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October 16, 1954, Thin-le-Moutiers, Ardennes:

Reference for this case: 16-oct-54-Thin.
Please cite this reference in any correspondence with me regarding this case.

Summary:

The regional newspaper L'Est Républicain for October 21, 1954, reported among other things, on page 6, that one reported that in Thin-le-Moutier, a village in the district of Mézières, a woman saw a flying saucer land at less than thirty meters from her and that, frightened, she lost consciousness immediately.

Since then, the newspaper says, "this person, who enjoys widespread esteem in the country, suffers from a strange skin disease and is forced to stay in her bedroom."

In the 1960s, ufologist Jacques Vallée, quoting himself as the source, said that the date of October 16, 1954, is approximate, that it was an "object" that landed about 30 meters from the woman who fainted and suffered from skin disease as a result of this incident.

In 1975, ufologists and journalists Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier indicated that the precise date of the case at Thin-le-Moutier in the Ardennes is not known. On the other hand, they indicate that it was in the morning, that the witness was a young woman named Jeanne Rossignon, that she had been looking for the cows in a pasture near the village to bring them back to the farm for milking. It was when she arrived at the top of a small hill that she was face to face with a craft already posed on the ground at a very short distance, and that she had fainted almost at the same moment.

When she regained consciousness, the craft was no longer there. She was able to return but had to stay in bed and suffered for several days of a strange dermatosis that disappeared only slowly: her skin looked like toad skin.

Professor Villequez, dermatology specialist at the Faculty of Medicine of Dijon, to whom Charles Garreau submitted this case, told him: "such reactions are frequent following violent emotional shocks. So she did not invent that story."

In 1997, Jean Sider, giving a version similar to that of Garreau and Lavier, indicated that its source was the newspaper Le Lorrain for October 21, 1954.

Reports:

[Ref. ler1:] NEWSPAPER "L'EST REPUBLICAIN":

Flying saucers give skin diseases!

Charleville (from our correspondent). -- A curious luminous form, which many people saw moving, Saturday, around 10 p.m. in the sky of Sedan was photographed. An amateur photographer, who took the fresh air at his window in the company of two comrades, suddenly saw in the sky a luminous disc which moved at a high speed.

Grabbing his camera, he managed to take two impressive shots with exposure times Of one or two seconds.

This lighting phenomenon has been seen by some fifty people, including police officers and several Sedanese personalities.

Meteor or flying saucer, opinions are divided.

On the other hand, it is pointed out that in Thin-le-Moutier, a village in the district of Mezière, a Woman would have seen a flying saucer land less than thirty meters away from her and frightened, she Would have immediately lost consciousness. Since then that person, who enjoys general esteem in the country, suffers from a strange skin disease and is obliged to stay in her bedroom.

[Ref. jve3:] JACQUES VALLEE:

Jacques Vallée indicates that on October 16, 1954, in Thin-le-Moutier in the department of Isère [!], a "flying saucer" was reported to have landed 30 meters away from a woman who is said to have lost consciousness and to have then suffered from a skin disease.

Jacques Vallée adds that he does not make any judgment yet on the value of the testimony neither on the sincerity of the witnesses nor on the plausibility of the reported facts.

[Ref. jjv1:] JACQUES ET JANNINE VALLEE:

Very often, these observations took on a more dramatic character, provoking in the witnesses violent nervous reactions. On October 16, 1954, in Thin-les-Moutiers (Isère) a "flying saucer" reportedly "landed" at 30 m of a woman who reportedly lost consciousness. The person reportedly then suffered from a skin disease.

[Ref. jve4:] JACQUES VALLEE:

We will report here on two clusters of special interest: the Mezieres cluster and the Saint Quirin cluster. * Of the three observations near Mezieres, none has ever been reported in a national newspaper or a specialized publication. Two come from obscure local papers; the third one is a police report. They were unknown to Michel and Carrouges when they wrote their books. They have received no publicity. The sightings took place on October 4, 16, and 27 - roughly twelve days apart. The first case was reported by a child who said he saw an object "shaped like a tent" and an unknown individual near it. In the second case, a woman fainted as she saw an object land within thirty meters of her. In the third case, policemen in the immediate vicinity of the two other sightings saw a flying object that took off at dawn.

[...]

* A special investigation of this point is in progress within the framework of a complete study of the distribution of the landing sites over the French territory.

