For the French Foreign Legion, seen as a traditional pro-Catholic institution in France (unlike the rest of the French Army), Christmas Eve marks the second most important holiday. To celebrate it, legionnaires in all units of the Foreign Legion – regardless of their origin and religious – create nativity scenes (crèches) every year and compete to see which one is the nicest and most original. The scenes can be small, static ones, or performed live with hand-made scenery. This long-standing Legion tradition is unique within the French Army. If you are interested, see some of the nativity scenes created by legionnaires in December 2023.
2e REP: With a local tribe in New Caledonia
See an official reportage published by the French Army that covers the trip of a platoon with the 5th Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) to a remote village in New Caledonia, Pacific Ocean. The week-long trip occurred in September 2023, during the unit’s standard four-month deployment to this special overseas collectivity of France.
Foreign Legion: 2023 Armistice Day
In most English-speaking countries, November 11 is known as Veterans Day or Remembrance Day, honoring military veterans and those who have died in the line of duty. In France, this day is still known as Armistice Day, in memory of the 1918 armistice signed between the Allies and Germany that ended World War I. Since 2012, all those who died for France have also been commemorated during Armistice Day. The French Foreign Legion participates annually in those ceremonies. See images.
2e REP: 2023 Saint Michael Day
In late September 2023, legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) celebrated their holiday, Saint Michael Day (or simply Saint Michel in France), and their patron, Saint Michael the Archangel.
Legion: New Caledonia in August 2023
As we informed earlier, three regiments of the French Foreign Legion have deployed their men to New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, since June 2023. The legionnaires should stay in this special overseas collectivity of France for four months, as is common practice for the so-called short duration mission (MCD). See some new images from taken during their deployment in August.
2e REP: Diamond Strike 23 in Australia
In late June 2023, a platoon of the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) was detached to the Australia Army’s 7th Brigade to participate in Exercise Diamond Strike. Learn more and see some images.
2e REP: 2023 Exposition in Calvi
From July 10 to August 18, 2023, an exposition dedicated to Foreign Legion paratroopers is to be open in Calvi, Corsica, organized by the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP).
2e REP: 2023 Operational jump in Niger
On May 15, 2023, a detachment of the famous 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), the only airborne unit of the French Foreign Legion, conducted a night operational jump in Niger, a landlocked country in West Africa and a former French colony. The operation was carried out alongside Nigerien troops and aimed at seizing a military base of the Saharan jihadists.
45th Anniversary of the Battle of Kolwezi
45 years ago, on May 17, 1978, legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) in Corsica were alerted and the next day, they took off in direction of then Zaire in Central Africa. There, on May 19, they jumped over Kolwezi, a mining center in the south of the country. The legionnaires would rescue over 2,000 Europeans captured and held by local rebels…
Foreign Legion: 2023 Victory in Europe Day
On May 8, 2023, the French Foreign Legion units commemorated the 78th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, which came after the definitive overall surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies, signed in Berlin. During the final battles in Europe in May 1945, three Legion units participated: the RMLE (3e REI now), 1er REC, and the 13e DBLE. See some images from the 2023 Victory in Europe Day celebrations.
Foreign Legion: 2023 Camerone Day
The 30th of April 2023 marked the 160th anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in the history of the French Foreign Legion in which its 65 men faced some 2,000 Mexican adversaries. The famous battle is portrayed as a pure example of bravery and the determination to fight to the finish, and gave the Legion its character and esprit de corps. Therefore, Camerone Day became the most important holiday for all current or former members of this exceptional military unit. See 2023 Camerone Day pictures from several Legion regiments.