The Sudden And Explosive French UFO Wave Of 1954

The UFO wave of 1954 was one of the most dramatic and busiest in terms of UFO sightings in history. And what’s more, sightings occurred around the world in almost every country. However, towards the end of the year, France began to experience a distinct increase in reports of strange objects and even humanoid occupants. Many of these sightings had remarkably similar details and remain one of the most intriguing periods for UFO researchers almost three-quarters of a century later.

Although there were several sporadic sightings of strange objects and encounters with otherworldly figures in the weeks and months leading up to the autumn, it was in October of 1954 when sightings suddenly exploded all around France. Why this might have been remains unknown. The wave of sightings, though, suggests a very real presence of intelligent entities that were not human.

We will start, though, with some of the more sporadic sightings that began towards the end of the summer. And while we can’t examine each and every reported incident for the period, we will turn our attention to as many as possible so as to highlight the repeated details in these strange events that gripped France for several months.

A Discreet Increase In Sightings

At around 8:20 pm on 1^st September in Maine-et-Loire a witness reported seeing a brown-red colored disc that appeared to have green flashes circling it. It moved across the sky before it disappeared into the distance.

Just under a week at just after midnight on 7^th September in Origny, Robert Chovel was driving with his wife, and his father-in-law after spending a night at the theatre when they suddenly noticed a glowing orange disc-shaped craft that was moving at a relatively low altitude over the nearby rail tracks. They watched in amazement as the object then approached the road they were driving on, eventually coming to a stop overhead approximately 1000 feet from the ground. They eventually passed under it and by the time they were approaching an upcoming bridge they could see the disc-shaped object rising into the air before it disappeared.

Later that day at around 7 am in the Somme department, 27-year-old Emile Renard and 23-year-old Yves DeGillerboz witnessed a blue-gray object hovering over a nearby field while laying bricks. They would recall that it appeared like an “unfinished haystack with a plate turned upside down on top of it”. They watched it for several moments before deciding to approach it. When they did, though, it rose into the air. They noticed a door in the side of the object as it did so. After several minutes the object then rose straight up into the air and disappeared from sight.

Later that night, at around 8 pm in Marseille, the Guibert family witnessed a spherical object that flowed red and hovered in the air. After around 30 seconds and then went into motion, performing several strange maneuvers overhead before vanishing.

Sightings Begin To Rocket

As September unfolded, the skies over France became increasingly active with unidentified objects. What’s more, more and more sightings of humanoid occupants were also being reported.

On the 10^th of September in Mourieras, for example, Mr. Mazaud was walking home when a strange humanoid wearing a helmet appeared in his path. This stranger made gestures that the witness took to be friendly before he turned and entered a cigar-shaped object that hovered nearby. The object then rose into the air and headed toward the town of Limoges. Interestingly, several sightings of a UFO were reported from the town a short time later.

Two days later, near Quarouble, on the afternoon of 12^th September, a local resident was driving his van along the road when a disc-shaped object with a dome on the top began to descend. It eventually came to a stop and hovered just in front of some nearby trees. Several moments later, the witness reported seeing several humanoid figures walking around in front of the craft. Intrigued, the witness pulled his van to the side of the road and set out in the direction of the object. However, before he could get close, a bizarre beam of light struck him and he became frozen to the spot. The figures returned to the craft which promptly rose into the air and took off.

At around 5 pm on 14^th September in St. Prouant, around 200 people witnessed a cigar-shaped object come out of the clouds and then hover overhead. The object then tilted to one side and a smaller, disc-shaped object emerged from it. This smaller craft flew around the first object several times before entering it once again. The craft then disappeared from view.

Just under 12 hours later in Roubaix, a red disc-shaped object was witnessed by a married couple. They would recall that it appeared to have a “green halo” around it as it moved. After remaining clearly visible for around 30 seconds the object then rose directly into the air until it became nothing more than a point of light.

Later that day, at 8:35 pm in Pas-de-Calais, another red object was witnessed, this time being described as cigar-shaped. The object appeared to be “circling the town” before it eventually disappeared into the distance.

At 11 pm on the same night, this time in the Loire department, a motorist’s car engine suddenly died out forcing their vehicle to a stop at the roadside. Before they could contemplate what might have happened the witness claimed that a “bright saucer-shaped object” appeared overhead and landed at the roadside a short distance away from his car. By the time he had noticed several other road users had pulled over to view the strange scene, a humanoid figure had emerged from the craft wearing a strange military uniform. It initially examined its surroundings but when some of the witnesses approached it, it turned and ran back to the craft. A moment later, the object rose into the air and disappeared.

Around 30 minutes later in the Rhone department, another motorist, 19-year-old “Roland M” witnessed a bright white light sweep over the road ahead of his vehicle. He followed the source of the light and saw a dark, cigar-shaped object that was hovering a short distance from the ground near the road. Before he could take in any more detail the object move off into the distance, several bright sparks flying off it as it did so.

Remarkably Similar Details

As September drew to a close, the sightings only increased more. On the 23^rd of September, for example, several reports of strange aerial objects were made.

At 3 am in Moussoulens, a local resident witnessed an “ovoid-shaped” object on the ground near the roadside. Even more amazing, two humanoid figures were witnessed moving around near it. After several moments, the figures entered the object which promptly rose into the air and took off.

Later that day, at 9 pm in Le Jou, the Patient family was driving in their car when they noticed a bright object in the sky. They would later describe it as giving off a “magnesium-like light” as well as a “red glow” and a “narrow beam of light”. The object followed their car for a considerable distance until it eventually retreated and disappeared out of sight. There were several reports over the next few hours from various other residents of the region.

At around the same time as the above incident, Mrs. Vignolles witnessed a similar object in Lencouacq. She reported the bizarre object descending from the sky before it landed nearby without making a sound. It remained there for several seconds before taking off once again, vanishing into the sky within seconds.

At 9 am the following morning, in Becar near Diges, Mrs. Geoffrey and Mrs. Fin each saw a “dark, gray disc” at the same time and from two different vantage points. Even more intriguing, they each witnessed a humanoid figure wearing a dark-colored uniform and cap. It appeared to the women that the humanoid was undertaking some kind of repairs. Later that day in Ussel, Mr. Cisterne was driving back to his barn on the farm that he owned at around 11 pm. As he did so he noticed a glowing disc-shaped object moving at a very low altitude across the fields. Two other residents also saw the object.

