ed ▁to ▁a ▁" pet an que ▁club ▁or ▁a ▁war ▁veter ans ' ▁association ." ▁ ▁Then ▁he ▁speak s ▁of ▁a ▁personal ▁desire ▁to ▁sett le ▁in ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁and ▁write ▁an ▁aut obi ography ▁of ▁events ▁happening ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁pur port ed ▁extr ater rest rial ▁enc oun ters ▁beginning ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁December ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁S ight ings ▁In ▁his ▁book ▁Int ellig ent ▁Design , ▁Ra ël ▁describes ▁how ▁the ▁following ▁events ▁occurred . ▁ ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁July ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁Marie - Paul ▁and ▁a ▁devoted ▁MA DE CH ▁member , ▁François , ▁Ra ël ▁s ights ▁a ▁U FO ▁near ▁his ▁new ▁home ▁in ▁the ▁coun tr ys ide ▁near ▁Cl erm ont - F err and , ▁the ▁town ▁he ▁previously ▁had ▁lived ▁in . ▁ ▁The ▁g low ing ▁craft ▁performed ▁aer ial ▁start - and - go ▁man eu vers ▁along ▁a ▁z ig z ag ▁path . ▁ ▁Ra ël ▁thought ▁that ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁ver ification ▁that ▁the ▁new ▁location ▁that ▁he ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁were ▁now ▁living ▁in ▁was ▁the ▁right ▁place ▁and ▁time . ▁ ▁He ▁said ▁that ▁on ▁ 7 ▁October ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁an ▁hour ▁before ▁mid night , ▁after ▁having ▁a ▁sudden ▁ur ge ▁to ▁observe ▁the ▁night ▁sky , ▁he ▁decided ▁to ▁go ▁to ▁Roc ▁Plat , ▁an ▁un in hab ited ▁place