UFO sightings by place
UFO sightings in Essonne: 48 reports
SkyUnknown lists 48 UFO sightings in Essonne, from 1960 to 2026, drawn from official records: GEIPAN (CNES). The busiest year was 2011, with 5 cases.
Of the 48 cases with a conclusion from their source, 67% are explained (with certainty or probably), 31% lack the data to conclude, and 1 remains unidentified. The most frequent identified causes: sky lanterns (10); balloons (5); moon (3).
Most frequently named places: Athis-Mons (5), Yerres (3), Évry (3), Palaiseau (2), and Gif-sur-Yvette (2).
- cases
- 48
- unidentified
- 1
- period
- 1960–2026
- source
- 1
Notable cases
The most complete records: account of the sighting, conclusion of the official investigation.
- UnexplainedDecember 29, 1978
Ormoy-la-Rivière
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJanuary 1, 2026
Briis-sous-Forges
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Moon
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedSeptember 30, 2023
Vigneux-sur-Seine
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedJune 28, 2023
Évry-Courcouronnes
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Balloons
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedFebruary 17, 2022
Palaiseau
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Balloons
GEIPAN (CNES)
- ExplainedAugust 29, 2017
Villejust
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Ground lights and lasers
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Insufficient dataApril 12, 2017
Puiselet-le-Marais
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedJuly 30, 2016
Athis-Mons
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Aircraft
GEIPAN (CNES)
- Probably explainedJanuary 1, 2016
Villemoisson-sur-Orge
Essonne, Île-de-France, France
→ Sky lanterns
GEIPAN (CNES)
Other departments in the region
Identified causes
For cases explained with certainty or probably.
All sightings
| Date | Place | Status | Identified cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Briis-sous-Forges · Essonne | Explained | Moon |
| September 30, 2023 | Vigneux-sur-Seine · Essonne | Explained | Sky lanterns |
| June 28, 2023 | Évry-Courcouronnes · Essonne | Explained | Balloons |
| February 17, 2022 | Palaiseau · Essonne | Probably explained | Balloons |
| August 29, 2017 | Villejust · Essonne | Explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| April 12, 2017 | Puiselet-le-Marais · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| July 30, 2016 | Athis-Mons · Essonne | Probably explained | Aircraft |
| January 1, 2016 | Villemoisson-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| December 24, 2015 | Évry · Essonne | Probably explained | Balloons |
| August 10, 2015 | Saint-Michel-sur-Orge · Essonne | Explained | Stars |
| August 7, 2015 | Évry · Essonne | Probably explained | Ground lights and lasers |
| June 13, 2015 | Mennecy · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 19, 2014 | Yerres · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| July 25, 2014 | Juvisy-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| May 12, 2014 | Évry · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 4, 2013 | Massy · Essonne | Probably explained | Aircraft |
| June 9, 2013 | Quincy-sous-Sénart · Essonne | Probably explained | Balloons |
| September 16, 2012 | Athis-Mons · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| September 15, 2012 | Yerres · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| November 6, 2011 | La Ville-du-Bois · Essonne | Probably explained | Balloons |
| October 20, 2011 | Fleury-Mérogis · Essonne | Probably explained | Space station (ISS) |
| September 3, 2011 | Juvisy-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| April 9, 2011 | Gif-sur-Yvette · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| February 18, 2011 | Rentree Atmospherique · Essonne | Probably explained | Re-entries |
| August 31, 2010 | Vigneux-sur-Seine · Essonne | Explained | Planets |
| December 27, 2009 | Morsang-sur-Orge · Essonne | Probably explained | Meteors and fireballs |
| November 18, 2009 | Brétigny-sur-Orge · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| September 5, 2009 | Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois · Essonne | Probably explained | Sky lanterns |
| August 29, 2008 | Athis-Mons · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| October 27, 2007 | Janvry · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| December 5, 2003 | Gif-sur-Yvette · Essonne | Probably explained | Moon |
| February 2, 2002 | Palaiseau · Essonne | Probably explained | |
| September 7, 2001 | Villiers-le-Bâcle · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| August 9, 2000 | Pussay · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| July 23, 1993 | Viry-Châtillon · Essonne | Probably explained | |
| July 3, 1993 | Guigneville-sur-Essonne · Essonne | Probably explained | |
| April 17, 1986 | Massy · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| December 8, 1983 | Yerres · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| July 14, 1983 | Milly-la-Forêt · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| September 6, 1982 | Villebon-sur-Yvette · Essonne | Explained | Moon |
| December 6, 1981 | Draveil · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| October 4, 1981 | Saint-Hilaire · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| September 14, 1980 | Athis-Mons · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| August 23, 1980 | Épinay-sous-Sénart · Essonne | Explained | Planets |
| August 24, 1979 | Athis-Mons · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| December 29, 1978 | Ormoy-la-Rivière · Essonne | Unexplained | |
| February 19, 1978 | Étréchy · Essonne | Insufficient data | |
| 1960 | Wissous · Essonne | Probably explained | Weather and storms |
The figures on this page are computed from the official records cited on each case. See sources and method