ufo - UFOS at close sight: the 1954 French flap, September 27, Sauzet, Drôme

Reference for this case: 27-sep-54-Sauzet.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

In his 1958 book on the French wave of 1954, the pioneering ufologist Aimé Michel indicated that according to the newspaper France-Soir for September 30, 1954, there was an observation on September 27, 1954, at 09:40 p.m., in Sauzet, a small village near Montélimar. Three witnesses had seen two luminous objects crossing the sky in the West and disappearing towards the South.

In 1979, ufologists Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon added that the two objects were "cigar-shaped."

In 1981, the ufology bulletin UFO Informations #33 gave these details: it was, according to France-Soir for September 30, 1954 and "Mysterious Celestial Objets" by Aimé Michel, on September 27, 1954, around 09:40 p.m.. Gaspard Biolatto and René Boulon, insurance salesmen, and Roger Reboul, farmer, had seen two oscillating flying cigars one to the south of Sauzet and the other to the west and heading south.

I was able to find this case in the national newspaper France Soir for September 30, 1954; which reported that in Sauzet, in the south of the Drôme, "three trustworthy individuals: Messrs. Biolatto, Gaspard, and René Boulon" had seen "last Monday," thus indeed on September 27, 1954, at 9:40 p.m., "two flying cigars, one oscillating to the south, the other to the west of the town. Both were heading south."

Reports:

Flying saucers

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It was then that she saw, rising from the cornfields bordering the path, a disc emitting a whistling sound. Shortly after, the witness and some farmers went into the field where, according to them, a clearly defined circular trace was visible - about three meters in diameter - with flattened corn stalks and broken branches around the edges.

Other residents of Chabeuil also stated they saw a flying saucer maneuvering over the countryside that day.

Two cigars in the south of Drôme

In Sauzet, in the south of the Drôme region, three trustworthy people - Mr. Biolatto, Gaspard, and René Boulon - saw last Monday at 9:40 p.m. two flying cigars, one to the south and the other to the west of the town. Both were heading south.

Flying saucer in the Nord

LILLE, September 29 (dispatch "France-Soir"). -- A resident of Wimereux, Mr. Raoul Baptiste, 72 years old, a retired contractor, said he saw a flying saucer on Sunday evening flying at very low altitude toward the north.

In the Vienne, a farmer encounters an "interplanetary diver"

CHATELLERAULT, September 29 (A.F.P.). -- Mr. Yves David, 28, a farmer from Les Brouloux, in the commune of Vouneuil-sur-Vienne (Vienne), stated that on September 19 at 10 p.m., he saw a sort of "diver" approaching him on the road from Cernon [sic] to Vouneuil.

According to him, the figure came up and touched his arm, emitted unintelligible sounds, and then moved toward a craft that Mr. David could not describe. A green beam of light was projected in the farmer's direction, paralyzing him on the spot. The craft then shot up vertically into the sky without making a sound.

Mr. David said he didn't mention the strange encounter at first for fear of being ridiculed. However, he eventually told a friend and asked whether anyone else had seen the "diver." The friend spread the news throughout the region.

Yellow disc near La Rochelle

LA ROCHELLE, September 29 (dispatch "France-Soir"). -- While driving, a brewery director from Sainte-Pezezze [sic], Mr. Picaud, observed for several minutes a sparkling yellow disc, the lower part of which seemed partially obscured by the horizon. The disc sped off in the direction of Fontenay-le-Comte. In Augé (Deux-Sèvres), another flying saucer was reportedly seen the previous night.

A flying saucer follows a locomotive in Brittany

REDON, September 29 (dispatch "France-Soir"). -- Last night around 11:10 p.m., Mr. Bernard, a mechanic with the S.N.C.F., and Mr. Potraux, a driver, both from the Auray depot, were returning from Nantes with an empty locomotive when near Redon, as the railway tracks ran alongside the marshes, they saw a dark-colored object rise from the marshes emitting a violet light. It headed toward them and accompanied the locomotive at a height of a few dozen meters for about fifteen seconds, then, after a sharp turn, disappeared into the night. The encounter was so startling that while Mr. Bernard recovered quickly, Mr. Potraux had to consult a doctor the following morning.

According to ufologist Aimé Michel, on September 27, 1954, at about 09:40 P.M., in Sauzet, a small village near the city of Montélimar, three people witnessed two luminous objects crossing the sky in the West and disappearing towards the South.

[...] During the Monday, one notes the following observations: [... other cases...] Le Sauzet (north of Montélimar), [... other cases...]

September 27, 1954]

[... Other cases...]

09:40 p.m.: Sauzet (Drôme): lum. disc

[... Other cases...]

The two authors indicate that in Sauzet in Drôme on September 27, 1954 at 09:40 p.m., three people saw two luminous objects in the shape of cigars crossing the sky in the West and disappearing towards the South.

DATE: September 27, 1954

PLACE: SAUZET - 26

HOUR: about 09:40 p.m.

OBSERVATION: MM. Biolatto Gaspard, Boulon René, insurance salesmen and Reboul Roger, farmers [sic] saw two oscillating flying cigars one in the south of Sauzet and the other in the west and going towards the south.

SOURCES: FRANCE-SOIR FOR September 30, 1954 - "Mystérieux Objets célestes" A. MICHEL.

Encounters with Aliens On this Day

September 27

[...]

1954 - Two flying cigars were seen in Sauzet, Drome, France at 9:40 p.m. (Source: Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 92).

[...]

Luc Chastan indicates in his database that in the Drôme (26) in Sauzet on September 27, 1954 at 21:40 hours, "Three witnesses saw two luminous objects in the shape of cigar crossing the sky in the West and disappearing towards the South."

The sources are indicated as: "Ovni, Premier dossier complet... by Figuet M./ Ruchon J.L. ** Alain Lefeuvre pub. 1979" and "M.O.C. by Michel Aimé ** Arthaud 1958".

*Sep. 27, 1954 - Two flying cigars were seen in Sauzet, Drome, France at 9:40 p.m. (Source: Michel Figuet & Jean-Louis Ruchon, OVNI: Le premier dossier complet des rencontres rapprochees en France, p. 92).

Explanations:

Totally insufficient information, low strangeness, possible planes or helicopters.

Keywords:

Sauzet, Drôme, multiple, luminous, two, Gaspard Biolatto, René Boulon, Roger Reboul, oscillating, cigars

Case Nr.	New case Nr.	Investigator	Date of observation	Zip	Place of observation	Country of observation	Hour of observation	Classification	Comments	Identification
19540927			27.09.1954		Le Sauzet	France	21.40	NL
19540927			27.09.1954		Le Sauzet	France	21.40	NL

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	January 14, 2006	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	February 5, 2010	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Addition [lcn1].
1.1	Patrick Gross	November 15, 2014	Addition [nip1].
1.2	Patrick Gross	February 9, 2017	Addition [ubk1].
1.3	Patrick Gross	July 29, 2019	Addition of the Summary. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
1.4	Patrick Gross	August 7, 2019	Addition [uin1]. In the Summary, addition of the paragraphe "In 1981, ..."
1.5	Patrick Gross	November 23, 2021	Additions [aml3], [gqy1].
1.6	Patrick Gross	June 9, 2025	Addition [fso1]. In the Summary, addition of the information from [fso1].

The 1954 French flap:

September 27, 1954, Sauzet, Drôme: