Golden owl found: what is the solution to the 11 puzzles? Where was she? One person found it!

It was therefore after more than 30 years of mystery and relentless research that the Golden Owl was finally discovered. One of the co-organizers of this treasure hunt, among the most famous in France, made it known this Thursday, October 3, a little before 9 a.m. “We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was dug up last night, simultaneously with a solution being sent to the online verification system. It is therefore unnecessary for you to travel to dig on the location you suppose to be that of the cache. As previously announced, we are verifying the validity of the proposed solution,” said painter Michel Becker, on the website dedicated to the game.

We still do not know who the winner of the game is, the one who will be able to place the golden owl, with an estimated value of more than 150,000 euros for the diamonds that constitute it, on his fireplace. Given the excitement this game has created and the years of mystery, it is likely that the winner will become a real star in the treasure hunting community.

This person has finally solved the 11 puzzles that make up the game, which have haunted the most diligent “owlers” for three decades. What are the solutions to each challenge? Only the organizer and the winner have the answers at this time, but they will be published very soon from now on. It would not be unlikely that the availability of the solutions would be the subject of a small event.

“Each enigma is represented by a cryptogram and a visual. There are eleven of them, but we now know that a twelfth is hidden in the previous ones. It would perhaps be the meta-enigma, the one which gives the final solution “, explained an expert two years ago, in the columns of Les Echos.

Launched in 1993 by Max Valentin (real name Régis Hauser) and Michel Becker, the golden owl hunt has become a phenomenon for generations of researchers. Régis Hauser, at the origin of the project, died in April 2009, sixteen years to the day after the owl’s countermark was buried in a trunk somewhere in France. So it is now empty.

In October 2021, Michel Becker announced that he had signed an agreement with the heirs of Max Valentin. He then had access to the solutions and indicated that the location of the cache was “unchanged since 1993 and corresponds to the nearest centimeter to that resulting from the resolution of the final enigma (‘super-solution’)”.

Max Valentin and Michel Becker never revealed the exact solutions to the puzzles. Here’s a general overview of these puzzles and some popular theories about their solutions.

The 11 Riddles of the Golden Owl

1. 530: “Bourges”: This riddle is often considered the introduction. It seems to indicate that Bourges is a central starting point for hunting.

2. 780: “The Path of the Giants” : It’s about giants and a geographical enigma. Many believe it refers to imposing geological or historical sites.

3. 470: “The map”: This riddle suggests the use of a precise map of France. It is believed to introduce the concept of the IGN map which is crucial for pinpointing the exact location.

4. 580: “The Pedestrian of Bourges”: This enigma could concern a route or an orientation from Bourges. Many interpret it as a game of trails to be followed meticulously.

5. 600: “A Zenith and a Nadir” : The terms “Zenith” and “Nadir” refer to astronomical or geographical concepts. This could symbolize a notion of direction or altitude.

6. 500: “Staff Lines” : This riddle involves the interpretation of lines, which could be meridians, parallels, or specific lines on the map.

7. 420: “The measure”: It suggests the importance of a precise distance to be measured on the map. It is often said that the “toise” is the key unit of measurement.

8. 560: “Good directions”: This riddle could be about cardinal directions or landmarks to follow. It invites you to orient the map correctly.

9. 650: “The sentinels”: The riddle could refer to visible features in the landscape (like mountains, towers, or other points of interest), which serve as landmarks for the researcher.

10. 520: “Opening”: Some believe that this riddle is a key to interpreting others. It’s about revelation or discovering a hidden clue.

11. 12th hidden enigma (The last secret): It is often speculated that there is an “invisible” or secret riddle that connects all the others, leading to the Owl’s final location.

Where was the Golden Owl hidden?

We will have to wait a little longer to find out where the countermark was found. But until this Wednesday, several leads were considered more serious than others by treasure hunters, based on the analysis of the 11 enigmas. Here are the avenues most often mentioned:

• The Cher region: Several treasure hunters have focused their research in the Cher region, around Bourges. Max Valentin often mentioned that the location was approximately 100-200 km from Bourges, reinforcing the theory that the Owl could be in an area not far from that city.
• The village of Dabo (Moselle): One of the most popular theories concerns the village of Dabo, in Moselle. Dabo is a special place because of its famous rock, an impressive rocky promontory topped with a chapel. This corresponds well to several clues, notably those which speak of “sentinels” and giants. Enigma 780 (the Path of the Giants) seems to resonate with this rocky landscape. Several other clues about the geography, landforms, and local legends of Dabo match elements of the riddles, which has made this region a major point of interest for hunters.
• The Burgundy trail (Auxerre): Some researchers think that the Owl could be located in Burgundy, in the vicinity of Auxerre, in particular because of the correspondence with certain clues from enigma 650 (“The sentinels”). The topography and history of this region would be compatible with the solutions of other puzzles.
• The Heart of France Theory: One theory is based on the idea that the Owl could be buried in the geographic center of France. Several localities are possible for this central point, depending on the calculation methods. For example, the village of Chazemais in Allier, or areas near Saulzais-le-Potier in Cher, are often mentioned. This lead seems plausible given that Bourges is the central point of the hunt and could be an allusion to the geographical “center” of France.
• The Mont-Saint-Michel trail: A more marginal trail concerns Mont-Saint-Michel. Some clues in the puzzles can be interpreted as referring to tides, an island, and specific geographic points. However, this theory is less supported by the research community.
• Les Landes: Another lead suggests that the Owl could be buried in the South-West of France, particularly in the Landes. This theory is based on interpretations of certain riddles referring to natural elements such as forests, rivers and mountains.
• Proximity to a famous road: Other theories claim that the Owl could be near a famous or historic path, such as the Via Podiensis, a pilgrimage route that is part of the Ways of Saint James of Compostela. The riddles that talk about lines and directions could be references to such historical routes.

What Max Valentin has already said about the hiding place of the Golden Owl: the statue was placed on public, non-dangerous land, accessible to all. She was buried at a shallow depth, and the location can be identified with certainty if all the puzzles are solved. The owl was buried somewhere in mainland France, but not in a natural park or a protected historic site.