[Ref. jve1:] JACQUES VALLEE:

271) October 16, 1954 (Approximate date) Thin le Moutiers (France):

An object landed about 30 m away from a woman, who fainted. The witness suffered from a skin disease following the incident. (Challenge 53)

[Ref. jve2:] JACQUES VALLEE:

271

Oct. 16, 1954 Thin le Moutiers (France). Approximate date.

An object landed about 30 m away from a woman, who fainted. The witness suffered from a skin disease following the incident. (Challenge 53)

[Ref. gal1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:

The two authors indicate that the date for this case in Thin-le-Moutier in the Ardennes is not precisely known.

They indicate that in the morning, a young woman, Jeanne Rossignon, went to get the cows in a pasture close to the village to bring them back to the farm for milking them. When she arrived at the top of a small hill, she found herself face to face with a machine posed on the ground at a very short distance. She fainted almost at the same time.

When she recovered consciousness, the machine was not there anymore. She managed to return home, but she had to confine to bed. She suffered during several days from a strange dermatitis which disappeared only slowly: her skin resembled a toad's skin.

Professor Villequez, specialist in dermatology in the Faculty of Medicine in Dijon, to whom which Charles Garreau submitted this case, told him:

"Such reactions are frequent following violent emotional shocks. The young woman thus did not invent this story."

[Ref. prn1:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

449 16 October 1954 (appx date)

THIN LE MOUTIERS (FRANCE) An object landed about 30m away from a woman who fainted. She suffered from a skin disease following the incident. (M271; Challenge 53)

[Ref. fru1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:

The authors indicate that on October 16, 1954 at an unspecified hour close to Thin-le-Moutier, Jeanne Rossignon went to get her cows in a pasture close to the village to back bring them to the farm to milk them.

Arriving at the top of a small hillock she was confronted with a craft posed on the ground within 30 meters of her, and almost at the same time, she fainted.

When she regained consciousness, the craft had disappeared. She returned home and had to stay in bed. A strange dermatitis started and she had a skin like that of a toad during several day. A professor of the Faculty of Medicine of Dijon alerted by ufologist Charles Garreau looked after her.

The authors indicate that the sources are the Vallée catalogue, case 271, C. Garreau and R. Lavier in "Face aux E.T." pages 27,28, and "Challenge 53".

[Ref. mft1:] MICHEL FIGUET - "FRANCAT":

Nr of the J. C. Fumoux list	Nr of Francat list	Localization	Date	Class	Credibility	Sources	Number of W
093	212	Thin-le-Moutier	16/10	CE2	NI RS	2-p 171	1 T

[Ref. mft2:] MICHEL FIGUET - "FRANCAT":

CASE Nr	CLASSIFICATION	DATE	HOUR	PLACE	ZIP CODE	CREDIBILITY SOURCE
217	CE2	16 10 1954	hnp [=hour not specified]	Thin-les Moutier	08460 B3	NI [= unidentified], OVNI [= [fru1]]: p. 171

[Ref. jsr1:] JEAN SIDER:

Jean Sider discovered the article of the newspaper "Le Lorrain" for October 21, 1954, and thus summarizes the incident:

On October 16, 1954, at an unspecified time, in Thin-le-Moutier in the Ardennes, Mrs. Jeanne Rossignon went to get her cows. She saw a machine landed on the ground thirty meters away, and it seems that she lost consciousness because of her fright.

Jean Sider also quotes the indication of Michel Figuet: a strange dermatitis affected Mrs. Rossignon, during several days, her skin taking an aspect of a toad's skin. Another source indicates that the witness suffered of a strange disease since this day and had to remain inside the house.

[Ref. cnu1:] ERIC MAILLOT - "CNEGU" UFOLOGY GROUP:

October 16, 1954, ?, Thin le Moutier (R ?2).

Ph: Object on the ground at 30m

Alleged effect: Fainting and skin rash

Id: Anecdotal + psychosomatic skin rash on impressionnable witness + media influence "F. S." + still no flying objet!

[Ref. lhh1:] LARRY HATCH - "*U* COMPUTER DATABASE":

4157: 1954/10/16 13:00 6 4:30:00 E 49:43:00 N 3321 WEU FRN ADN 8:8

THIN-le-MOUTIER,FR:UFO LANDS 30M AWAY:WOMAN FAINTS:GETS SKIN DISEASE:/LDLN#103

Ref# 3 VALLEE:UFO ENIGMA: Challenge/Science Page No. 65 : FOREST

[Ref. goe1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:

The Belgian ufologist indicates that in 1954, at the approximate date of October 16 in France in Thin-Le Moutiers, the Ardennes, "an object lands at approximately 30 m of a woman who faints. The witness suffered from a skin disease following this incident."

