Luminous spheres on the French Atlantic coast explained as lanterns

Summary

At around 10 PM on 3 May 2008, several witnesses along the French Atlantic coast and on the Île d'Yeu saw luminous spheres moving silently across the sky. The sightings drew press attention. Shortly afterwards, a person contacted the Île d'Yeu gendarmerie and admitted responsibility: during a private party on the north-east tip of the island, they had released Thai flying lanterns that drifted with the wind before burning out. GEIPAN documented the case as a confirmed explanation.