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UFO Case Report:

Valensole, France Landing (Maurice Masse Case)

Date: July 1, 1965
Location: Valensole, Basses Alpes, France

Farmer Maurice Masse was inspecting his field of lavender when he heard a whistling sound, then noticed an egg-shaped object with six thin legs and a central pedestal standing nearby. A classic close encounter case from France. At the same time, he also saw two "small boys," humanoid-looking beings less than four feet tall, dressed in grayish-green one-piece coveralls.

Two years after the close encounter, Maurice Masse stands at the landing site. (credit: FSR)

Maurice Masse.

Artist Michael Buhler's impression of the encounter.


Classification & Features

Type of Case/Report: MajorCase
Hynek Classification: CE3
Special Features/Characteristics: Physical Trace, Physiological Effects, Humanoid/Occupant, Landing, Witness Photo

More Articles on this Case

Valensole, France Landing, (Masse), 1965

UFO Casebook

In July of 1965, In Valensole, France, a farmer named Maurice Masse claimed that he saw two children standing in his field. Masse was attempting to find a solution to why his lavender crop had bare spots of ground. As Masse approached the "children," he noticed an unusual object close by. Now with a much closer view, the children were not children at all, but "strange looking beings."  R

Valensole, France Maurice Masse

Andy Page / WWW Ufologists Page

A brief overview of the Valensole (Maurice Masse) close encounter case. R

The Maurice Masse Encounter

Truth Seekers Midlands

A short description of the Maurice Masse close encounter case. R

The 1965 Maurice Masse Case

Brent Raynes / Classic UFO Cases

On July 1, 1965, near Valensole, France, a farmer named Maurice Masse noticed something unusual in his lavender field. This is a good summary of the close encounter case. R

Classic UFO Case Review: Maurice Masse (Valensole)

Malta UFO Research

On 1 July 1965, in the early hours of the morning, French farmer Maurice Masse at Valensole was attracted to the sight of a landed object in his lavender field by a strange high-pitched sound. The object was shaped like an egg with a cupola on top and was approximately fifteen feet wide.  R

Physical Traces: Valensole

Keith Basterfield, UFO Research Australia

The following account of the Valensole case is drawn from a series of articles which originally appeared in the English Flying Saucer review (1965a b,c.) R

UFOs: The Physical Evidence - The Valensole Case

Excerpt from Michael Jordan, Journal of Alternative Realities, Volume 10, Issue 1, 2002

This case, which Jacques Vallee described as, "the best-authenticated close encounter incident in continental Europe", includes not only hard traces, botanical data and physiological data, but detailed descriptions of beings associated with the UFO. It came to be known as ‘The Valensole Case’. Not only is it one of the most thoroughly investigated close encounters on record, but examination by French government agencies began on the day of the event.  R

Print / Other References

Valle, Jacques. Confrontations: A Scientist's Search for Alien Contact. New York: Ballantine Books, 1990.

Michel, Aime. "The Valensole Affair." Flying Saucer Review 11,6.

Michel, Aime and Charles Bowen. "A Visit to Valensole." Flying Saucer Review 14,1.

Clark, Jerome. The UFO Encyclopedia: Volume 2. 2nd Edition, 1998.

Good, Timothy. Above Top Secret: The Worldwide UFO Cover-Up. (1988) p.133.

Michel, Aime. "Valensole - Further Details." Flying Saucer Review vol.12, no.3.

Bowen, Charles. "A Significant Report from France." Flying Saucer Review vol.11 no.5.

Charles Bowen, "Not dreaming and not mad", in Peter Brookesmith, "The UFO Casebook," 1982, pp.73-74.

Full Report / Article

Source: Michael Lindemann / Center For Extraordinary Explorations
[go to original source]

A Farmer is Detained by Aliens in France

On July 1, 1965, at about 5:45 in the morning, in the region of Valensole, Basses Alpes, France, farmer Maurice Masse was inspecting his field of lavender when he heard a whistling sound, then noticed an egg-shaped object with six thin legs and a central pedestal standing nearby. Masse later said the object was about the size of a small car, and he could see two seats inside an open doorway. At the same time, he also saw two "small boys," humanoid-looking beings less than four feet tall, dressed in grayish-green one-piece coveralls. Masse reported that they appeared to be gathering handfuls of his lavender. He said they had large, hairless heads, smooth white skin, large slanted eyes, pointed chins and small mouths with no lips. Masse heard them makesoft gurgling sounds, as if communicating. When he approached, one of them pointed a small "tube" at Masse, which immediately immobilized him where he stood. He remained conscious, watching as they finished their task and then entered the egg-shaped object, which rose off the ground, moved quickly away, then suddenly disappeared a few moments later. Masse was left standing paralyzed in his field, but regained his mobility about fifteen minutes later.

Masse reported his encounter in detail to local authorities, including the mayor of Valensole, his parish priest and the gendarmerie. The site was thoroughly inspected, and symmetrical marks were found in the ground exactly where Masse said the legs of the object had been. It was later discovered that lavender would not grow on that spot for a period of ten years. Four days after the encounter, Masse began to experience bouts of profound drowsiness which caused him to require more than twelve hours of sleep every day for the next several months. Despite his reported immobilization by the humanoid beings, and his later health difficulties, Masse said he had a positive feeling about his encounter. Masse was well-known and highly respected in his community, and all the local authorities who examined his claims reached the conclusion that he was telling the truth.

(Sources: Above Top Secret, by Timothy Good, p.133f; Dimensions: A Casebook of Alien Contact, by Jacques Vallee, p.24f)


Case ID: 140 edit: 140

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