In Dinan, department of the Côtes-d'Armor, France, on May 14, 1955 towards 11:45 p.m. or May 15, 15 minutes after midnight 15, Mr. Droguet, a professor or employee with the girls college of Dinan, was returning home after the movies. He was residing at the college, and it was at the time when he opened the metallic wicket of one of the college yards that he heard some little noise in the wicket, and that he received straight in the face a kind of dazzling beam of blue-green light.
He was frightened, his knees started to shake, and he thinks that maybe his hair raised. He also felt like a kind of continuous vibration.
At the end of a few seconds, he was accustomed to the light, and then saw an enormous and completely motionless and silent object, stationing approximately 1.50 meters above the ground in the college yard.
There were two beings, who did not seem to pay any attention to him, moving about close to the craft. They were in kinds of diving-suits "which evoked the Michelin 'Bibendum', very bulky helmet, gloves, the whole of a metallic gray color. On their belly, they carried a black box from which many wires came out. They were approximately 1.60 meters tall.
One of them was leaning to the ground, and seemed to pick up stones of the gravel path, the other seemed to check out the surroundings, and had approached a window which gave on an old boiler room.
Mr. Droguet would have liked to run away, but was frozen on the spot at two meters of the wicket as if he were paralyzed; he wondered whether that came from the fear or if it was caused by the light aimed at him. Since he was standing there, he had the distinct feeling that there could have been a third being inside the craft, as he felt observed, and maybe this third being was operating the beam.
He thinks he stood there about a quarter of hour, observing the operations of the beings, noting that the time appeared quite long to him.
Finally, the two beings returned to their machine. Mr. Droguet distinguished like a central black hole at the underside of the craft, from where hung a kind of metallic scale of only a few bars. When the beings went up there, he clearly heard a metallic noise which seemed to come from the contact of their soles and the scale. When the beings were returned inside, the scale went up.
He then felt a kind of aspiration, a draught like a suction of air, and the craft, still lit, rose up, revealing that it had a circular form, it seemed to rotate, with the black hole he had noticed in the center still visible and apparently motionless.
When the craft was higher than the level of the top of the trees, all lights died out and he could not see anything anymore, and feeling able to move again, he rushed home.
Mr. Droguet reported this encounter to the French field ufologist Jacques Cresson in 1976.
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[Ref. fs1:] FLYING SAUCER REVIEW:
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Spectacular landing at DinanJ. Cresson A hitherto untold story which is reported to have taken place in the Cotes-du-Nord, France, in 1955. From Lumières dans la Nuit No. 106 of June, 1970. Translation by Gordon Creighton. One Saturday in May 1955, Monsieur Droguet was returning from the cinema at about 11.45 p.m. He was living at the time in quarters on the premises of the college for Girls in Dinan (Translator's Note: 48° 28 N, 2° 02 W.). He interrupted his journey to see a friend at the Place du Clos, and got back home at about fifteen minutes after midnight. He opened the small door leading into one of the courtyards of the College. This door, being of metal, made a certain amount of noise as it slammed, and he had scarcely had the time to lock it again and take a few steps when he was flooded with light. A sort of bluish-green beam was directed at him, blinding him so completely that momentarily he was quite unable to see anything. He felt extreme fear, his knees were knocking and he felt the hairs on his head standing erect. A few seconds after this harsh flash of light, his eye now growing accustomed to it, M. Droguet was able to make out an enormous object which was hanging totally immobile at a height of about 1.5 metres above the ground in the courtyard. He was amazed that such a machine could stay in the air like this. He heard no sound, but merely felt a sort of continuous vibration. Suddenly he became aware that there were two beings near the machine. They were wearing a sort of outfit which made it likely that they could not have heard him enter the courtyard. At least this is what he thought, for the two beings seemed to disregard him. He felt his terror mounting, and would gladly have fled, but he was literally "nailed to the spot," and quite incapable of crossing the distance of six metres separating him from the door through which lay his way out of the courtyard. Later, he was unable to say precisely whether it was his fear that had paralysed him, or the effect of the bluish-green beam thrown on him. The two beings were dressed in a sort of metallic one-piece grey overalls, and somewhat resembled the "little men" in the advertisement for Michelin tyres. (see Contact Casualty on Réunion, in FSR for January/February 1969.) He was unable to