The source is indicated as "Challenge 53 (Jacques Vallée: "Chronique des apparitions ET" - DENOEL 1972 - COLL. J'AI LU - p. 283)".

She adds: "Jeanne Rossignon seeks the cows to milk them at the farm. While arriving at the top of a small coast she is in front of a machine posed on the ground at very short distance. Almost at the same time she faints. When she regains consciousness, the machine had disappeared. She succeeds in reaching home but must be confined to bed. A strange dermatitis started which only disappears very slowly: during several days the skin of the young woman resembles the skin of a toad."

The source is indicated as "GARREAU et LAVIER: "Face aux extra-terrestres" - DELARGE 1975, J'ai Lu, p. 29, 30".

[Ref. jca1:] JACQUES COSTAGLIOLA, MD:

French ufologist and MD Jacques Costagliola entered in his listing:

date	place	witnesses	wounds	bibliography
10.16.2004	F Thin-le-Moutier 8	1	Dermatitis	LDN 347

[Ref. gdn1:] GEOFF DITTMAN:

Year	Month	Day	Location	Region	Country	Participant	Type	Effect 1	Effect 2	Effect 3	Effect 4	Effect 5	Effect 6	Effect 7	Effect 8	Effect 9	Effect 10	Effect 11	beam of light?	Source	Source 2
1954	May	16	Thin le Moutiers		France	woman	injury		rash											Cashman

[Ref. gdn2:] GEOFF DITTMAN:

Witness: Woman

Location: Thin le Moutiers, France

Date: May 16, 1954

Time:

After a close encounter with a UFO, the woman suffered from a "skin disease" (Cashman, http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/5623/eyeskin.htm)

[Ref. cnu2:] GROUPE D'UFOLOGIE "CNEGU":

L'Ardennais for October 3, 2004

[... other cases...]

On 16 October in Thin-le-Moutier (08), a female farmer fainted while discovering an "object" placed on the ground. There is nothing left when she wakes up. She will develop a skin disorder related to emotional shock.

[... other cases...]

[Ref. djn1:] DONALD JOHNSON:

Encounters with Aliens on this Day

October 16

1954 - On or about this date a UFO landed in Thin le Moutiers, France only thirty meters away from a woman, who promptly fainted. Following the incident the witness suffered from a skin condition that she linked to the encounter. (Sources: Jacques Vallee, Challenge to Science: the UFO Enigma, p. 53; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 231).

[Ref. jbu1:] JEROME BEAU:

Saturday, October 16, 1954

In Thin-le-Moutiers (Isère) a woman sees a flying saucer land at 30 m and faints. She suffers from a skin disease thereafter.

The source is indicated as "Vallée 1966, 53".

[Ref. lcn1:] LUC CHASTAN:

Luc Chastan indicates that in the Ardennes in Thin le Moutier on October 16, 1954 at an unknown hour, "a woman seeks the cows to milk them at the farm. While arriving at the top of a small coast she is in front of a machine posed on the ground at very short distance. Almost at the same time she faints. When she regains consciousness, the machine had disappeared. She succeeds in reaching home but must be confined to bed. A strange dermatitis started which only disappears very slowly: during several days the skin of the young woman resembles the skin of a toad."

The sources are indicated as "Face aux Extra terrestres by Garreau and Lavier ** DELARGE 1975," and "Chroniques des apparitions E.T. by Vallée Jacques ** DENOEL 1972 - coll. J'AI L".

[Ref. uda1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 16 October 1954 at 21:30 in Thin le Moutiers, France, "An object landed about 30 meters away from a woman. Explanation: Meteor." And: "On or about this date a UFO landed in Thin le Moutiers, France only thirty meters away from a woman, who promptly fainted. Following the incident the witness suffered from a skin condition that she linked to the encounter."

And: "An object landed about 30 meters away from a woman, who fainted. The witness suffered from a skin disease following the incident. Approximate date. A meteor-like object was observed. One object was observed by several witnesses."

The sources are indicated as Michel, Aime, Flying Saucers and the Straight-Line Mystery, S. G. Phillips, New York, 1958; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173).

[Ref. uda2:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:

The website indicates that on 16 October 1954 at 22:00 in Thin-le-Moutier, France "UFO lands 30m away from woman. She faints, develops skin disease." And: "Reported encounter with inhuman beings involving radiation effects. One object, about 1 foot across, around 100 feet away, was observed by one female witness, an experienced observor, in a forest for over six minutes."

