Today in UFO History - The Réunion Island ‘Michelin Man’ Encounter

July 31, 2025

July 31, 1968 — Réunion Island, Indian Ocean

9:00 a.m. Farmer Luce Fontaine is collecting grass for his rabbits at La Plaine des Cafres on the island of Réunion (in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar), when he sees an oval-shaped object about 75 feet away. It is sitting about 15 feet from the ground on a flange of metal; a similar structure protrudes from its top.

The cylinder has two blue ends and a transparent center through which he can see two humanoids less than 3 feet tall in metallic helmets and dressed in puffy suits like the Michelin Man (the tire company mascot).

Seemingly sensing Fontaine looking at them, they turn their backs and the object disappears in a sudden flash of light and a burst of hot air. The incident is investigated by Capt. Maljean of the local Gendarmerie and Capt. Léopold Legros of the Civil Protection Service, who detect an abnormal amount of radioactivity at the site and on Fontaine’s clothing 10 days afterward, as well as six apparent landing marks in the ground. A country club called “La Soucoupe Volante” (Flying Saucer) is later built on the site. [Eberhart]

Sources:

“Contact Casualty on Réunion,” Flying Saucer Review 15, no. 1 (Jan./Feb. 1969): 8, 11;