Recurring luminous spheres in Saint-Gervais, 1997

Summary

Over several nights in September 1997, a witness in Saint-Gervais (Gard) observed orange luminous spheres with an apparent diameter of 8–10 cm. The first appeared on September 9 at 21:30, rising from a hill, flickering and vanishing. Two more appeared two days later with similar behavior. Skies were clear and starry. Local police considered fireworks from nearby Bagnols-sur-Cèze, but the lights seemed too stable for that explanation.

GEIPAN reviewed the case and suggested Thai lanterns, uncommon in France at the time but possibly brought back by travelers. However, the recurrence outside any festive context complicated this theory. The sole witness offered no clear distinctions between the three nights, weakening the coherence of any hypothesis. The case was classified as category C — insufficient information for a definitive conclusion.