The sources are indicated as Sparks, Brad, Computer Catalog of Type 9 Cases (N=150); Bowen, Charles, The Humanoids: FSR Special Edition No. 1, FSR, London, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, Computerized Catalog (N = 3073); Vallee, Jacques, Challenge to Science: The UFO Enigma, Henry Regnery, Chicago, 1966; Vallee, Jacques, A Century of Landings (N = 923), (in JVallee04), Chicago, 1969; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N = 3173); Hatch, Larry, *U* computer database, Author, Redwood City, 2002.

[Ref. nip1:] "THE NICAP WEBSITE":

*Oct. 16, 1954 - On or about this date a UFO landed in Thin le Moutiers, France only thirty meters away from a woman, who promptly fainted. Following the incident the witness suffered from a skin condition that she linked to the encounter. (Sources: Jacques Vallee, Challenge to Science: the UFO Enigma, p. 53; Jacques Vallee, Passport to Magonia: A Century of Landings, p. 231, case #271).

[Ref. ubk1:] "UFO-DATENBANK":

This database recorded this case seven times instead of one:

Case Nr.	Date of observation	Place of observation	Country of observation	Classification
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France	CE II
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France
19541016	16.10.1954	Thin Moutier	France

[Ref. prn2:] PETER ROGERSON - "INTCAT":

October 16 1954. (Approx date) Morning.

THIN-LE-MOUTIERS (ARDENNES : FRANCE)

Jeanne Roignon [sic], a young woman, was bringing in the cows from the pasture for milking, when, on a small hill 30m away, she saw a strange devise and almost fainted. She suffered from a skin disease like toad skin for some days afterwards.

Gross 1954. citing( Garreau and Lavier 1975 p27 citing press and investigations by Garreau and Prof Villequez) + Figuet and Ruchon 1979 p171 + (Sider 1997 p256 citing Le Lorrain 21 October 1954. p6))

Explanations:

The main issue here is that no description of the "object" or "saucer" is known to me, it may not even have been reported at the time.

So I do not see how this could be explained one way or another. I stay with "insufficient information."

Keywords:

(These keywords are only to help queries and are not implying anything.)

Thin-le-Moutiers, Ardennes, Jeanne Rossignon, object, landing, effects, skin, disease, faint, unconscious

Sources:

[----] indicates sources that are not yet available to me.

