Treasure hunt finally over for France’s famous €150,000 Golden Owl

The search is finally over!  

31 years, 5 months and 9 days since the launch of the mysterious French treasure hunt for the “chouette d’or” - the Golden Owl – an as-yet-unnamed modern-day Indiana Jones has cracked the code and found the covetted statuette.

Launched in 1993 by Régis Hauser (aka Max Valentin) and painter Michel Becker, the “Sur la trace de la chouette d'or” treasure hunt has captivated thousands across France. 

Hidden somewhere in France by Hauser, the wereabouts of the 10 kg, diamond-encrusted prize, estimated to be worth €150,000, has defied researchers and mystery lovers for three decades.

It has been the longest-running treasure hunt to date, with the previous record held by British “Quest: A Zetetic Treasure Hunt”, which lasted 13 years and seven months (from September 1992 to March 2006). 

The valuable object was buried and clues to its location were hidden within 11 textual and visual riddles published in the book “Sur la trace de la chouette d’or”.  

There are three editions of the book, published by Manya (1993), Hermé and Max Valentin (1995), and Michel Lafon and Editions du Trésor (1997), but the creators previously stated that you only needed one edition to solve the puzzle. They are no longer published, but the clues were made available for download with the authors' agreement. 

The enigmas remained unsolved for years... Until now. 

This morning, at 8:26am, game co-creator Becker announced on the game's forum: “We can confirm that the Golden Owl was unearthed last night, simultaneously with a solution upload that was sent to the online verification system. There is therefore no need for you to go digging at the location you assume to be the hiding spot.” 

The hunt for the Golden Owl has been a