At around the same time in Joinville-le-Pont, another disc-shaped object was witnessed. The witness observed the object near the River Marne and also reported seeing two humanoids each of whom was between three and four feet tall. He noticed that their faces were covered with hair but before he could make out any other details a strange beam struck him and paralyzed him in his tracks. The next thing he realized, the humanoids were getting back into the craft before it rose into the air and disappeared into the night sky.

Waves Upon Waves Of Daily Sightings

Two days later at 2:30 pm in Chabeuil, Mrs. Lebeouf heard the sudden sound of her dogs barking. When she looked in the direction that the dogs were looking, she noticed something that looked very much like a scarecrow standing in the field. She set out in the direction of the figure she soon noticed it was between three and four feet high. She also realized that whatever it was it appeared to be wearing a transparent type of “diving suit”.  She also noticed that it had eyes larger than a human would.

The figure turned and began in her direction, appearing to waddle instead of walk. At the same time, she noticed a disc-shaped object rise into the air slightly behind the figure. At this point, the witness became unnerved and turned and ran away. When she turned around again, the figure was gone, and the disc was rising into the air. She also recalled hearing a strange whistling sound as it did so. She later saw a huge flat circle in the field where the object had risen from. She remained in a state of shock for several days, refusing to leave her bed.

Later that afternoon, at around 5 pm in Col-de-Chat, multiple witnesses also observed a disc-shaped object moving around the sky before hovering over the top of a radio station. The object was in sight for around four minutes before it eventually rose high into the sky and disappeared. At around the same time near Challes Airport in the Savoire department, Mr. Guyard claimed to have seen a humanoid figure in a strange diving suit that moved with a strange “waddling” motion. He watched as it made its way into a disc-shaped object which then rose into the air and disappeared. The following day the witness discovered a huge circle on the ground where the object had been.

Several hours later, at 2:30 am in Foussignargues, several passengers on a bus witnessed a strange object that glowed red that appeared to have a halo around it descend from the dark sky of the early morning hours. Several moments later, Mr. and Mrs. Roche reported seeing a “glowing red object” that appeared to be resting on the ground near their home. They contemplated approaching but decided against doing so. It remained where it was for several hours before finally disappearing.

At around 8:40 am on Figeac, several children witnessed “a box” on the ground with a strange “unknown man” standing near to it. After several moments, the man entered the box (object) and it then took off into the sky. Later that afternoon in Perpignan, another sighting came from a college student who claimed he had seen a saucer-shaped object land on the ground. What’s more, two strange entities were seen walking around nearby who then entered the craft before it took off into the sky. The student was said to be in a severe state of shock for some time after the incident.

Yet another sighting of a disc-shaped object was reported at 8 pm on the same day in Lanta. Around 30 minutes later in Premanon, four children suddenly heard their dog barking anxiously outside their home. When they went to see what was unnerving it they were shocked to see a large, bizarre-shaped craft on the ground outside, and a strange figure walking around it that they later described as a “ghost”. One of the children threw stones at the figure causing it to flee back inside the object. Later that same evening in Drome there were reports of two “flying cigars” moving across the sky.

The Last Days Of September Over France

The final days of September brought with it several more UFO reports from around the country. For example, at 9:30 pm on 28^th September in Froncles, three local residents – Mr. and Mrs. Lartillot and Mrs. Mongot reported seeing large, bright objects appear in the sky which appeared to land nearby. Before they saw it reach the ground, however, it disappeared behind the trees. They did recall, though, that it changed colors several times as it moved.

Around an hour later at 10:30 pm in St-Amand-Montrond, Mr. Mercier witnessed a bright object descending toward him as he inspected his grapes at his vineyard. The object landed approximately 150 feet away from him and three strange figures emerged from inside. At this point, the witness realized he couldn’t move, and he subsequently blacked out. By the time he came round, he had regained the use of his limbs, and the object and figures were gone.

At 11:10 pm, just outside of St. Nicolas de Redon, 49-year-old Emile Gerard and 40-year-old Victor Paroux – both railroad workers – were taking a train from Nantes to Auray when they noticed a bizarre “dark” object that appeared to have a slight purple glow to it. They claimed it followed them for around 15 seconds before it disappeared.

At 11:45 pm in Albias a local resident reported witnessing a disc-like object resting on three legs in a field. He also recalled several strange figures moving around outside the object for approximately two minutes. They then got back inside before the object rose into the air and shot into the sky.

The following afternoon, at 1:20 pm in La Riche, three people who were driving in a truck saw an oval-shaped object sitting at the roadside. As they approached it, it shot up into the sky and disappeared.

Almost exactly 24 hours later, in Blanzy 21-year-old Romain de Bastiani and 20-year-old Bruno Burato observed a cigar-shaped, maroon-colored object descend out of the sky and land nearby. After several moments they decided to approach the strange craft. However, after only taking several steps, the object rose into the air and took off with great speed. It made a whistling sound as it did so.

Several hours later, at around 3:30 pm in Chereng, a 10-year-old boy, Jean-Claude Delmotte, witnessed a spherical object hovering near some woods. He would claim it was a bright yellow-orange color and was approximately 1000 feet away from him. When the area where he claimed to have spotted the object was examined, traces of a strange substance were discovered.

An hour after that incident in Marcilly-sur-Vienne, Georges Gatay, a construction supervisor along with several of his workers saw a disc land near to where they were working. To their amazement, they could also see a humanoid figure standing next to the shiny craft. What is interesting about this sighting is that none of the witnesses could recall the humanoid or the disc moving away, only that they had disappeared suddenly.

At 10 pm in Grand-Couronne, a ferry operator named Jean Andrieux, along with another witnessed a white sphere with a smaller green sphere hovering in the sky over the Seine River. They remained visible for around 20 minutes before disappearing.

At the same time in La Flotte-en-Re, Celeste Simonutti was returning to his house when a sudden bright light caught his attention. He feared there had been an explosion or a fire somewhere and hurried to the direction the light was coming from. When he arrived, he witnessed a sphere that glowed brightly hovering several feet above the ground. The mysterious object then changed color several times, from red to blue and back to white, before rising into the air and vanishing.

