Mysterious light over Marseille

Summary

A citizen of Marseille observed a light burning up and leaving a white trail in the sky around 11:10 PM on August 5, 2014. The phenomenon lasted about five seconds and there were no other witnesses. The observer initially thought it was a reentry of a space debris, but the persistent white trail suggests a flare. Flares often leave visible smoke, especially when lit by city lights. The observer was looking west, toward the old port and the Frioul islands, making it possible that the flare was part of a summer celebration or even an emergency signal from a boat. Although emergency flares are usually red, other types of launches in the area can't be ruled out. The GEIPAN classified the case as "B", meaning a likely observation of a flare.