France treasure hunt finally comes to an end after 31 years as hidden gold statue uncovered – MASHAHER

Becker sculpted the gold-and-silver owl and vowed to hand it over to whoever could solve the clues hidden in his book.

Under the rules, the lucky person who located a bronze replica owl would be able to exchange it for Becker’s original.

The prized treasure at the time when the book was first published was worth an estimated 1m francs – almost €300,000 today.

Other regulations of the treasure hunt included the finder having to show that they had found the replica by correctly solving 11 arcane riddles set by the book’s author, Max Valentin.

Over the last 31 years, a dedicated page has seen treasure hunters – known in French as chouetteurs – to exchange notes and theories.

Until recently, the final, hidden 12th riddle could not be solved.

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However, on Thursday, a post on the hunt’s official chatline said: “A potentially winning solution is being verified.

“No more solutions may be submitted. Further information will be communicated as soon as possible.”

Two hours later, another post read: “Do not keep digging! We confirm that the replica of the golden owl was unearthed during the course of last night, and a solution simultaneously submitted.”

The hunt drew inspiration from Masquerade, the 1979 British bestseller by artist Kit Williams.

The French quest was organised by writer Michel Becker, who illustrated Sur la Trace de la Chouette d’Or (On the Trail of the Golden Owl), a picture book published in 1993

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The book captivated the nation, selling over a million copies and triggering a widespread search for a hidden 18-carat, jewel-encrusted gold hare, which was finally discovered three years later in a Bedfordshire park.

Many social media users shared their upset that the quest was over.

One community member said the news was “a real blow”.

While another said it was “hard to bear”, before a third added: “I have to admit, I shed a few tears.”