Happy World UFO Day!
Today is July 2...and that can only mean one thing: It's World UFO Day! In order to celebrate this fascinating holiday, I thought I'd bring you a really weird UFO-related story out of France. You see...in one French town, UFOs are, well...BANNED.
In 1954, Mayor Lucien Jeune of the town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape issued a decree prohibiting the “flying over, landing, or taking off of flying saucers” in the area. The decree further states that "any aircraft, known as flying saucer or flying cigar, which should land on the territory of the community will be immediately held in custody."
In 1954, Mayor Lucien Jeune of the town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape issued a decree prohibiting the “flying over, landing, or taking off of flying saucers” in the area. The decree further states that "any aircraft, known as flying saucer or flying cigar, which should land on the territory of the community will be immediately held in custody."
The decree, which is still being upheld 65 years later, was issued after a local man named Marius Dewilde claimed to see a cigar-shaped craft from which two beings described as looking like 'deep-sea divers' emerged. The former mayor's son, Elie, claims that his dad wasn't necessarily paranoid about UFOs taking over his quaint little wine town. Rather, he saw it as a FREE means of publicity for the town during a time when UFO talk was mainstream. It worked; Elie claims that journalists from all over came to Chateauneuf-du-Pape to interview Jeune. The legend lives on with the current mayor refusing to reverse the decree and a popular California wine bearing the name of Cigare Volant, or 'flying cigar.'
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| Marius Showing Where He Saw The Beings |
I had no idea it was World UFO Day today! I feel bad that I missed it. I do have a tradition of watching Independence Day on July 4, though! Maybe I can belatedly celebrate it then.
ReplyDeleteI also had no idea it was World UFO Day. I would have celebrated...how, I don't really know. But we know one place that won't be celebrating, don't we? Great story, thanks for sharing it.
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