The Start Of Something Significant

The sightings continued, suddenly with no sign of any let-up. ^[1] At around 2 am On the 2nd of October in Louhans, Mr. Nichols reported seeing a disc-shaped object with a definite dome on the top. The object appeared to have several “openings” from which a yellow glow came. At 10 am in Clermont-Ferrand, several witnesses claimed to have seen a “luminous, metallic object” moving in the sky before disappearing into the distance with great speed.

Later that day in Levroux, two women from different locations would make reports of a disc-shaped craft that was flying very low over a nearby village. Around the same time in Jonches, reports would reach police of “strange creatures” roaming around nearby. Around two hours later, over the same location where the reports had come from, residents reported a glowing red object hovering close to the ground.

At 6:30 pm in Vichy, several passengers on a bus witnessed a glowing object that was moving across the sky at a considerable pace. Around 90 minutes later in Poncey-sur-Lignon, multiple witnesses reported seeing a glowing cigar-shaped object that also moved across the sky with great speed.

At roughly the same time in Croix d’Epine, 19-year-old Ernest Delattre was making his way home on his scooter when an egg-shaped object descended out of the sky and landed at the roadside a short distance from him. As he approached the object, he could make out what he described as “short, dark shapes – like potato bags” that were moving in front of it. As he increased the speed of his scooter, the object began to rise into the air and took off into the sky. As it did so, it glowed an orange color which eventually turned to blue.

Two hours later at 10 pm in Bergerac, a witness reported as “J. Labonne” reported seeing a “luminous mushroom-shaped object” in their garden that appeared to be “constructed of plexiglass”. A short distance from the object was a “shadowy figure” that appeared to slide toward it. Once inside, the object ascended and disappeared into the night sky. When the witness examined the area where the object had stood, they could clearly see imprints in the ground.

An hour after that sighting in La Rochelle, Mr. and Mrs. Guillemoeteau witnessed a “red glowing round object” hovering around three feet above the ground for several minutes. They would estimate it was approximately 15 feet wide and just under 10 feet high. After a short time, the object began to rise into the air, eventually disappearing from sight. When the couple went to investigate, they discovered several strange “oily spots” on the ground where the object had been hovering. Just before midnight on the same evening in Guebling, two witnesses claimed to have seen a disc-shaped object hovering in a field for several minutes before taking off into the air.

An Eruption Of Sightings Across France

The following day on the 3^rd of October, sightings continued to erupt all over France. At dawn in Bressuire, 55-year-old Angelo Girardo was on his way to work when he noticed a circular object on the ground near the road. Close to the object was a “small figure” that appeared to be wearing something similar to a diving suit. The next thing he realized, the figure had returned to the craft and it “took off at a fantastic speed”.

A short time later in Bt. Rue and Quend just outside the village of Vron, three people were riding bicycles when they noticed a beehive-shaped object resting on the road in front of them. The object was an orange color and close to it, they could see a figure, approximately three feet tall and who appeared to be wearing a diving suit. They continued toward it but when they were around 200 feet away the figure returned inside and the object took with great speed.

Around three hours later in the same region, a motorist named George Galant would report an almost identical object giving chase to his car for several miles before it finally gave up the pursuit and headed out toward the sea.

At 7:20 pm that same evening in Chereng a bright, glowing object was witnessed by multiple people at a fairground. It descended to the ground sending several sparks flying into the air as it did. As people began to head toward it, however, it rose into the air once more and headed into the distance.

A little over three hours later, on a road between Montmoreau and Villebois Lavalette, 22-year-old Jean Allary was riding his motorcycle when he saw a circular object that appeared to be “gliding” close to the ground. It eventually began to glow brightly as it rose into the air and disappeared into the distance. When Allary brought his motorcycle to a stop and examined the ground the object had moved over, he noticed “flattened and scorched” markings on the grass.

Many Humanoid Encounters

The following day in Limoges, a railroad employee, Mr. Montagne, claimed a strange object landed in his yard before taking off again. On the same day, while driving his truck in between Lagrasse and Villemagne, Andre Garcia, along with Andre Darzais, witnessed a glowing object descend toward the ground. It hovered in one place for several moments before taking off into the air at speed, emitting a bright flash as it did so.

A short time later, a farmer, Mr. Garreau, witnessed a carriage-sized object descend out of the sky and land in one of his fields. Moments later, two figures emerged and made their way toward him. He claimed they were of normal height, and each wore a pair of khaki overalls. They even shook his hand before asking, “Paris? Nord?” (some sources of this account claim they spoke in a language that was not understood). They then promptly got back in the craft and took off back into the air.

Another bizarre encounter unfolded in Lot at a little after 8 am. On the morning in question, Mr. Lacambre claimed he witnessed a “little man” wearing a wide leather belt and a tunic around 600 feet from his house. He watched as the strange figure appeared to pick up pebbles from the ground as well as fill a bottle with water. Then, most bizarre of all, the figure rose into the air and simply disappeared. When the forestry worker went to examine the area where the creature had been he discovered several clear footprints.

In the early evening in Tregon, multiple residents saw a strange, flat metallic object hovering over a nearby hillside. Several of them set out in their cars in an attempt to get a closer look but before they arrived the object rose into the air and disappeared. A short time later, at 6:30 pm in Montceau-les-Mines, over 20 people witnessed a glowing circular object rising into the air in a straight line, appearing to have set off from near the local rail tracks. Only 10 minutes after that in Villers-le-Tilleul, an object that looked similar to a “tent” was witnessed by a 10-year-old child.

In Lessard-le-National, at 7:20 pm, a silver, cigar-shaped object was seen hovering over a road for several moments before taking off. At 7:30 pm in Taupignac, three men claimed to have seen a red, round object hovering a short distance from the ground. Even more alarming, they could see four strange figures, each around three feet tall, moving around the ground below the mysterious craft. After several moments, the witnesses began to approach the figures. As soon as they did so, however, the figures returned inside the object, which then changed color several times before rising into the air and taking off into the evening sky.

Half an hour later, in Poncey-sur-Lignon, a housewife named Mrs. Fourneret, witnessed an orange, circular object seemingly appear out of nowhere and land in a field on her farm. She quickly ran to the house in fright. A short time later, when several members of the family went to investigate the area where she had witnessed the object, they noticed that chunks of earth had been “sucked up” and had seemingly disappeared.

