m.; unknown diameter.

The "Jellyfish Saucers" are characterized by their hemispherical shape sometimes flattened into a mushroom cap. Their underside sometimes has an opening (No. 1). Their essential characteristic is the presence of antennae and stems (No. 3-6). They also sometimes release a smaller element (No. 2). Moreover, they are the ones who have the most amazing behavior towards the Earthlings (pursuits, approaches, "games"...

We are convinced that they should be studied "apart" within the whole phenomenon. These are the most astonishing, though, oddly enough, they are also the most "accessible".

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

The two authors indicate that in Dompierre-lès-Conflans in Haute-Saône on October 17, 1954 to 20:30, several people take the departmental road D10, in the direction to Conflans-sur-Lanterne in the department of the Haute-Saône.

Having gone past the railway crossing which separates the village from the road, a kind of luminous element, of a sharp red color, appears to them, motionless in the highest part of the meadow which borders the D10 road.

At the bottom of this pasture, there is a coffee shop in the location called Varigney. The motorists stop, alert the tenant as well as the gate-keeper of the railway crossing. Everyone looks at the scene from far, then the coffee shop owner and his daughter decide to go to see more closely. The two courageous witnesses, pushed by curiosity, had already crossed some meters when the luminous object starts moving, goes down quickly towards the two terrorized "explorers" and stop at some twenty meters of them.

In the absolute silence, everyone sees, very clearly, the circular shape of the object, half-spherical in the height. Suddenly, reported the man and his daughter, some sort of white and red juxtaposed "radiations" spout out in parallel from under the apparatus.

The coffee-shop owned calls, "What is this? Who goes there?"

Getting no answer, and his wife begging it from far to move away, he moves back accompanied by his daughter, to reach the bottom of the meadow. The spectacle still lasts a few minutes, then the machine flies away at high speed.

The authors indicate that the sources are the Vallée Catalogue, case 280; Aimé Michel in "A Propos des S.V." page 228; Quincy; Michel Carrouges in "Les Apparitions de Martiens" pages 91-92.

[Ref. bbr2:] GERARD BARTHEL AND JACQUES BRUCKER:

The second point, perhaps more vicious, is what we will call the scam of the credibility of the witness. Jacques Vallée retains the Varigney case (Hte Saône) on October 17 at 8:30 p.m.: "Several witnesses, including Mr. Beuclair, policeman, saw a shiny object, bright red, half-spherical on the top, descend to the ground 20 meters from them. Red and white lights were visible under the craft." The investigation revealed two precise points; 1) Mr. Beuclair was never a policeman, he worked in a factory; 2) The case is only a hoax that was confirmed to us by another witness.

[Ref. jge1:] JEAN-FRANCOIS GILLE:

ICOD DESIGNATION (57) DATE JV4 jve1 COMMENTS
098 1700 VARIGNEY RF70 54 10 17 280 368

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list Nr of Francat list Localization Date Class Credibility Sources Number of W
098 226 Varigney 17/10 CE1 NI [= unidentified] J.V. [= Vallée catalog] Quincy 2-p. 179 [=[fru1]] 4 W

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET:

Cet ufologue a noté:

CASE Nr CLASSIFICATION DATE HOUR PLACE ZIP CODE CREDIBILITY SOURCE
226 CEl 17 10 1954 20.30 Varigney 708OO B4 NI [="Unidentified"], OVNI: p. 179 [=[fru1]]

[Ref. lgs1:] LOREN GROSS:

October 17th. Varigney, France. (8:30 p.m.)

It was a red glowing hemispherical machine that came down to a landing near Rt. D-10, a road that passed through the village of Varigney. The object was so obvious, parked as it was on a slight rise in the ground, several motorists stopped to gape. M. Barret, a crossing guard, a cafe owner named Beauclair and his daughter Jeanne, were among the witnesses that gathered at the spot to stare at the mysterious object.

When some of the witnesses got up enough courage to approach the object, it rose to a point where it was out of reach, about 60 feet high, where it emitted red and white beams of light from its underside. 142.

