Fortes Têtes, apprentis légionnaires

Riche d’une longue tradition historique propre à la France, La Légion Etrangère fascine autant qu’elle intrigue. Chaque année, près de 1000 jeunes légionnaires de plus de 100 nationalités différentes sont formés au sein de cette unité d’élite, prêts à combattre pour la France et à être envoyés dans l’un des 11 régiments étrangers au terme de leur instruction. Celle-ci, moment crucial dans le parcours de l’engagé volontaire, prend place dans le « creuset » de la Légion, unique au sein de l’armée de terre : le 4e Régiment Etranger de Castelnaudary.

Pendant ces 4 mois d’instruction, et quelque soit leur parcours antérieur, ces jeunes engagés volontaires vont découvrir la vie militaire, tout en apprenant le français et en assimilant les valeurs de la « culture Légion » (culte du souvenir, cohésion, solidarité, rigueur, rusticité, engagement, honneur, fidélité) et de la société française. Autant d’étapes et d’épreuves exigeantes à surmonter, dans leur cheminement à la conquête bien souvent d’une nouvelle identité, et au service d’une patrie d’adoption pour laquelle ils sont prêts à donner leur vie.

Strong Heads, apprentice legionnaires

With a long historical tradition specific to France, the Foreign Legion keeps fascinating and intriguing. Every year, nearly 1,000 young legionnaires of more than 100 different nationalities are trained in this elite unit, ready to fight for France and be sent to one of the 11 foreign regiments at the end of their training. This crucial moment in the volunteer’s career takes place in the 4th Foreign Legion School Regiment of Castelnaudary, which is unique in the French Army (Land force).

During these 4 months of instruction, and whatever their previous career path, these young volunteers will discover military life, while learning French and assimilating the values of the « Legion culture » (solidarity, rigour, hardiness, commitment, honor, fidelity) and of the French society. These are demanding stages and challenges to overcome, in their quest to often conquer a new identity while serving an adopted country for which they are ready to give their lives.

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Pictures

Anxious, the members of the new fraction await their turn for medical tests, preliminary to any training and physical activity

Upon arrival, volunteers undergo a battery of medical tests and are vaccinated against most infectious diseases

Barely landed in their new regiment for the next 4 months of training, the new recruits quickly begin to step up

View of the Place d' armes of the 4th Foreign Regiment, from the rooms of the 1st Company building

Another essential aspect of the training of future legionnaires is the special care to be taken to ensure that their outfits respect the legion codes and traditions. And of which ironing is an integral part

"Proud of your legionnaire status, you show it in your always elegant outfit, your always dignified but modest behavior, your always neat barracks" (extract from the Legionnaire's Code of Honour)

First weapons course for future fighters who will have to choose their specialization at the end of their training and join one of the Legion regiments in infantry, cavalry (armoured), paratroopers, or engineering

The regiment's Padre (chaplain) regularly visits young recruits, cheers them up and celebrates Mass, accessible to all regardless of their confession

Hedvig, a Hungarian member of the section (deceased in the meantime in an avalanche), in full revision of French lessons during the rare moments of free time

As soon as the medical approval is received, new recruits undergo physical tests (traction, rope, cooper test, swimming) in order to assess their level and progress over the next few months

Morning gathering on the Place d'Armes for the meeting with the Corps Chief before the departure to the farm, which constitutes the most decisive part of the training

First Company Bel Air Farm. Daily muscular strengthening session during the month spent at the farm, a dreaded stage of training

First Company Bel Air Farm. Arrival at the "farm", a dreaded stage of the instruction, and first passage to the "PO" ("parcours d'obstacles", obstacles course)

First Company Bel Air Farm. First passage to the Leclerc course (intensive training) during the month spent at the farm, a dreaded stage of the instruction aimed at acquiring "a taste for effort"

First Company Bel Air Farm. Many "cohesion evenings" are organized during the bivouacs, during which young people learn the Legion songs

"Every legionnaire is your brother in arms, regardless of nationality, race or religion. You always show him the close solidarity that must unite the members of the same family" (Legionnaire's code of honour)

First Company Bel Air Farm. The fatigue and very demanding physical training during the month spent at the farm sometimes outweighs the resistance of new recruits

First Company Bel Air Farm. The young legionnaires are grouped in pairs or trinomials, and have the duty to help each other. Here: Misetchko (Ukraine) and Chambon (Canada) in full camouflage session

First Company Bel Air Farm. The ogres' feast... Barbecue break and one of the few moments of collective relaxation during the month of intensive training spent at the farm, which also tends to strengthen cohesion within the group

Mont Sainte-Victoire, Aix en Provence. Departure for the white képi walk (60 km), at the end of the month of intensive training spent at the farm, which constitutes the essential initiatory step to become officially legionnaire

Mont Sainte-Victoire, Aix en Provence. The volunteer Hierro (Bolivia), after a discomfort during the white kepi walk (60 km). If he fails this test, he will have to start again later with another group, and will not acquire the title of legionnaire with his original section

Mont Sainte-Victoire, Aix en Provence. One of the few pauses, of a few minutes, during the white kepi walk (60 km), which constitutes the essential initiation stage to become officially legionnaire

After a night in a bivouac under the snow, at the start of the secund day, the Brazilian Gato seems unable to resume walking

Departure by bus for the ceremony of the white képis, at the end of the month of intensive training spent at the farm and the white képi walk (60 km), which constitutes the essential initiatory stage to become officially legionnaire

Puyloubier (Aix en Provence), Institution of the Invalids of the Foreign Legion, 21 January 2015. At the end of the white kepi march, an initiation event feared by the young volunteers, they officially become legionnaires and symbolically join the "Legion family" during the ceremony of presentation of the white kepi

First free quarter for the now legionnaires in the centre of Castelnaudary. And first telephone contacts with their families since the beginning of the instruction

Last shooting event, during the "rallye de synthèse", which closes the 4 months of training and determines the classification of legionnaires within the section, before the departure to fighting regiments

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