At around 10 pm, approximately two hours later in Megrit, 23-year-old Henry Leherisse, witnessed a glowing, flat, metallic object hovering around 15o feet above his garage. Even more amazingly, inside the craft, he claimed to have seen two shadowy figures clearly moving from one place to another.

As the days crossed over, there would be no let-up in the activity in the skies over France.

No Let-Up In Activity In French Skies

At around 4 am on 5^th October in Loctudy, Mr. Lucas witnessed a strange round object approaching as he drained water from a well. It landed nearby and a short figure – around three feet in height – got out and began examining his surroundings. Lucas would recall the figure had a hairy, oval-shaped face and overly large eyes. It walked toward Lucas and touched him on the shoulder while speaking an unknown language. It then turned around, reentered the craft which then rose into the air, and took off.

Around two and a half hours later just outside of Le Mans, several witnesses were driving to work when they noticed a “luminous object” near the roadside. As they passed, each of the men felt a strange “prickling” paralyzing sensation. Suddenly, a flash of green light came from the object before it rose into the air and made its way away from their vehicle.

Less than an hour later in Mertrud, Mr. Narcy witnessed a bizarre object at the roadside. Even more intriguing, he recalled seeing a short, hairy figure wearing an orange jacket near to the craft. After several moments, the figure entered the object which then took off and disappeared. A short time later in Wassy, an orange, spherical object with a domed top descended to the ground and appeared to “bounce” as it landed in a nearby field to where the witness, Mr. Oldut, was standing. As he looked on, a three feet high figure came out of the object, looked around for several moments before returning inside. The craft then took off vertically at considerable speed.

Shortly before noon in Bordeaux, two shiny, metallic discs were witnessed by five people as they made their way over a factory. At 3:45 pm near Beaumont, another multi-witness sighting unfolded. Several people reported a bizarre-shaped object coming toward them out of the late afternoon sky. The closer it got, the brighter it appeared. However, when it was a short distance away, each of the witnesses noticed a “strange sensation” pass through their bodies which temporarily stopped them from moving. The paralysis wore off as the object moved away. Several hours later in Cote du Nord, a local farmer claimed to have seen several humanoids moving around in his field.

The following evening just outside of Chantonnay, Monchamps, Mr. and Mrs. Laroche reported seeing a “fiery sphere” land a short distance away from them. On the same night, at around 9 pm in La Fere, several French soldiers noticed a torpedo-shaped object that had seemingly landed a short distance from the military barracks. One of them decided to approach the object and quickly discovered that he could no longer move.

An hour later, in Villers-le-Lac, Mrs. Salabrino and her adult daughter witnessed a white, glowing object descend out of the sky and head toward the ground. It landed a short distance from their home, between the local railway station and nearby bridge. It remained there for several moments before rising into the air once more and disappearing into the night sky. As it moved, several sparks came from it and the white light on the underside lit up the ground below.

A Surge Of Sightings On 7^th October All Over France

The 7^th of October brought with it another wave of reports. At 4:15 am in Beruges, 31-year-old farmer, Edouard Thebault was brought from sleep by a strange glow coming from outside his window. When he peeked out, he could see a “luminous object” that was sending a strange light over the countryside.

Just over two hours later at 6:20 am near St-Jeans d’Asse, a milk delivery driver was driving his truck when it suddenly cut out completely. Both the engine and the headlights were suddenly dead. It was as he was getting out of the truck in order to see what the fault might be that he noticed a blue, glowing light that appeared to be heading in his direction. Then, without warning, the light suddenly went out. At the same time, the truck’s engine and headlights came back to life.

Around the same time, off the coast of Plozevet, the crews from several fishing boats witnessed a glowing orange object moving above the water, further claiming it had a strange smoke around it. Local residents of the village also witnessed the object. It eventually headed off into the distance.

A short time later in Mendionde, two glowing red objects shaped like mushrooms descended and landed on the ground. Several moments later, two short figures, around two and a half feet, were seen standing near the craft by the lone witness to the event. The figures began speaking in an unknown language as if urging the witness to come closer. The witness eventually did so. However, when he had taken only a few steps, the figures jumped back in the craft and it took off and disappeared into the sky.

In Jettingen, a local railroad employee named Rene Ott also saw a mushroom-shaped object hovering and resting on the ground in a nearby field. He claimed that he saw a triangular door that had a glow to it, as if it came from the inside of the craft. He watched it for several moments before it suddenly rose into the air and flew off into the distance, remaining at a relatively low altitude.

Several hours later, at 2:30 pm, Rene Margaillon was driving on along a road between Monteux and Althen-des-Paluds when he noticed a strange metallic object that had landed in one of the fields that lined the road. Even more bizarre, as he drove past the object, he began to struggle for breath and even felt temporarily paralyzed.

At 6:30 pm in Hennezis, two young siblings, Claude and Francoise Lanssellin, witnessed a bizarre, red glowing object descend and land nearby. After watching the egg-shaped object for several moments, they were more than shocked when two figures emerged from it. Only 30 minutes later in Drome, another glowing red object was witnessed.

At 7:30 pm near the village of St.-Etienne-sous-Barbuise, Marcel Guyot was driving home from work when he noticed three strange objects on the ground near the railroad. Each of the objects gave out a particularly bright light. The witness’s son witnessed the same three objects on the same road only 10 minutes later.

Just before midnight in Bompas, a witness named Mr. Sebelli saw a strange object land and immediately called his neighbors to draw their attention to it. By the time they arrived, the object was rising back into the night sky.

A Brief Respite And Then Another Wave

Despite a brief 24-hour respite, another wave of sightings unfolded again on 9^th October. One of the first of those sightings occurred between Montaren and Serviers when Dr. Fabre and seven other witnesses reported seeing an orange, oval object hovering overhead. They recalled that it was spinning as it hovered and was “very bright and fiery”. A short time later, in Dreux, several hunters witnessed a similar glowing object rise into the air from a nearby field and head off into the distance. A report of another glowing object came from Soubran shortly after, and yet another sighting of a similar aerial vehicle came from Beauvain when Christopher Carette witnessed a bright object hovering just above the trees for several seconds.

