Narrative:

I was on an IFR flight plan from deuville to dole, france. 30 mins out I was told by ATC dole was shut at X:00 pm, as there would be nobody in tower--a common occurrence because of staff shortage. I requested to make a VFR approach. They said would call back. I was then handed to rheims center and explained that I wanted to cancel my IFR flight plan to make a visibility approach to dole, which I later discovered was unlit. I executed a visibility approach via the ILS, had visibility with the runway before minimums and landed. As instructed by center, I called that I was on the ground and they wished me good night. The following morning I left for geneva, switzerland, the tower still unmanned. 2 weeks later the owner of the aircraft was contacted by dijon air police about my landing. He forwarded my address and as of this date I have heard nothing. As I was never instructed by ATC that I could not land and I was in radio contact throughout. I assumed I was not breaking any regulations. Had they forbidden my landing, I would have continued to my alternate. I do not wish to fall foul with french authorities, but I am unsure if I have been broken any regulations or that they think I have. Certainly there was no danger in my actions, visibility being at least 30 mi at the time on a clear night. Before leaving deuville, I was also told dole was rated as a VFR night field, which is why I requested a VFR approach when told the tower was shut.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA ON NIGHT FLT IN FRANCE LANDS AT AN ARPT WHOSE TWR IS CLOSED AND THAT HAS NO LIGHTS.

Narrative: I WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN FROM DEUVILLE TO DOLE, FRANCE. 30 MINS OUT I WAS TOLD BY ATC DOLE WAS SHUT AT X:00 PM, AS THERE WOULD BE NOBODY IN TWR--A COMMON OCCURRENCE BECAUSE OF STAFF SHORTAGE. I REQUESTED TO MAKE A VFR APCH. THEY SAID WOULD CALL BACK. I WAS THEN HANDED TO RHEIMS CENTER AND EXPLAINED THAT I WANTED TO CANCEL MY IFR FLT PLAN TO MAKE A VIS APCH TO DOLE, WHICH I LATER DISCOVERED WAS UNLIT. I EXECUTED A VIS APCH VIA THE ILS, HAD VIS WITH THE RWY BEFORE MINIMUMS AND LANDED. AS INSTRUCTED BY CENTER, I CALLED THAT I WAS ON THE GND AND THEY WISHED ME GOOD NIGHT. THE FOLLOWING MORNING I LEFT FOR GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, THE TWR STILL UNMANNED. 2 WKS LATER THE OWNER OF THE ACFT WAS CONTACTED BY DIJON AIR POLICE ABOUT MY LNDG. HE FORWARDED MY ADDRESS AND AS OF THIS DATE I HAVE HEARD NOTHING. AS I WAS NEVER INSTRUCTED BY ATC THAT I COULD NOT LAND AND I WAS IN RADIO CONTACT THROUGHOUT. I ASSUMED I WAS NOT BREAKING ANY REGS. HAD THEY FORBIDDEN MY LNDG, I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO MY ALTERNATE. I DO NOT WISH TO FALL FOUL WITH FRENCH AUTHORITIES, BUT I AM UNSURE IF I HAVE BEEN BROKEN ANY REGS OR THAT THEY THINK I HAVE. CERTAINLY THERE WAS NO DANGER IN MY ACTIONS, VISIBILITY BEING AT LEAST 30 MI AT THE TIME ON A CLR NIGHT. BEFORE LEAVING DEUVILLE, I WAS ALSO TOLD DOLE WAS RATED AS A VFR NIGHT FIELD, WHICH IS WHY I REQUESTED A VFR APCH WHEN TOLD THE TWR WAS SHUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.