Light pillar in Merindol

Summary

On a cold November night in 2017, a witness in Merindol observed an unusual luminous phenomenon that lasted over an hour. They described a "burning cloud" followed by a light beam that gradually faded. Although there were no other witnesses, the GEIPAN report concluded it was a light pillar, a rare optical phenomenon caused by light reflecting off ice crystals in the atmosphere. That day, the temperature in the area reached 1.7°C, ideal conditions for ice crystal formation. The witness took photographs that helped identify the phenomenon, explained as a combination of distant artificial lights—possibly from the city of Salon-de-Provence—reflected in the ice crystals. This case was classified as "A" by the GEIPAN, indicating a clear and natural explanation.