At around 4 pm in Carcassonne, Jean Bertrand was driving when he noticed a bizarre spherical object that appeared to be metallic in the middle of the road. He slowed his vehicle somewhat and noticed that two figures appeared to be standing in a domed section at the top of the object. After several seconds, the object rose into the air and disappeared with great speed.

Later that evening, at around 6:30 pm in Pournoy-la-Chetive, four children were roller skating when they noticed a bright, metallic object. 16-year-old Robert Maguin, 12-year-old Gilbert Calda, along with two other children aged nine and five respectively saw the object in a nearby cemetery. They would describe it as being round and standing on three legs. They also saw a small figure standing near the object. The figure was around three feet tall, dressed all in black, and appeared to have hair all over his face, as well as extremely large eyes. After several moments, the figure noticed them and shone a bright light in their direction. At this point, the children turned and ran. After putting a safe distance between them and the figure, they stopped and turned in time to see the object rising into the air.

Only 30 minutes later in Lavoux, Mr. Barrault was riding his bicycle when a strange figure suddenly appeared and aimed a “double beam of light” directly at him. He was immediately paralyzed but did manage to take in plenty of details of the bizarre creature. He would recall that it was dressed in some kind of diving suit with boots that appeared to have no heels. He also noticed that its eyes were particularly bright. When the figure disappeared and took the light off the witness, he regained movement in his body.

At 8:30 pm in Briatexte, Mr. Mitto was driving home from Toulouse with two friends. All of them were more than shocked when two figures – approximately the same height as a small child – suddenly ran out into the road in front of them before jumping into a field at the roadside. Mitto brought the car to an immediate stop. As he did so, an orange-glowing disc-shaped object rose into the air from the field. The witnesses claimed it rose straight up as if it had been “sucked up” into the sky. Even more intriguing, when the witnesses examined the field, they discovered “brown oily spots” where they presumed the object had stood.

Just short of an hour later, at 9:20 pm in Seine-et-Marne, Andre Bartoli was driving home from his friend’s house when he noticed a strange, orange glow overhead. At the same time, his car engine suddenly cut out and his vehicle came to a stop. He stepped outside and immediately saw a cigar-shaped object traveling across the sky in a perfectly straight line. He watched it until it had disappeared into the distance.

A Surge Of Strange Sightings In The Early Hours Of 11^th October

Although the specific time is not given, according to an account relayed by Jacques Vallee, Marius Dewilde, who had suffered a bizarre case of paralysis during a UFO encounter the previous month, found himself at the center of another close encounter on 10^th October. On this occasion, he was with his 4-year-old son when a disc-shaped object landed near the rail tracks. Several small figures then emerged from the craft and began to explore their surroundings. They were speaking in a definite language, but one that Dewilde did not recognize. After several minutes, the figures returned inside the craft which promptly rose into the air and disappeared. The object remained completely silent throughout the encounter. Despite his previous encounter, Dewilde refused to make an official report of the incident to the authorities.

In St-Germain-de-Livet, Mr. Bon – a mathematics professor – was driving his car when he noticed a metallic, silver disc rising into the air at the side of the road. He watched the object, which was clearly spinning as it moved, and eventually headed into the distance at great speed.

At 6:30 am, Roger Thiriet was riding his motorcycle in Charmes-la-Cote when he noticed a plate-like object moving through the sky. He would recall that it was a dull grey color and appeared to have a domed top with two portholes or windows.

Several hours later, at 1:30 am on 11^th October in Doncourt-Village, several farmers were dragged from sleep by a piercing whistling sound. Many of them would rush to their windows and witness a “flat object” descending to the ground near the woods. It remained there for several minutes before shooting up into the air. According to reports at the time, the ground where the object landed had calcified.

Around 90 minutes later near Acquigny, two bikers reported seeing a “bell-shaped craft” hovering over a railroad while riding their motorcycles. They claimed the object gave off red and green sparks before a sudden burst of orange light propelled it around 30 feet into the air. It remained hovering silently for around an hour before it suddenly brightened once more and then took off.

At just after 4 am in Fonfrede, Baptiste Jourdy was delivering milk when his truck suddenly came to a halt for no apparent reason. As he stepped out of the vehicle, he noticed a bright light moving across the sky above him. The instant it had passed him, his truck engine came back to life. Only five minutes later in Lacanche, Mr. Labonde was driving along the highway when a “luminous globe” appeared out of nowhere and began to follow him. It eventually headed off into the distance.

Ten minutes later, at 4:30 am near La Carie, two men – named as Gallois and Vigneron in the report – were driving toward Corbigny when each of them felt a bizarre electric shock run through them. At the same time, the headlights of the car also cut out, the car came to a stop, and each of them was paralyzed. When they looked out of the window, they could clearly see a cylindrical-shaped object around 150 feet away from them. Even more bizarre, they could see three small figures – each around three feet tall – standing near to the craft. The two witnesses watched helplessly as the three creatures eventually returned inside the craft which then rose into the air and disappeared. As soon as it did so, both of them could move once more. Interestingly, a third man, Mr. Chaumeau, also reported a strange object flying out of the woods only minutes later.

Somewhere near dawn in Heimersdorf, Haut-Rhin, Anny Pracht, and her sister, Roselyne, along with two other unnamed witnesses, saw a “luminous object” on the ground near to where they were. The group of women began to approach the object. Before they could reach it, though, it suddenly changed color to a glowing red before flying off with great speed.

These sightings of the early hours of the 11^th of October, however, were just the beginning of another explosion of UFO reports.

The Explosion Continues

Although the daylight hours of 11^th October were dramatically quieter as the evening came into view another wave of reports would begin. In Bremondans, for example, at around 6:40 pm, a blue-yellow disc-shaped object approached a group of horses in a field sending them running in all directions in a panic.

Just short of an hour later, at 7:30 pm near Taupignac, Charente-Maritime, three men were traveling in a car when they noticed a strange, red spherical object hovering around 30 feet from the surface of the ground at an altitude of around 600 feet. They brought the vehicle to a halt noticing how silent the night was, including the object itself. Then, without warning, it went into motion, landing in a wooded area near the roadside. Two of the men left the car and approached the woods to get a closer look. They would each witness four small figures – each around three feet tall – who appeared to be carrying out some kind of procedure or even a repair to the craft. The two men got to around 50 feet of the object before the strange creatures noticed them. They quickly went back inside the craft lit up in a burst of blinding blue light. This light changed to orange, then red before the object shot into the sky and disappeared with alarming speed.