see their heads, which were encased in bulky helmets. Their hands were not bare, but covered with gloves of a kind. On the abdomen each had a black box with many leads coming from it. One of the beings was engaged in picking up something here and there from the ground (probably pebbles). The other one was inspecting the surroundings and at one point he stooped to look into a window behind which there was a disused furnace. The witness had the very clear impression that somebody was watching him from inside the machine an was responsible for shining the beam of light on him. At the time it had all seemed quite long-drawn out to him, but in retrospect he estimated that at the very most the sighting had lasted but a few minutes, and in any case not more than a quarter of an hour. At the conclusion of this interval of time, the two beings walked towards the machine, and he saw that on the under-part of the craft there was a black hole from [Caption:] Impression of the Dinan landing by J.-L. Boncoeur which there hung a metallic ladder of just a few rungs. The two entities were not very big - about 1.60 m. he estimated. They walked with difficulty, like diver with their leaden soles. Movement was hard for them. Just as they were entering the craft, M. Droguet distinctly heard a metallic sound emanating from their feet as they trod. When they had entered the craft, the ladder was drawn in and there was a sound like the intake of air. He felt a displacement of the air and a sensation of suction. The machine, still lit up, rose vertically to above treetop height, without any sound. I-le was now able t see the black hole in the centre of the underpart of the raft, and to perceive that the hole was circular. The craft was rotating very rapidly, but the black hole did not seem to be moving. When the machine had reached treetop height, its lights went out. Recovering his faculties. M. Droguet dashed straight for his quarters. For several days his nerves were very much on edge as a result of the experience, which had given him the greatest fright he had ever had in his life. Realising that nobody would want to believe the story, he told it only to his wife and to some very |
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trustworthy friends. The headmistress of the Girls' college was informed it at the time, and she advised Monsieur Droguet not to let the affaire become known lest it it a "scandal". Prior to the experience, Monsieur Droguet had not had any belief whatsoever in the existence of flying saucers and had been wont to laugh about them. He has certainly changed his opinion now. It was only by a fortunate chance that, fifteen years after its occurrence, I got to hear of this sighting. * * * * * Note by the Editor of L. D. L. N.: It was not entirely by chance. Mons. Cresson was making enquiries and investigating, and as he moved around he learnt a lot of things of which we shall speak later. even the most trivial enquiry, and even of events in the past, assists in the discovery of contacts, and these contacts can hold some staggering surprises for us... Our friend Tyrode once wrote to us that he had gone out to make two investigations and brought back eight. People often write to us to tell that nothing has been happening in their area. It just is not true; every time a keen investigator makes his round he comes back with a harvest of facts. The facts don't come looking for for the investigator. He has to go and search for them. Geology: [1] An expert in this field, M Cresson has sent us a detailed report, from which we give just a few passages. The College is erected on a zone where different terrains converge. To the north-east, flaked granitic granulite. To the south-west, granulite. All around about, there is a volcanic "chimney", or throat of basalt rock. Some six kilometers to the south-east is silver-bearing quartz which has been exploited. This same region contains uranium-bearing deposits which have been investigated by Dr. Roptin of Dinan. Dinan lies on an anticlinal undulation. There is no recognized fault shown on Geological Sheet No. 60. The soil is almost everywhere siliceous, and the landscape has little timber. |
Note [1]: at that time, French ufologist Fernand Lagarde had spread his misconception that UFOs were related to geological "faults". Ufologists had then become accustomed to documenting the geology of sightign locations - which led to no established findings on any connection between UFOs and geology.
[Ref. gl1:] CHARLES GARREAU AND RAYMOND LAVIER:
The two authors indicate that in Dinan, Côtes-du-Nord, on May 14, 1955, at 00:15, according to L.D.L.N. #106 of June 1970, "a kind of Apollo mission" or landing of a "mineralogists commando" had taken place, seen by an employee of the girls college of Dinan, Mr. Droguet, who is quoted saying:
"I was returning from the movies. At the time when I opened the metal wicket of the yard, this one did a little noise. I then received, directly on the face, a kind of blue-green ray, dazzling. I was afraid. My knees started to shake, and I do believe that my hair raised. After a few seconds, I was accustomed to this light. I distinguished an enormous object, absolutely motionless. It did not make any noise."