[ler1] Article in the regional newspaper L'Est Républicain, France, page 6, October 21, 1954.
[----] Article in the regional newspaper Le Lorrain, Nancy, France, page 6, October 21, 1954.
[jve3] "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques Vallée and Janine Vallée, La Table Ronde publishers, France, 1966.
[jjv1] "Les Mystérieux Objets Célestes", article by Jacques and Jannine Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #82, page 9, May / June 1966.
[jve3] "Challenge to Science - The UFO Enigma", book by Jacques Vallée and Janine Vallée, Henri Regnery publisher, USA, 1966.
[jve4] "Flying Saucers - A Challenge to Science", book by Jacques Vallée, Ace Star Books - Henry Regnery publishers, USA, page 189, 1966.
[jve1] "Un Siècle d'Atterrissages", catalogue by Jacques Vallée, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #103, page 6, December, 1969.
[jve2] "Passport to Magonia - On Ufos, Folklore, and Parallel Worlds", book by Jacques Vallée, Contemporary Books publishers, USA, page 231, 1969.
[jve2] "Chronique des Apparitions Extra-Terrestres", French translation of "Passport to Magonia", book by Jacques Vallée, Denoël publisher, France, page 278, 1972.
[gal1] "Face Aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Jean-Pierre Delarge - Mame publishers, France, pp 27-28, 1975.
[gal1] "Face Aux Extra-Terrestres", book by Charles Garreau and Raymond Lavier, Jean-Pierre Delarge - J'ai Lu publishers, France, pp 29-30, 1975.
[prn1] "Intcat - An international catalogue of type I reports - part 9", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, in the ufology bulletin MUFOB, U-K., New Series #4, page 7, Autumn 1976.
[jve3] "Les Phénomènes Insolites de l'Espace", book by Jacques Vallée and Janine Vallée, Robert Laffont publisher, France, page 75, 1978.
[fru1] "OVNI - Premier Dossier Complet des Rencontres Rapprochées en France", book by Michel Figuet and Jean-Louis Ruchon, Alain Lefeuvre publisher, France, pp 171-172, 1979.
[----] "OVNIS en Ardennes - 10 ans d'enquêtes sur les soucoupes volantes", book by Jean-Michel Ligeron, Jean-Michel Ligeron publisher, 1981.
[mft1] "ATTERRISSAGES D'UFO sur le continent français du 26 septembre 1954 au 18 octobre 1954", list by Michel Figuet in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #249-250, page 27, March / April 1985.
[mft2] "Catalogue Francat des rencontres rapprochées en France (Listing 800 1982) (2 - Suite)", list compiled by Michel Figuet, in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans La Nuit (LDLN), France, #257-258, page 19, November - December 1985.
[jsr1] "Le Dossier 1954 et l'Imposture Rationaliste", book by Jean Sider, Ramuel publisher, France, page 256, 1997.
[----] Article in the ufology magazine Lumières Dans la Nuit (LDLN), France, #347, February 1998.
[cnu1] "Examen critique des cas cités dans "OVNI EN ARDENNES" de J-Michel LIGERON", catalogue by Eric Maillot, in the annual ufology magazine Les Mystères de l'Est, CNEGU, France, #7, page 52, 2002.
[----] "Computer Catalog of Type 9 Cases", compiled by Brad Sparks.
[----] "Computerized Catalog", compiled by Luis Schoenherr.
[lhh1] "*U* Computer Database", database by Larry Hatch, USA, circa 2002.
[goe1] "Chronologie OVNI", web page by Godelieve van Overmeire, Belgium, circa 2002, at users.skynet.be/sky84985/afin54.htm
[jca1] "Les RRT ou Rencontres Rapprochées Toxiques", listing by Jacques Costagliola, France, sapiensweb.free.fr/articles/2-costag-b.htm
[gdn1] "Table of Injury Death, and Healing Cases", compiled by Geoff Dittman, USA, circa 2003, was at www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/2653/table.html
[gdn2] "The Summary of Cases Compiled by Geoff Dittman for the Injury/Healing Database", compiled by Geoff Dittman, USA, circa 2003, was at www.geocities.com/Area51/Rampart/2653/injurywriteup.html
[----] "Il y a 50 ans, les 'soucoupes' envahissaient la région..., article in the regional newspaper L'Ardennais, France, October 3, 2004.
[cnu2] "Revue de presse", in the annual ufology magazine Les Mystères de l'Est, CNEGU, France, #10, page 75, 2005.
[djn1] "Encounters with Aliens on this Day - October 16", web page by Donald Johnson, USA, circa 2005, at www.ufoinfo.com/onthisday/Octobler16.html
[jbu1] "Samedi 16 octobre 1954", web page by Jérôme Beau, France, circa 2005, at www.rr0.org/data/1/9/5/4/10/16/index.html
[lcn1] Base OVNI France, website by Luc Chastan, France, circa 2005, at baseovnifrance.free.fr/detobs.php?numobs=74
[uda1] "16 Oct 1954 - Thin le Moutiers, France, web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at www.ufodna.com/uf18/uf9/189144.htm
[uda2] "16 Oct 1954 - Thin-le-Moutier, France, web page by the UFOdna website, circa 2008, at http://www.ufodna.com/uf02/uf3/023012.htm
[nip1] List on The NICAP Website, USA, found in 2014, at http://www.nicap.org/reports/1954_ufocat.htm
[ubk1] Online database UFO-Datenbank, Germany, found in 2016, at ufodatenbank.de
[prn2] "INTCAT 1954", catalogue compiled by Peter Rogerson, U-K., circa 2016, at https://intcat.blogspot.com/search?q=1954

Document history:

Version:	Created/Changed by:	Date:	Change Description:
0.1	Patrick Gross	January 26, 2006	First published.
1.0	Patrick Gross	December 28, 2009	Conversion from HTML to XHTML Strict. First formal version. Additions [goe1], [jbu1], [lcn1], [uda1], [uda2].
1.1	Patrick Gross	July 2, 2010	Additions [gdn1], [gdn2].
1.2	Patrick Gross	October 15, 2014	Addition [nip1].
1.3	Patrick Gross	December 2, 2016	Additions [ler1], [cnu1], [ubk1].
1.4	Patrick Gross	November 21, 2019	Additions [jjv1], [prn1], [mft1], [mft2], [lhh1], [cnu2], [prn2]. Explanations changed, were "Not looked for yet."
1.5	Patrick Gross	June 7, 2022	Addition [jve4].

This page was last updated on June 7, 2022.