After more than three decades of fierce investigation, the famous treasure hunt of the golden owl finally delivered its secret: the sculpture in precious metals was found in the night of October 2 to 3, 2024 on the heights of the Dabo rock, a small village of Moselle nestled in the heart of the Vosges.
Created in 1993 by the author Régis Hauser, alias Max Valentin, and the sculptor Michel Becker, this legendary quest mobilized thousands of “owners” across France. Objective: to solve 11 enigmas of the book on the trace of the golden owl to locate an buried replica of the work. The key, a nice precious metals originally estimated at 150,000 euros.
The truth revealed in a documentary
Long remained silent at the exact location of the discovery, Michel Becker, now holder of the rights of the game, finally lifted the veil during a documentary event broadcast on Friday and Saturday: “the discovery of the golden owl”. The 1h10 documentary, presented exclusively during 500 paid sessions, reveals that the exact location is located in Dabo, on the spectacular site of the rock overlooked by the Saint-Léon chapel.
-“There are thousands of people who came from all over France and elsewhere. It is sure that we were a taker, ”said Claude, a village trader at the end of 2024. For years, this site, which culminates almost 700 meters, attracted between 30,000 and 40,000 visitors per season, between hikers, pilgrims and treasure hunters.
A new hunting season announced
The golden owl had been buried in April 1993 and the adventure was not always peaceful. The hunt had even been suspended with the death of Max Valentin in 2009 and a long legal conflict between his heirs and Michel Becker. But finally, she had resumed in 2021 with the dissemination of new indices on Discord. The craze has therefore never weakened.
With the end of this legendary chapter, a new hunting season is already announced, promising to turn on the flame of enthusiasts. One thing is certain: the commune of Dabo will forever remain in history as the theater of one of the biggest treasure hunts in France.
