Sighting in Sauxillanges, September 23, 2012

Around 5:05 pm, a driver and their partner were travelling toward the south-southwest when they noticed several round, bright objects in a cloudy sky. The objects kept appearing and disappearing among the clouds. No other witness account was collected.

The weather record for Clermont-Ferrand showed a strong southerly wind and fairly heavy cloud cover. The investigation suggested the objects could have been metallic balloons reflecting the sun. Because the wind was blowing against the direction the witnesses were travelling, the objects looked almost stationary. The day and time were also consistent with a balloon release at the end of a festival or a sporting event.

This hypothesis fits what the witnesses described, but GEIPAN could not confirm it through any other cross-checking. The case was therefore classified C, as there was not enough information to validate the balloon explanation.