"But I felt like a kind of continuous vibration. Two beings, who did not seem to pay attention to me at all, evolved at its side. They were dressed of a diving-suit which evoked the Michelin "Bibendum", with a very bulky helmet, the whole of a metallic gray color. On the belly, they carried a black box, from which many wires came out. One of them was leaning on the ground, and seemed to pick up stones. The other inspected the places. he had approached a window, and looked at the old heating boiler room."
"I wanted to run away, but I was nailed on the ground, like paralyzed. From the fear perhaps? I was however only within two meters of the wicket. And since I was there, I had the impression to be observed from the craft by another character, who had directed the projector on me. I cannot say how long I remained there, forcibly observing the maneuvers of the two beings in diving suits. A quarter of hour perhaps... but it seemed very long to me. Finally the two beings returned to the apparatus. Under the latter; which stationed within approximately 1.50 m of the ground, I distinguished like a black hole, from where hung a kind of metal scale with a few bars. When they went up, I clearly heard a metallic noise which seemed to come from the contact of their soles and the scale. When they were returned inside, the ladder went up. I felt a kind of suction then, a draught of air. Like a suction. The apparatus, still lit, rose up. I managed to note that it was circular, and that it seemed to rotate. In the center, was the black hole I had noticed, which seemed motionless. When the machine was higher than the trees, all lights died out and I saw nothing any more..."
[Ref. hd1:] HENRI DURRANT:
Henri Durrant indicates that in Dinan, in the Côtes-du-Nord, in France, in May 1955, Mr. Droguet, resident of the girls college, returned from the movies towards 11:45 p.m. to found himself in the presence of a stationary apparatus 1.50 meters above the ground in the yard of this school establishment.
He was paralyzed by the surprise, or by a blue-green ray which lit him at once, and distinguished two humanoids of small size dressed of diving-suits with helmets, who picked up minerals in the alley of the college yard.
Information taken, those were big gravels, i.e. an "unnatural soil" with obviously absolutely nothing to do with the natural geology of the site.
Durrant wonders whether it should be concluded that the extraterrestrials have little good sense, operating in full darkness, unless they were actually not doing geology studies but a research on human town planning.
Henri Durrant indicates that the detailed source for the case is Lumières dans la nuit, volume 13, #106, page 9.
[Ref. fr1:] MICHEL FIGUET AND JEAN-LOUIS RUCHON:
The two ufologists indicate that on 05/14/1955, at 00:15, in Dinan, department 22, Mr. Droguet, a professor, came back from the movies and opened the wicket giving access to the one of the yards of the girls college, when, having hardly made one or two steps, he was flooded by light.
A kind of blue-green light was directed at him, and a few seconds after this brutal flash, his eyes getting used to the light, he managed to distinguish an enormous motionless machine 1.50 meters above the ground of the yard, in the shape of a saucer with a dome.
He suddenly realized that two one meter sixty beings stood close to the apparatus, apparently indifferent to him.
He felt his fear increasing, he would have liked to run away, but he was literally nailed on the spot and unable to move.
The two beings were in a "Michelin bibendum" kind of outfit, the heads covered with bulky helmets, hands protected by gloves, and both had a black box with heaps of wires coming out on the belly.
One of the beings collected stones, the other checked the place and, at some time, leant onto a window giving on an unused boiler room.
The witness had the very clear impression that somebody observed him from inside the craft that this one was directing the kind of projector at him.
At the end of a few minutes, the two beings reinstated their apparatus by the lower part, going through a round black hole from where a metallic scale of only a few bars hung. These two beings went with difficulty, like divers with lead soles, moving clumsily.
When they were penetrating the craft, the witness perceived a metallic noise coming distinctly from their steps.
The scale was pulled in, there was an air volume displacement, like a suction, and the machine took altitude vertically with a very fast rotational movement, the black hole remaining visible in the center and not appearing to move.
Arrived above the trees, all died out, the witness was able to move again and rushed home.
During the observation, he had perceived a constant vibration, his knees were shaking and he felt his hair raised; he was not able to define whether it was caused by his fear or from the ray shot from the apparatus, in which he was taken.
The authors comment by indicating common features with other sightings.
They indicate that the source is N.106 page 9, an investigation by M. J. Cresson; and LDLN N.116.
[Ref. go1:] GODELIEVE VAN OVERMEIRE:
The Belgian ufologist indicates that on May 14, 1955, in Dinan in the Côtes du Nord, in France, Mr. Droguet, residing at the girls college, when returning from the movies towards 11:45 p.m. or 00:15 a.m., found himself in the presence of a stationary machine to 1.50 m of the ground, in the court of this school establishment.