Two hours after that sighting, at just before 10 pm in Birac, Julia Juste, Maria Barbeau, and Marion Le Tanneur, along with a fourth unnamed person, witnessed two “luminous spheres” flying through the sky as if in formation. The spheres then stopped and began to descend. As they did so, the four witnesses left the area.

At around the same time in Montbazens, Herault, multiple people witnessed a round object come out of the night sky and land in a nearby field. The witnesses, Mr. Carriere and his son, Mr. Gardelle, as well as three other people, watched in amazement as the object began to glow a bright red color. Then, as quickly as it had arrived, it shot into the sky and disappeared. As it did so, Gardelle claimed he felt a bizarre electric shock.

Also at 10 pm that evening, three young women were returning home to Chateaunuef after a trip when they noticed two spherical objects hovering a short distance in front of them. At the same time, the car engine and headlights suddenly went dead. The group continued to watch for around five minutes before both of the objects suddenly dropped to the ground and disappeared into the Charente River valley. As soon as they had gone, the car’s engine and headlights came back to life.

More And More Reports Of UFOs Landing

The evening of 12^th October brought many more UFO reports from around France. At 9 pm in Orchamps, Mr. Beuc, witnessed a bizarre object on the ground in a field near his farm. Even more amazing, he witnessed a small figure approach the object before entering it. A few moments later, it rose into the air and calmly disappeared from sight.

Around the same time in Montlucon, Mr. Laugere was at work at the railroad when he noticed a metallic cigar-shaped object near one of the oil tanks. He was much more astonished, however, to see the strange “hairy humanoid” stood near the object. Fearing no one would believe him, he rushed to round up some of his work colleagues. However, by the time he had returned, the figure and the strange object had disappeared.

At 10:30 pm in Leguevin, 42-year-old mechanic, Jan Marty was in his workshop when he saw a glowing disc-shaped object land in an opening nearby. He eventually left the shop and began to approach the luminous craft. However, he managed to take only a few steps before the object rose into the air and disappeared into the sky without making a sound.

At around the same time, Mr. Vielle, was driving between Frasnes and Pontarlier when he saw a glowing, circular object descending toward the ground, similar to a plane landing. The object had a yellow-purple glow to it which lit up the ground below. Before it reached the ground, though, it performed a sudden change of direction and began to rise into the air once more.

Later that night, Roger Ramond witnessed a bright oval object land on the ground around 1000 feet away from him in Vielmur. The nightwatchman would recall that it remained on the ground for almost three hours, casting its fiery orange glow across the entire vineyard. Then, the object rose into the air slowly and hovered in one place for several seconds before shooting directly upward into the sky, disappearing in seconds.

Cases Of Angel Hair

The sightings would begin again the following afternoon on 13^th October. At around 4:30 pm in Graulhet, multiple residents reported seeing a white object fly across the sky with remarkable speed before exploding. Even stranger, witnesses claimed to have seen a smaller, silver, disc-shaped object come from the explosion, as if it were propelled from the round object, and continue on into the distance.

The debris from the object, however, rained down to the ground, with many witnesses getting a much closer look. They would state that this material was like paper and floated to the ground as opposed to falling. What’s more, when they picked pieces of it up it simply “wilted away”. Incidentally, this material has been present at other UFO sighting incidents and is referred to as Angel Hair. What it might be, remains a mystery. We will, though, return briefly to this shortly.

Three hours after the sighting in Graulhet, at around 7:30 pm in Crocq, Mr. Dubois and four other people witnessed a round object glowing brightly as it moved across the sky. It appeared to be descending, allowing some of the witnesses to see what appeared to be windows in the side. It then appeared to land somewhere in the distance, much too far for them to see.

Only five minutes in Bourrasole, Mr. Olivier, Mr. Perano, and an unnamed witness reported seeing a red disc-shaped object on the ground with a strange mist around it. What’s more, a small humanoid figure, between four and five feet, was standing near it. He would describe the figure as wearing something similar to a diving suit but made of very bright, shiny material, and as having a much larger head than its body. He also recalled it had huge eyes. One of the witnesses began to approach the craft but was suddenly paralyzed and unable to move when he came to within 50 feet of it. A few moments later, with the creature now back inside it, the object lifted from the ground and shot into the sky with great speed.

Strange Lights And Sudden Electric Shocks

The following day, at just after midnight on 14^th October, just outside of Nimes, Mr. and Mrs. Dupuy witnessed a rugby ball-shaped object that was resting on legs on the ground. They claimed it had several portholes along the side and was lit up in a bright green glow.  Several hours later in Saint-Pierre-Halte, a baker’s assistant reported seeing a bright yellow mushroom-shaped object land near to the rail tracks where he worked. At around the same time in Saint-Ambroix, multiple people witnessed several small creatures near a bright glowing object. When the witnesses approached the figures, they turned and ran back inside the object which rose into the air and disappeared.

Later that same evening, at just after 6 pm in Biot, Jose Casella was driving home when a strange oval-shaped object suddenly descended on the road in front of him causing him to immediately apply the brakes and bring his car to a stop. Only moments later, the object shot off into the distance with alarming speed.

At around the same time in Angles, a local farmer reported seeing a glowing object descend out of the sky, stopping just before it reached the ground and hovered there. The farmer eventually began to approach the strange craft. However, as he did a “screen of light” was emitted and the object vanished almost instantly. All the while, it remained completely silent. Only 30 minutes later in Meursanges, Mr. and Mrs. Vitre, along with several farmers who were at their grocery store, witnessed a bright glowing object race across the sky.

In Meral at around 7 pm, another farmer, Mr. Duvivier, witnessed a bright orange spherical object land in a field nearby. He began to approach the object and would later describe the object as being “like a flattened dome” which was so bright it lit up the area around it. Even more bizarre is that the object appeared to be transparent allowing him to see a “dark figure” inside it. He watched the object for around 10 minutes before it took off into the air and headed into the distance. Only minutes later in Saint-Germain-du-Bois, Mr. Lonjarret was driving along the highway when he witnessed an orange, glowing object in a cornfield at the roadside.

