  The fragmentation of quasi-projectiles from the nuclear reaction
$^{40}Ca$+$^{12}C$ at 25 MeV/nucleon was used to produce excited states
candidates to $\alpha$-particle condensation. The methodology relies on high
granularity 4$\pi$ detection coupled to correlation function techniques. Under
the assumption that the equality among the kinetic energies of the emitted
$\alpha$-particles and the emission simultaneity constitutes a reliable
fingerprint of $\alpha$ condensation, we identify several tens of events
corresponding to the deexcitation of the Hoyle state of $^{12}$C which fulfill
the condition.
