la chouette d'or: 8377 days and still hidden

March 31, 2016 2:54 PM

La choutte d'or, the golden owl, is the prize in a scavenger hunted created by Max Valentin in 1993. It's still hidden, 23 years later, and here is a reddit thread devoted to it.
posted by MoonOrb (26 comments total)

So when French people call something "super chouette" they're saying it's a "super owl?" Huh.
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:12 PM on March 31, 2016

I really want this to turn up at a yard sale somewhere.
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:17 PM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]

next question, if you travel to France to look for this thing and the customs people ask the purpose of your visit, are they gonna be ok with you saying "to plunder your countryside in search of treasure?"
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:20 PM on March 31, 2016 [9 favorites]

I think chouette might also be slang for "cool" if i'm not mistaken.

Yeah, french slang is well owl.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 3:23 PM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]

Circa 1996

"Maman! Maman! See what I found!"
"Que c'est joli, le hibou! What where did you find this?
"Behind the old oak tree at the end of the mill lane five paces from the old stone marker. I saw the tip of the wing sticking up from the ground."
"Well, after the rains of this week, is it any wonder?"
"Yes, Maman. Maman, may I keep it? May I? It would look well in the garden, no?"
"Certainement, cheri. Finders keepers."
posted by BWA at 3:24 PM on March 31, 2016 [6 favorites]

Normally when you find a strange owl statue in a remote location, it means you've wandered into the Bohemian Grove and you'd best get the hell out of there before a terrible fate befalls you, like seeing Henry Kissinger naked
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:27 PM on March 31, 2016 [18 favorites]

anyway are we gonna find this thing or what
posted by prize bull octorok at 3:29 PM on March 31, 2016 [5 favorites]

And if he touches you, YOU become the naked Henry Kissinger, doomed to walk the earth spreading discord
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:29 PM on March 31, 2016 [13 favorites]

the owl is probably already inside or some dumb existential bullshit
posted by Tevin at 3:43 PM on March 31, 2016 [7 favorites]

Well, sir, what do you suggest? We stand here and shed tears and call each other names... or shall we go France?
posted by stevis23 at 3:43 PM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]

What a hoot!
posted by carter at 3:44 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

I mean, reddit is on it, I think that means we have to go find it to save face.
posted by blnkfrnk at 3:52 PM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]

ok so you people are jerks because now I have the words 'naked Henry Kissinger' seared into my brain
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 3:52 PM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]

Other than the original post, most of the (short) Reddit thread is just "this is cool!" , and is over a year old so is archived. The competition is not stiff.
posted by Fig at 4:00 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

God damnit the golden owl better not be the friends we made along the way
posted by The Whelk at 4:10 PM on March 31, 2016 [37 favorites]

Following a ruling on January 15, 2009 by the Court of Appeal of Versailles, the owl was returned to Becker and remains in his possession, ready to be exchanged for the countermark.

See, now, if my Dungeons & Dragons party was looking for the owl, they'd just go to this guy's house and make some Intimidate rolls
posted by prize bull octorok at 4:36 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

Intimidate rolls? Fuck that, I finally get to do something as a rogue besides backstab people!

[several failed Sleight of Hand rolls later]

Fuck it, flank 'im.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:43 PM on March 31, 2016

There's still plenty of hidden Canadian Club to be found.
posted by 445supermag at 7:08 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]

The owls are not what they seem.
posted by kinnakeet at 7:15 PM on March 31, 2016 [4 favorites]

God damnit the golden owl better not be the friends we made along the way

Nah... they said there'd be sandwiches.
posted by Behemoth at 7:19 PM on March 31, 2016

The owls are not what they seem.

Indeed.
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 7:32 PM on March 31, 2016 [8 favorites]

When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that the owl carried you.
posted by goatdog at 8:49 PM on March 31, 2016 [7 favorites]

Goodness, no mention of Kit Williams and the golden hare of Masquerade?
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:54 AM on April 1, 2016

So when French people call something "super chouette" they're saying it's a "super owl?" Huh.

Actually, it's slang along the lines of "neato". Unless Americans are actually saying things are fermented soy beans.

"cool" is also a fine translation. unless you're all actually chilled when you say that.
posted by fraula at 11:37 AM on April 1, 2016

It is extremely un-owl to discover that 'chouette' in the sense of 'cool' is not after all literally 'owl'. Not owl at all.
posted by motty at 8:29 PM on April 1, 2016 [1 favorite]

445supermag: "There's still plenty of hidden Canadian Club to be found."

Probably some never to be found, alas.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:52 AM on April 4, 2016 [1 favorite]