Luminous UFO observed in France in 2016

Summary

In January 2016, a witness in Châteauneuf-Villevieille (Alpes-Maritimes) observed a luminous flying object of an oval shape moving from west to east. The object disappeared as a gray dot on the horizon without making any noise. Although the witness thought of an airplane or helicopter, the description didn't fit these vehicles. Upon checking Flightradar data, two aircraft were found in the area: a Beech 200 and an Ecureuil. The first was circling over the Col de Braus, while the second, at low altitude, was intermittently detected. At one point, both were close to the witness. It was discovered that this aerial activity coincided with a stage of the Monte-Carlo Rally, where the helicopter likely transmitted images to the plane for TV. Despite the coincidence, the GEIPAN did not identify the operators. Ultimately, the case was classified as A, attributed to the rally helicopter.