A short time after that in the (relatively) nearby Chazey Wood, two men witnessed a glowing red object race over their car. As it did so, the car’s engine and headlights both cut out. Only minutes later, Andre Cognard was driving along the same road when a bright disc-shaped object approached his vehicle, eventually passing directly over the top of it. He would recall that the object was so bright he could no longer see and had to bring his car to a stop.

Although the exact time isn’t certain, on the same evening in Saint-Romain-sous-Gourdon, a motorcyclist – named Mr. B in the report – was riding along the highway when a strange object that appeared like an “upside-down plate” came into view and landed near the roadside. At the same time, the engine on his bike stalled forcing him to stop. The witness watched the object for several minutes before he pushed his motorcycle down the road. When he was a certain distance away from the object, the bike’s engine came back to life.

Another sighting was reported on a road between Thieulloy-la-Ville and Beauvais when Mr. Covemacker witnessed a glowing object fly directly over his car before disappearing into the distance. For a short time after, the car’s headlights wouldn’t work. Less than an hour later near Montceau-les-Mines, another motorist, Mr. Mouillon, had a similar experience when a brightly glowing object passed directly over his car.

Multiple People Continue Making Reports

On the morning of the 15^th of October, 56-year-old Damien Figures witnessed a landed glowing red object while walking his dogs. He also reported seeing a humanoid figure that appeared to be wearing some kind of diving suit near the object. When his dogs began barking at the mysterious creature, it quickly entered the craft which then rose into the air in complete silence and disappeared.

At just before 8 pm at Courbessac Airfield in Nimes, a cigar-shaped object that glowed yellow and had several portholes was witnessed on the ground near the base. Witnesses could also see strange, helmeted figures moving around inside the craft.

Later that same evening in Isbergues, a glowing spherical object was witnessed landing in a field before it emitted bright lights of various colors. On the same night in Fouesnant, Rene Le Voil witnessed a flat disc-shaped craft with a red glow to it flying out low altitude that appeared to be heading out to sea while driving his truck. Shortly after the object had disappeared into the distance, a second, identical object appeared and headed in the same direction. There were two further sightings of glowing red objects at around 9 pm in Saint Privat and Niffer.

Although the exact time is not known, on the 16^th of October in Cier-de-Riviere, 22-year-old Guy Puyfourcat was leading his horse back through a field. Suddenly, and much to his surprise, the horse suddenly became anxious and began resisting his lead. It was then that the witness saw a large object rising from the roadside which then flew directly over him. Even more bizarre, the horse escaped its lead and then simply fell to the ground and was unable to move for 10 minutes. It eventually got to its feet and was ultimately unharmed.

Another bizarre encounter unfolded in Mazaye at around 5:30 pm on the same day. On the afternoon in question, Mr. Bachelard was driving along the highway when he suddenly became paralyzed. At the same time, his truck’s engine cut out and slowed down. To his amazement, he saw a strange object land on the ground. When the object disappeared, the witness was able to move once more.

Later that night, Dr. Henri Roberts was driving when he noticed four strange, circular objects moving across the sky in formation at an altitude of around 1000 feet. Then, one of the objects began to descend and did so like a “falling leaf”. It eventually reached the ground in front of his car. The witness was around 300 feet away from the object when the car’s engine and headlights suddenly cut out. At the same time, Roberts felt a bizarre electric shock run through his body and he was suddenly unable to move. He sat in his stalled vehicle and watched as a humanoid figure emerged from the craft, approximately around three feet in height. Then, the light from the UFO went out and his entire surroundings were in total blackness. After several moments, the light came on once more allowing Roberts to see that the object had risen into the air and was heading away from him. Several moments later, he was able to move once more, and the car came back to life.

Further Reports Of Unknown Languages

Around 24 hours later, after an afternoon fishing in Reims, a local man was returning home along the canal side when he noticed a glowing cigar-shaped object slightly ahead on the bank. The exterior appeared to be metallic and from one end, a bright lit shone. As he looked at the object remaining still, he noticed a door on the side from which three figures emerged, each covered in hair and around three feet tall. He recalled that they walked in a bizarre crab-like way, moving sideway as opposed to forward and back.

The witness continued to watch as a fourth figure appeared, this one slightly shorter than the others. At this point, the witness began to approach the craft but was immediately noticed by the hairy creatures who ran back inside the craft. Before he could proceed any further, a red beam of light came from the object and shone directly on him. When it reached him, he became instantly paralyzed. He watched, motionless, as the object began to rise into the air and head away from him. After several moments he regained the movement of his limbs.

The following morning, at 10 am in Moutier-Rozeille, Mrs. Paquet was in one of her fields with her cattle. She was more than shocked when she heard a strange voice speaking an equally strange language. She turned to the source of the voice and saw two strange men approximately 300 feet away. As they did so, one of them yelled out pointing. Following this, two more men appeared and walked toward the first two. They appeared to be heading toward the river. Before she realized what was happening, the figures had vanished. Mrs. Paquet began to put the encounter to the back of her mind but after several minutes her dog began to bark furiously. As she looked up, she saw a large, cigar-shaped object ascending into the sky before it took off into the distance.

Several hours later, at around 5:30 pm just outside of Coheix, 42-year-old Mr. Bachelard was driving along the road when his car suddenly began to slow down. Even more worrying, he was unable to move. He was coasting down the road at a speed of around 20 miles per hour when he noticed a strange, cigar-shaped object hovering low to the ground in a nearby field. When the car had gone past the strange craft, the engine came to life and the sudden paralysis wore off.

At around the same time in Louvigne-Du-Desert, a school student (who remains anonymous) was returning home when he saw a short figure that had a human form but far from a human face. As frightened as the young boy, the figure appeared equally so, and immediately turned and ran. The next thing he knew, a strange machine-like object rose into the air and then shot off into the distance at a blistering pace.

In Fontenay-Torey at around 8:40 pm, Mr. and Mrs. Lherminier were driving when they each saw a glowing red, cigar-shaped object appear out of the sky heading straight toward them. They each watched in awe as the object landed near the side of the road a short distance away. Before they could take in any more details, a short figure, around three feet tall and with glowing red eyes, appeared in front of them. It remained there for several moments before turning and disappearing, presumably into the recently landed craft.

