Today I'm going to tell you about a treasure hunt that has fascinated generations of researchers. What began as a simple treasure hunt in 1993 has become the longest treasure hunt in French history, after the Templars, of course. Welcome to a new episode of Learn French vocabulary with the news, designed to enrich your vocabulary with current events and improve your listening comprehension. Here we go!
The French golden owl - The adventure begins
It all began at 3.30am on 24 April 1993. Somewhere in France, a man called Max Valentin buried a bronze statuette of an owl.
Whoever finds it will win the original, adorned with gold, silver and precious stones and worth 150,000 euros. 200,000 people set off across France in search of the owl, guided by a series of mysterious riddles - the chouetteurs, as they are known.
‘At first, it was a bit of an urban legend. We didn't really know if the owl existed or if it was just a myth’ ’But once we got into it, we became obsessed. Sleepless nights spent looking for clues, solving riddles... It was an addiction!’
Impossible riddles
To find the loot, you have to solve 11 riddles, published in a messy book, and for years the hunters have been trying to decipher these mysteries, but the last, elusive riddle leaves them in limbo.
The tragic death of Max Valentin, 16 years to the day after burying the treasure, plunges the community into doubt. Many thought the treasure had been lost forever. Rumours circulate: was it a legend? Was it a prank on Valentin's part? His death left a void, and the question of the owl's very existence grew.
Ça y est
Over time, the organisers of this treasure hunt received more than 22,000 proposed solutions, but only one was validated at the beginning of October 2024, because yes, someone has just unearthed the owl and not everyone is happy about it. Some see it as a relief, a joy or a disappointment, because they believed in it right up to the end. Imagine, you spend 15 years looking for the treasure and someone else finds it for you! That's tough!
Michel Becker, the surviving organiser, has just shared some details, but not enough to ease the frustration of the searchers, as the winners demanded total anonymity, a disappointment for those who had hoped to discover their identity. What's more, they ignored an offer to buy it back for 300,000 euros so that it could remain in a museum in Rochefort. Weird, isn't it?
‘When I heard that the owl had been found, I felt a mixture of happiness and sadness. It was a relief, but at the same time, it felt strange to realise that it was really over.’
For many, this treasure hunt has led to obsessions and even divorces - it's crazy, this story. On the forums, Becker's every word was analysed and interpreted. A community was formed around this quest, and even an association, the official Association des chouetteurs, which brought together all those who believed in this adventure.
Now what? The new owl
And now the suspense is only growing. Becker has announced a new Golden Owl, which will fly away on 24 April 2025, exactly where the first one was buried. A new promise of treasure hunting for all thrill-seekers.
As you can see, the French are great players. I took a look at the riddles myself this week and I have to confess that I didn't understand a word of it. Treasure hunts are not for me. There you go, I hope you've learnt some new expressions and if you want to learn more, you can watch the videos in my Learn French vocabulary with the news playlist. See you soon!
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