Cette page en français
The index page for the 1954 French flap section of this site is here.
Reference number for this case: 18-oct-54-Audigne. Thank you for including this reference number in any correspondence with me regarding this case.
[Ref. fr1] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two authors indicate that on October 18, 1954, at an unspecified time, Albert Géraud, aged 15, farm worker in Montguillon, was riding his bicycle on the road from Andigné to Saint-Martin-du-Bois, in the Maine-et-Loire department, when he saw a light which changed from green to yellow.
The light descended jerkily and reached the road. Seized by panic, the young man felt his legs were paralyzed.
Having reached the ground, the light revealed itself to be a "transparent saucer releasing a red gleam."
In the inside of the saucer, was a small being of 1 m 20 height, covered with hair from the head to the feet, and with large eyes, which looked at the witness.
Suddenly the object rose, causing a violent blow of air in the back of the witness, and it went away in the direction to Lion d'Angers.
The witness was very frightened and remained in prostration during several days.
The authors indicate that the source is Ouest-France for October 20, 1954, page 1.
[Ref. 144] FRANCAT, MICHEL FIGUET:
|
10/18/1954 Between Andigné and Saint-Martin-du-Bois It was a bet. B.B. p. 77. |
("B.B." refers to the book by Barthel and Brucker, see next paragraphs.)
[Ref. bb1:] GERARD BARTHEL ET JACQUES BRUCKER:
The two authors indicate that between Andigné and Saint-Martin-du-Bois, on October 20, 1954, a young farm worker had a strange encounter with a 1.20 meters visitor covered with hairs from the head to toe and with eyes of owl.
They add that "even when it is a bet with buddies, the 'alien mimicry' draws its resources in the feathery fauna of our planet."
[Ref. 134:] ALBERT ROSALES, HUMCAT:
|
181. Location. St Martin-du-Bois France Date: October 18 1954 Time: midnight 15-year old Albert Geraud was on his bicycle on route D216 when he sees a light that turns from green to yellow. It descends in a jerky motion and lands on the road. The panicked witness feels likes his legs are paralyzed. Inside the object he could see a small being covered with hair that stares at the witness with large eyes. Abruptly the object rises, emitting a strong gush of wind in the direction of the witness and disappears in the direction of Lyon. After the incident the witness lies prostrate in bed for several days. HC addition # 2435 Source: Figeut/Ruchon, Ovni Dossier Type: A |
Here is again a case of the 1954 French saucers flap that the duet of self-proclaimed "rationalists" Barthel and Brucker seem to have treated oddly, in an almost laughable manner.
Let's note that, significantly, they were mistaken in the date, giving that of the publication of the newspaper reporting the encounter instead of the date of the encounter - the sort of error they used to blame on ufologists.
But even more interesting: whereas, ironically, they are the only to mention that the entity had the eyes of an owl, which is the probable key of the case, instead of deducing that it was perhaps a confusion in which a young 15-year-old farm hand, perhaps impressionable or little educated, had mistaken an owl for a creature of space, in the night, they ensure us without any other sort of information that it was "a bet between buddies."
But bet about what? A bet what the young man would make a confusion in the evening? Prophecy, then, undoubtedly. A bet that one of the "buddies" disguised in owl would be called a Martian by the victim buddy? Does this hold any water? I don't think so.
Knowing how often these two authors purely and simply invented explanations suiting their needs, which in other cases was proven, contrary to Michel Figuet who became a "skeptic" except when it came to the "investigations" by Barthel and Brucker, I do not believe one second that this encounter had anything to do with a "bet between buddies", and I much rather suspect that the testimony is sincere, and that only the interpretation of the entity could be erroneous, an owl sometimes looking quite impressive, especially by night and especially if the witness had just seen or believed to see one of these much-spoken flying saucers that filled the newspaper at the time in France.
|
An owl passed by in the night at an unspecified distance by a teenage might well appear to him as being a rather small creature, covered of "hair" - i.e. feathers - with eyes like those of an owl. |
This being said, I also see that this explanation can be put forth only if the account given by Figuet apparently based on the journalistic source was very distorted by the journalistic source: it is indeed specified that the creature was inside the saucer. Perhaps was this saucer, said to be "transparent", only some gleam of some car's headlights? But headlights that change color? Who knows? Not me, therefore I cannot really conclude.
|
Region of anger, the terrain heights. The blue line indicates the road segment between Saint-Martin-du-Bois above and Andigné below, a 6 kilometers segment where the sighting is said to have taken place. |
|
2007 satellite picture of the area between Saint-Martin-du-Bois and Andigné. The blue line is next to the road segment. |
(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)
Andigné, Maine-et-Loire, hoax, Albert Gérard, prank, bet, occupant, humanoid, furry, yellow, green, light, saucer, frightened, paralyzed, large eyes, fast, landing, road, bicycle, owl
[---] indicates sources which I have not yet checked.
