Christmas Eve marks the second most important holiday in the French Foreign Legion. Before the actual celebrations, each Foreign Legion regiment organizes Christmas challenges. The challenges help to maintain cohesion within the units and provide a bit of fun for their hard-working men. See several images taken in different Foreign Legion regiments during the Christmas challenges that took place in late 2024.
2e REP: Pope Francis’ visit to Corsica
On Sunday, December 15, 2024, Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State, made the first papal visit ever to France’s Corsica. Legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) were among the security forces responsible for maintaining order during the pontiff’s visit. This elite regiment is stationed on the island.
Foreign Legion: 2024 Armistice Day
Today, on November 11, 2024, the French Foreign Legion detachments participated in the ceremonies commemorating Armistice Day, to honor the memory of military veterans and those who died in the line of duty. See images.
2e REP, 1er REG: New Caledonia in 2024
Legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion continue to deploy abroad, also in late 2024. Recently, detachments from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) and the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) have deployed to New Caledonia in the Pacific, not far from Australia.
2e REP: 2024 Saint Michael’s Day
Last month, in late September 2024, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) commemorated the patron of all French paratroopers, Saint Michael the Archangel. The 29th of September, called Saint Michael’s Day (or simply Saint Michel in France), is the regimental holiday.
2e REP: Exercise Vent d’Automne 2024
In late September 2024, the French Foreign Legion’s only airborne unit, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), carried out a military exercise in the northwest of Corsica. See the video.
2e REP: 1st Company in Guiana in 2024
Watch a short, interesting French Army documentary showing legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) during their deployment to French Guiana (France’s overseas department in South America) earlier this year.
2e REP: 2nd Company in Estonia in 2024
See some nice images of the 2nd Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) from Estonia, Northern Europe, where the legionnaires-paratroopers carried out tasks as part of France’s Mission Lynx.
2e REP: Exercise Libecciu 2024
In mid-May 2024, the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) organized a military exercise in the Haute-Corse department, Corsica. See the video.
Foreign Legion: 2024 Victory in Europe Day
On May 8, 2024, the French Foreign Legion units commemorated the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The end of the war came after the signing of the definitive overall surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies in Berlin. See some images from the 2024 Victory in Europe Day celebrations.
Foreign Legion: 2024 Camerone Day
On April 30, 2024, the French Foreign Legion celebrated the 161st anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in its history. The celebrations were held across the regiments in France and abroad. See images.