In 1954, at the height of a French UFO scare, the wine-producing town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape passed a municipal decree banning flying saucers from landing in the commune.
The ordinance declared that any “flying saucer or flying cigar” that landed would be impounded and its occupants taken into custody.
Whether a tongue-in-cheek publicity move or a genuine precaution, the law neatly combined Cold War anxiety with local flair. As far as records show, enforcement has never been required.
#DidYouKnow #UFOHistory #FrenchHistory #StrangeLaws #HistoryNuggets