In the 1990s, the owner of a small antique shop in the South of France decided he needed something truly eye catching to attract customers. From military surplus, he bought a decommissioned missile, strapped it to the ladder of an old firetruck, and placed it high on a cliff above the valley. From the road below, it looked like a strange landmark pointing to his shop an unusual marketing trick that still remains today.

A False Alarm

The Missile on the Cliff

Not long after the installation, the unusual sight was picked up by a military satellite. From above, the “missile” appeared to be aimed directly at a nearby nuclear power plant, just a few kilometers away. Authorities rushed to investigate, fearing the worst, only to discover it was nothing more than an eccentric shop owner’s idea of advertising. Thirty years later, the rocket is still there a silent relic of one man’s creativity.

The Missile on the Cliff