[Ref. rle1:] RENAUD LECLET:

SIMILARITIES WITH THE HELICOPTERS

[... Other cases...]

10/17/54 Varigney (70) at 08:30 p.m. an object in the shape of a dome sharp red luminous with persons

[... Other cases...]

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

4180: 1954/10/17 20:30 12 6:13:00 E 47:50:00 N 3333 WEU FRN HSA 7:9

D10 nr VARIGNEY,FR:COP+SVRL:SCR NEARLY LANDS:RISES when APPROACHED:/r70p3-37

Ref# 30 FIGEUT[sic]&RUCHON: OVNI: Le 1er Dossier Page No. 179 : PASTURE

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that on October 17, 1954, in France, in Varigney, in the Haute Saone, Mr. Beuclair, police officer, and other witnesses, saw at 20:30 a brilliant object, sharp red, half spherical on the top, go down on the ground 20 m from them. Red and white lights were visible under the craft.

The source is given as Jacques Vallée: "Chronique des apparitions ET" - Denoël 1972 - Coll. J'Ai Lu - p. 284, 285.

Godelieve van Overmeire indicates that another version is: "The witnesses are numerous. The first are motorists who got out of the car to observe a sharp red luminous body, motionless in a pasture near a road close to Varigney, at 20:30. They alert Mr. Barrat, a gate-keeper, and Mr. Beuclair, café owner, as well as his wife and her daughter (...) Everyone is outside and look at it with an extreme attention. The object has a circular form, it is hemispherical at the higher part. Mr. Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne cross the fence of the pasture and approach the object. The latter did the same, it descended fast towards the two curious and terrorized people and stopped at some twenty meters of them. There was a deadly silence. White and red radiations spouted out under the craft."

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Haute Saone in Dompierre lès Conflans on October 17, 1954, at 20:30 hours, several people "take the D10, in direction of Conflans-sur-Lanterne, in the Haute-Saône. Having passed the railway crossing which separates the village from the road, a kind of luminous body, of a sharp red, appears to them, motionless in the highest part of the meadow which borders the D10."

"At the bottom of this pasture there is a coffee shop at the location Varigney. The motorists stops, warns the owner Mr. Beuclair, his wife, his daughter Jeanne as well as the gate-keeper, Mr. Barrat. Everyone looks at the display from far away, then the coffee shop owner and his daughter decide to go to see more closely. Our two courageous witnesses, pushed by curiosity, had already crossed some meters when the luminous object starts moving, to go down quickly towards the two terrified "explorers" and stops at some twenty meters from them."

"In absolute silence, everyone sees, with the greatest clarity, the circular object, half-spherical on the top. Suddenly, the man and his daughter report, kinds of white and red juxtaposed "radiations" spout out in parallel under the apparatus."

"'What is that?", the owner shouted; "who goes there?'"

"Getting no answer, and his wife begging him from further away to come back, he moves back accompanied by his daughter, til the bottom of the meadow. The display still lasts a few minutes, then the machine flies away at high speed."

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

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Jerome Beau indicates that on Sunday, October 17, 1954, at 20:30 in "Varigney (France), several witnesses, among them Mr. Beuclair, police officer, see 1 shining object, hemi-spherical sharp red over it, go down on the ground at 20 m from them. Red and white lights were visible under the apparatus."

Jérôme Beau does not indicate a source.

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 17 October 1954 at 20:30, in Varigney D10, France, an "object was sighted that had an appearance and performance beyond the capability of known earthly aircraft. One disc was observed by a male witness in a pasture."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; 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); Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Binder, Otto, What We Really Know About Flying Saucers, Fawcett T1863, Greenwich, 1967; Olsen, Thomas M., The Reference for Outstanding UFO Sighting Reports, UFOIRC, Riderwood, 1966; Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 17 October 1954, at 20:30, in Varigney, France, "several witnesses, among them Mr. Beuclair a policeman, saw a bright red dome shaped object descend to ground level 20 meters away. The underside showed red and white lights." "A flying disc was observed." "One red ball was observed by a male witness in a pasture (Beuclair)."

The source is indicated as "Vallee Magonia Database".

