French Foreign Legion information. An online project dedicated to the famous Foreign Legion.
In late November 2025, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) of the French Foreign Legion announced the retirement of Capitaine Stephen, an exceptional figure within the Legion. According to the archives of the veterans’ office, he is recorded as the only British officer to have served under foreign status in the Legion – a rare career path.
Read more1er REG: Retirement of the Legion’s Only British Officer
On November 11, 2025, detachments of the French Foreign Legion participated in ceremonies marking Armistice Day, honoring the memory of military veterans and those who died in the line of duty.
From June to October 2025, legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) were deployed to French Guiana, South America, as part of a short-term overseas mission (mission de courte durée, MCD).
During the summer of 2025, several regiments within the French Foreign Legion underwent significant leadership changes, reflecting the regular rotation of senior officers across this elite force. These appointments are part of the French Army’s standard two-year command rotation cycle and affect both mainland and overseas units.
Read moreForeign Legion: 2025 Change of Command took place in six regiments
On July 14, 2025, units of the French Foreign Legion took part in regional ceremonies across France to mark the country’s national holiday, Bastille Day. Each regiment participated in local commemorative events held in the vicinity of their respective garrisons, in coordination with civil and military authorities. In some cases, Legion elements were also present at celebrations held outside their usual locations.
Between March 17 and 28, 2025, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) conducted Terra Nostra, a major open-terrain military exercise across the Gard department. Led by Colonel Rémy Chabaud, the regiment’s commanding officer, the exercise engaged nearly 500 soldiers, over 100 military vehicles, and a fleet of river boats in a complex, multi-phase scenario. The Foreign Legion’s YouTube channel recently published a video dedicated to this operation.
On May 8, 2025, French military personnel stationed across the Caribbean joined the rest of France in solemnly commemorating the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Among those taking part were legionnaires from the 2nd Company of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). They have been stationed in Martinique, an overseas region of France in the eastern Caribbean Sea, since late January and serve as part of the 33rd Marine Infantry Regiment (33e RIMa).
Read more1er REG: 2025 Victory in Europe Day Across the Caribbean
On May 8, 2025, Foreign Legion units took part in the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe. Honor guards from various regiments participated in ceremonies held primarily in their garrison towns, with several detachments also representing the Legion in other cities across their regions. Below are images from this year’s commemorations.
April 30, 2025, marked the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, the defining event in the French Foreign Legion’s history, when 62 legionnaires under the command of Captain Jean Danjou faced a force of 2,000 Mexican troops. Refusing to surrender, they fought to the very end, with only three able-bodied legionnaires left standing. Commemorations of this anniversary were held across all Legion units and garrisons, both in France and abroad. The following post includes images from several of these ceremonies.
In early March 2025, the legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) participated in the CNEF commando training course in Martinique in the Caribbean Sea.
In early March 2025, the 1st Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) successfully concluded its four-month mission within the 5th Overseas Combined Arms Regiment (5e RIAOM) in Djibouti, reinforcing France’s strategic commitment to stability in the Horn of Africa.