Paralyzed by the surprise, or by a blue-green ray that lit him at once, he distinguished two humanoids of small size, dressed of diving suits with helmets, one of them took samples of the big gravel in the alley of the yard.
The witness said: "Under the craft I distinguished like a black hole from where hung a kind of metallic scale of only a few bars. When they went up I clearly heard a metallic noise coming from their soles and the scale. When they were inside it rose. I then felt a kind of aspiration, of suction. The craft, still lit, took height. It was circular and seemed to rotate. In the center was the black hole I had noticed and which seemed motionless. When the craft was higher than the trees, all died out and I saw nothing anymore."
The ufologist indicates that the sources are Garreau and Lavier in "Face aux extra-terrestres", Delarge publisher, 1975, J'ai Lu, pages 142, 143, and Henry Durrant, "Premières enquêtes sur les Humanoïdes ET", Laffont, 1977, page 92.
[Ref. ar1:] ALBERT ROSALES:
Albert Rosales indicates in his catalogue that in Dinan, France, on May, 1955, at 0015A, on closing the gate to the courtyard of his residence, M. Droguet was temporarily blinded by a beam of bluish green light, and paralyzed, either by the beam or by fear. Then he saw an enormous object hovering 5 ft above the courtyard. Near it were 2 short men wearing metallic one-piece gray overalls, and bulky helmets; they somewhat resembled the Michelin "tire man" trademark. On the abdomen they had black boxes with wires attached. One seemed to be picking up pebbles. They walked with difficulty. After a few minutes they entered an opening in the under part of the craft by means of a ladder; the vessel rose vertically without sound, its outer part rotating, and its light then went out.
Albert Rosales indicates that the source is J. Cresson, FSR Case Histories 10/70, Humcat 1955-4.
[Ref. dj1:] DONALD JOHNSON:
Donald Johnson indicates that on May 14, 1955, at 12:15 a.m. in Dinan, Cotes-Nord, France, Mr. M. [sic] Droguet saw a large domed disc hovering 5 feet above the courtyard outside his house. Two short humanoids in Michelin Man spacesuits exited the craft, both having boxes on their chests. Mr. Droguet was paralyzed in place and could not move during the encounter, and he was temporarily blinded by a blue-green light. The men walked with an awkward gait. The UFO left silently by making a vertical ascent.
Donald Johnson indicates that the sources are Jacques Cresson, FSR Case Histories, October 1970, page 13; Alain Gamard, UFO Register, Volume 7, p. 44; David F. Webb and Ted Bloecher, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports, case A0365.
[Ref. bo1:] BASE OVNI FRANCE:
The case record on this website indicates that on May 14, 1955, in the Côte d'Armor, in Dinan, at 11:45 p.m., the witness, residing in the girls college, when returning from the movies, found himself in the presence of a stationary machine at 1.50 m of the ground, in the yard of this school establishment.
Paralyzed by the surprise, or by a blue-green ray that lit him at once, he distinguished two humanoids of small size, dressed of diving suits with helmets, one of them took samples of the big gravel in the alley of the yard. The witness said: "Under the craft I distinguished like a black hole from where hung a kind of metallic scale of only a few bars. When they went up I clearly heard a metallic noise coming from their soles and the scale. When they were inside it rose. I then felt a kind of aspiration, of suction. The craft, still lit, took height. It was circular and seemed to rotate. In the center was the black hole I had noticed and which seemed motionless. When the craft was higher than the trees, all died out and I saw nothing anymore."
The record indicates that the beings were of Bonhomme Michelin style with helmets, that there was an air volume displacement, and that the effect on the witness was a paralysis.
The sources are indicated as: Premières enquêtes sur les Humanoïdes ET by Durrant Henry, Laffont 1977; Face aux Extra terrestres by Garreau and Lavier, Delarge 1975; and Mini catalogue chronologique des observations OVNI by Van Overmeire Godelieve at users.skynet.be/sky84985.