Only five minutes later in Formerie, according to the files of veteran humanoid researcher, Albert Rosales, three people reported seeing a “cylinder or rocket-shaped” object moving over the river. They noticed that it had several portholes along the side and watched in amazement as it landed a short distance ahead. After several moments, a group of humanoids wearing strange metallic clothing and helmets emerged from the object. A short time after, the witnesses began to experience a strange fogginess to their thoughts. It is possible that they blacked out as the next thing they knew the humanoids and the object were no longer there.

Only 15 minutes after that, in Royan, Mr. and Mrs. Labassiere claimed to have seen two disc-shaped objects making their way across the sky. One of the objects glowed a red color and the other one orange and they made their way to the ground, landing slightly ahead of the pair. A small figure emerged from each of the objects and proceeded to swap crafts. The objects then rose into the air and disappeared into the night sky.

A Case Of A Witnessed Alien Abduction?

Just under two hours later at 10:45 pm at St.-Point Lake in Le Vezenay Marie Bourriot was riding her motorcycle along the highway unaware she was about to witness a life-changing event. As she went down the road, she noticed a bizarre glowing object ahead of her. She continued to watch the scene and noticed a man, wearing a large coat, standing motionless next to the object. On each side of him was a shorter person, around three feet tall. Before she knew it she was almost on them and had to swerve her bike to avoid colliding with them.

She looked around and noticed that the man and the two shorter figures were no longer there. What’s more, the object was now rising into the air and eventually disappeared with great speed. When UFO researcher, Jean-Luc Rivera investigated the case, he theorized that the man Marie had witnessed was like a victim of alien abduction, which if true, might be one of the very few times an abduction has been viewed by a witness separate to the event.

Just over an hour after the above encounter, another bizarre and fascinating incident unfolded. On the night in question, just before midnight between Andigne and Saint-Martin du Bois, a teenager named Albert Geraud was riding his bike along the road. As he was pedaling, he noticed a strange light that changed color going from green to red. It eventually landed on the ground allowing the witness to see that it was a disc or saucer shape. Even more amazing he could see a short figure moving around inside the object. He could see that its body was completely covered with hair and it had extremely large eyes.

A rush of panic went through him as the figure stared out of the object directly at him. After several moments, the object rose into the air and shot off into the distance. As it did so a hugely strong gust of wind washed over Albert.

An Eventual Peak

The 19^th of October was arguably the peak of these strange aerial encounters. Perhaps one of the most dramatic incidents occurred in the morning when two jets from the French Air Force pursued a strange disc-shaped object with several colored lights. According to the report, the object outpaced the jets who soon returned to base. Several hours later in Amiens, around 70 people witnessed a glowing spinning object move across the sky.

A short time later in Montlandon, a teenage girl witnessed a disc-shaped object land in a nearby field. As she continued to watch from where she stood she could make out the shape of a strange man moving around inside the object. After several moments, the craft rose into the air and vanished into the distance.

Without a doubt, one of the most intriguing encounters comes once more from the files of Albert Rosales and occurred just outside of St. Samson-La-Poterie at around 8:45 pm when 25-year-old Andre Vasseur and his wife were riding a tandem bicycle on their way home. As they made their way along the road, however, they each noticed a cigar-shaped object above that glowed a brilliant red color as it hovered above them. Then, without warning, the object suddenly dropped to the ground, eventually disappearing from view behind a hedge ahead of the pair.

They turned their bike in the direction of the bushes that stood at the top of a slight hill. When they arrived there, a small humanoid creature blocked their path. Mrs. Vassuer was at the front of the bike and looked in helplessly as a strange beam of light emerged from the creature’s eyes and struck her. She immediately lost consciousness, her husband coming forward to catch her. The creature eventually disappeared back into the craft. Although the pair were uninjured, they each struggled to sleep for several weeks after the encounter.

Multiple Matching Details As Sightings Slow Down

Although sightings continued as the weeks went on, including some days with multiple reports, they began to decrease somewhat compared to the previous weeks. Those that did occur, however, continued to match those previous sightings in detail.

Many involved humanoid occupants that were often around three feet tall. They would often disappear when approached, as if scared, although some would seemingly use technology to cause temporary paralysis.

Although there were some differing objects, the vast majority were cigar, disc, or a round shape – which depending on the angles they were witnessed from could very well have been the same shaped craft. These aerial vehicles often glowed red or orange. Essentially, we might suspect that these crafts came from the same race of space exploring aliens. As we will examine briefly in a moment, does this suggest that the 1954 wave, including the spike of sightings in France, was part of some kind of mission to explore new planets?

The surge of sightings throughout France toward the end of 1954 is arguably mirrored only in Italy, which, coincidentally or not, shares a border with France. Given the Mediterranean Sea washes up on parts of the coasts of each country might we ask if there was, or is, an underwater extraterrestrial base there? Might this explain the reason for the spike in sightings in this part of Europe in 1954?

Why There And Why Then?

As we can see, then, the final months of 1954, in particular October of that year, were awash with reports of strange objects in the skies over France, as well as encounters with short humanoid pilots, usually around three feet in height. There are also several cases of temporary paralysis being experienced by witnesses who had encounters.

What should we make of the strange cases of paralysis and the sudden “electric shock” feeling often experienced? Is this some kind of technology or might it suggest some kind of electrical presence in the surroundings? Whatever the reason and cause, once the UFO had moved away from the respective witnesses, they regained the ability to move.

Many of the sightings – particularly those involving apparent occupants – would appear to have been part of some kind of fact-finding or reconnaissance mission. Why else would they land for only minutes before taking off again and venturing elsewhere? Why were occupants often seen quickly scanning their surroundings before getting back into the craft and leaving again?

Perhaps it is also worth our time briefly recalling the angel hair incident and the silver disc that emerged from the white round object. Might this round object be some kind of device – or the result of a device or advanced technology – that provides passage to these strange aerial vehicles from their world to ours? One that disintegrates shortly after leaving nothing behind. Might these round objects allow such vehicles to travel through portals, for example?

While the entire planet was experiencing increased UFO sightings throughout much of 1954, the sheer number in France during October is intriguing and should force us to ask why that many sightings occurred in that part of the world at this particular time. Was the same apparent race of aliens responsible for this wave in 1954 the same responsible for similar waves throughout the 1950s? Was the 1954 wave and others part of an overall big plan, perhaps one that is still unfolding around us today?

The video below looks at some of the most fascinating UFO cases in history.