Cylindrical object with windows near Châtel-Montagne

Summary

In 1998, a 12-year-old boy near Châtel-Montagne (Allier) observed a gray cylinder fitted with windows emitting white light. The object moved silently, skimming the treetops, before disappearing behind a hill. Although the children present alerted the adults, none of them saw it. The testimony was not collected until 2014, with date inaccuracies that hindered the investigation.

A solar balloon was considered as a possible explanation, but its consistency with wind conditions at the time could not be verified. The single testimony and the long gap between the sighting and the report left the case unresolved. Classified as C by GEIPAN.