[Ref. ud1:] "UFODNA" WEBSITE:
The website indicates that on 14 May 1955 in Dinan, France, paralysis occurred, a huge object in the shape of a domed disc about 40 feet across hovering 5 feet above the courtyard, was observed by one experienced male witness, M. Droguet, at a house for over 15 minutes, temporary blinded a blue-green light. Two short bulky humanoids wearing a Michelin-man suits and boxes on the chests were seen, there was an awkward gate, a vertical ascent UFO that departed by rapidly flying straight up until lost to sight, physiological effects were noted. No sound was heard.
The sources are indicated as Webb, David, HUMCAT: Catalogue of Humanoid Reports; FSR Case Histories (v.1 to v.18 complete), FSR, London, 1970 ; Schoenherr, Luis, Computerized Catalog (N=3173); UFO Nachrichten (Veit), Germany; Delaire, J. Bernard UFO Register Volume 7 (1976), Data Research, Oxford, 1976; Rosales, Albert S., Humanoid Contact Database; Hatch, Larry *U* computer database, Redwood City, 2002.
[Ref. jg1:] JULIEN GONZALEZ:
This author indicates that in Dinan, in the Ile-et-Vilaine [sic], on May 14, 1955, at 00:15 a.m., Mr. Droguet, professor, returned from the movies and opened the gate giving access to one of the courtyards of the college of young girls of Dinan. He barely had the time to take a step or two, when he had been flooded with light, by a blue-green beam of light directed at him.
A few seconds after this brutal flash, his eyes becoming accustomed to it, he was able to distinguish an enormous object having the shape of a saucer with a dome, motionless, at 1.50 m from the ground of the courtyard.
Suddenly he realized that two 1.60 meters-tall men wearing a "Michelin bibendum" suit were standing near the craft, not seeming to be paying attention to him. He felt his fear grow and wanted to flee, but was literally nailed to the ground, unable to move.
Both had their heads covered with bulky helmets, their hands protected by gloves. On their belly, they both had a black box from which heaps of wires were coming out.
One of these people was picking up pebbles, the other was inspecting the place, and at one point leaned over a window behind which there was a disused boiler room. The witness has the very clear impression that someone was watching him from the machine and that it was the one who was lighting him up with this kind of projector.
After a few minutes, the two beings reintegrated their craft from below, through a black and round hole from which hung a metallic scale of only a few bars. The two pilots walked with difficulty, in the manner of the divers with their lead soles. They had trouble moving. As they entered the craft, Mr. Droguet distinctly perceived a metallic sound coming from their footsteps.
The ladder was lifted, there was a displacement of air, like a suction, and the machine took altitude vertically, with a very fast rotational movement, the black hole in the center being visible and not appearing to move. Arrived above the trees, everything went out and the witness recovered his faculties and jumped home.
Julien Gonzalez indicates that the source is "Lumières Dans La Nuit, #106, page 9 (investigation of Mr. J. Cresson)."
He shows this illustration by Jean Giraud, extracted from the magazine INFO-OVNI, special issue "The humanoids":
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Bibendum, the "Michelin man", an advertising symbol of this tyres trademark.
I see no commonplace explanation for the events, which for once were the subject of at least some form of investigation. I seen no sign of lie or invention by the witness, but as there is only a single witness the case cannot be considered of high credibility.
As often, late versions by various ufologists, specially on the Internet, in the form of very brief summaries, removing many details, add their share of distortions, such as the size of the beings, reportedly 1.60 meters initially; which became "small" or "bulky" for absolutely no reason.
| Id: | Topic: | Severity: | Date noted: | Raised by: | Noted by: | Description: | Proposal: | Status: |
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| 1 | Data | Medium | February 10, 2008 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Missing the primary source LDLN 106 page 9. | Help needed. (medium severity since [fs1] is a traslation of this source.) | Opened. |
| 2 | Ufologie | Severe | February 10, 2008 | Patrick Gross | Patrick Gross | Single witness case. | - | - |
Extraterrestrial visitors.
* = Source I checked.
? = Source I am told about but could not check yet. Help appreciated.
| Main Author: | Patrick Gross |
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| Contributors: | None |
| Reviewers: | None |
| Editor: | Patrick Gross |
| Version: | Created/Changed By: | Date: | Change Description: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.1 | Patrick Gross | February 10, 2008 | Creation, [gl1], [hd1], [fr1], [go1], [ar1], [dj1], [bo1], [ud1]. |
| 1.0 | Patrick Gross | February 10, 2008 | First published. |
| 1.1 | Patrick Gross | August 4, 2018 | Additions [fs1], [jg1]. |
