Sighting in Vaucluse, July 4, 2008

Several witnesses in the Apt area noticed unusual moving lights on the evenings of 2 and 4 July 2008, between 10:15 and 10:45 pm. The glows moved in formation, appearing and disappearing over a period of about twenty minutes. No sound was heard during the sightings. One witness filmed the phenomenon on 4 July, and another took photographs.

The investigation established that the witnesses had seen the Patrouille de France flying at night over the Apt area, between Saint-Saturnin-Les-Avignons and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The times of the testimonies matched the times of the squadron's flights; the 2 July flight was a rehearsal for a ceremony held on 4 July. The Patrouille de France's Alphajets carry a headlight in the nose, which is switched on during flying displays so that the aircraft can be seen clearly. On both evenings the squadron flew holding patterns in the region, first in an 8-aircraft formation before the display, then in a 4-aircraft formation before starting its approach procedure to the Salon airfield. This confirms the reported observations, and the case was classified A (identified).