[Ref. mlr1:] MARC LEMONNIER:

Ten appearances of UFO in the French sky in 1954

[... Other cases ...]

8 - Dampierre-lès-Conflans (Haute-Saône)

On October 17, 1954, several people circulating on the D10 saw a sharp red luminous object in a meadow. The motorists stop to observe the strange phenomenon. Two of the witnesses, an innkeeper and his daughter go away to check out what it is... the object then starts to move. Radiations escape from it... terrorizing the witnesses. At the end of a few minutes, the object flies away. It was one of the most intriguing episodes of this " year of the UFO " in France.

[... Other cases ...]

More about this:
Le Dictionnaire de la France Insolite et Bizarre, Marc Lemonier, City Publishers, 2009

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 17, 1954 -At 8:30 p.m. in Varigney, Haute-Saone department, France several witnesses, among them policeman Beuclair, saw a bright red dome-shaped object descend to ground level 20 meters away. The underside displayed red and white lights. (Sources: Aime Michel, Flying Saucers and the Straight Line Mystery, p. 188; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 232, case 280; Thomas M. Olsen, The Reference for Outstanding UFO Reports, case 56).

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

This database recorded this case 8 times instead of one:

Case Nr. New case Nr. Investigator Date of observation Zip Place of observation Country of observation Hour of observation Classification Comments Identification
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I
19541017 17.10.1954 Varigney France 20.30 CE I

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 17 1954. 2030hrs.

VARIGNEY (HAUTE SAONE : FRANCE)

Several motorists on Rte D-10 noticed a bright red luminous object motionless on the highest part of the field alongside the road. They called at the nearby café of Mr Beuclair, alerting him and the crossing guard Mr Barrat. After a few minutes Beuclair and his daughter Jeanne advanced towards the hemispherical object, which rose up and approached to within 20m, and then sent out beams of red and white light from its underside. The two retreated and after a few minutes the thing took off at high speed There were numerous other witnesses.

Explanations:

Map.

There is of course the doubt spread by Barthel and Brucker about the case being a hoax; but one can even doubt their explanation since they present Mr. Beuclair as working at the factory when it was obviously more relevant to report that he was the coffee shop owner of the coffee shop bearing his name.

Vallée held him as a policeman, which is obviously a distortion he or his source - which he never specifies - committed, probably created by the presence of the railway crossing guard translated into a member of the police force by I do not know who.

The "similarity" with a helicopter evoked by Renaud Leclet does not seem convincing at all: besides the mention of silence, we are told of an object seen at 20 meters. How can I believe that we are not told about the loud noise of its engine or the air blast of its rotor? And if Mr. Buclair speaks of "two kinds of legs supporting the craft," he adds that at some point they "folded."

The case remains pretty undecidable for me since, as so often, Barthel and Brucker's assertion that it was a hoax is really poorly documented (whose investigation? their? when?) and even presents an element that can seem incoherent.

Keywords:

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

Varigney, Haute-Saône, multiple, Beuclair, Barrat, bright, object, lights, circular, hemispheric, rays, white, fast, landing

Sources:

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

Document history:

Version: Created/Changed by: Date: Change Description:
0.1 Patrick Gross December 4, 2005 First published.
1.0 Patrick Gross February 4, 2009 Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.2 Patrick Gross April 5, 2010 Addition [lm1].
1.3 Patrick Gross June 30, 2010 Addition [jve5].
1.4 Patrick Gross October 16, 2014 Addition [nip1].
1.5 Patrick Gross December 7, 2016 Additions [ler1], [lgs1], [ubk1].
1.6 Patrick Gross December 13, 2019 Additions [ton1], [mcs2], [mft1], [mft2], [jge1],[bbr2], [lhh1], [prn2].
1.7 Patrick Gross May 10, 2022 Additions [gqy1], [gqy2].
1.7 Patrick Gross July 12, 2022 Addition [gab1].

Valid XHTML 1.0 Strict



 Feedback  |  Top  |  Back  |  Forward  |  Map  |  List |  Home
This page was last updated on July 12, 2022.