French Foreign Legion Information

80 years ago: Second World War ended for legionnaires in Europe

May 8, 2025 · Posted in history, legion, wwii

Between 1939 and 1945, the French Foreign Legion men saw nearly every front of the Second World War – from Norway and France to North Africa, the Middle East, Italy, mainland Europe, and the jungles of Indochina. They fought under both Vichy and Free French command in some of the war’s most challenging campaigns. Our new article traces the Legion’s complex role during the war, its internal transformations, battlefield engagements, and the legacy it carried into the postwar world.

Foreign Legion: 2025 Camerone Day

May 6, 2025 · Posted in 13dble, 1re, 1reg, 2reg, 2rei, 2rep, 3rei, 4re, 5re, camerone

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.

Colonel Raphaël Vienot (1804 – 1855)

May 2, 2025 · Posted in 1re, history

Colonel Raphaël Vienot was a distinguished French officer who concluded his military career as a colonel in the French Foreign Legion during the Crimean War. One of the Legion’s most important figures in history, Vienot became renowned not only for his leadership abilities but also for the bravery and dedication he demonstrated in service to France, ultimately sacrificing his life during the night assault of May 1–2, 1855.

2e REP: 2025 Camerone Day Challenge

April 29, 2025 · Posted in 2rep, camerone

Recently, legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) took part in the annual Camerone Day Challenge, a series of sports competitions held in the days leading up to the main day of the French Foreign Legion to which the regiment belongs.

DOCUMENTS: 1948 Cartoon Chronicle of Basic Training

April 25, 2025 · Posted in 1re, dcre, documents

This is another contribution to our DOCUMENTS series. Discover an exceptional cartoon booklet that humorously portrays the journey of Foreign Legion recruits toward deployment in the First Indochina War in the late 1940s.

1er REC: 2nd Squadron Joins Jaguar Ranks

April 23, 2025 · Posted in 1rec, equipment

In April 2025, the 2nd Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) successfully finalized its training on the Jaguar armored vehicle, becoming the last armored unit in the regiment to adopt it. This milestone completes the 1er REC’s full transition to the modern Jaguar fleet.

13e DBLE: Joint Exercise with the Spanish Legion in 2025

April 17, 2025 · Posted in 13dble, Spanish legion

In early April 2025, the 4th Company and the HQ Company elements of the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE) took part in an intensive joint exercise with the 2nd Company of the 10th Battalion (X Bandera “Millán Astray”), 4th Regiment of the Spanish Legion. The exercise was held at Camp Álvarez de Sotomayor near Almería, Spain, a military training area equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure for urban warfare simulations.

3e REI: Fer de Lance 2025 in French Guiana

April 11, 2025 · Posted in 3rei, french guiana

From March 24 to April 5, 2025, Exercise Fer de Lance 2025 took place in French Guiana. The goal of this international training was to improve teamwork and fast response in difficult situations like natural disasters or security crises. The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) participated.

Major Gérald: Introducing the New 2025 French Army Push-Up Standards

April 8, 2025 · Posted in 1re, Major Gerald, sports

In his new video, Major Gérald provides us with a detailed presentation of the the new push-up regulations introduced by the French Army in 2025. The popular French Foreign Legion senior NCO clearly explains the updated standards, demonstrating correct technique to help (future) legionnaires meet the new requirements.

PHOTOS: 3rd Company 13e DBLE in French Indochina in 1946

April 4, 2025 · Posted in 13dble, indochina, photos

A new part of the PHOTOS series. See rare photos showing legionnaires of the 3rd Company, 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE) during 1946, the first year of their deployment to French Indochina.

2e REG: Heads of the French and Norwegian Armed Forces with Legionnaires in the Alps

April 2, 2025 · Posted in 2reg

At the end of March 2025, in the heart of the Alps, General Thierry Burkhard, Chief of the French Armed Forces, and General Eirik Kristoffersen, his Norwegian counterpart, held a detailed exchange on the expertise of mountain troops alongside the legionnaires of the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG), which specializes in mountain warfare and engineering support.