Bonjour to all members of this forum,
I'd like to share with you my experience at Fort de Nogent Legion recruiting station, near Paris. I arrived on Sunday 27 May at 8 am at Beauvais-Tillé (~ 80 km NW of Paris) and I arrived at 11 am to the fort. After that,one legionnaire who was on guard took my passport and told me to wait in a room. I waited till 4 pm and after that I went with him to met the caporal-chef. He checked my luggage and gave my some money and my clothes... After that I took the pull-ups test (did 8) and went to our room. At the same time a guy from Moldova showed up. In my room I had guys from Nepal, French Polynesia (Tahiti), Russia, Moldova, Japan, Brazil, Ukraine, Senegal, Iceland, Colombia, Mexico. I was shocked to see so many different nationalities...
The schedule is pretty simple and clearly defined. Food is very good, but at petit-déjeuner (breakfast) there is little. One piece of bred with 5g of Nutella or some strawberry jam. From your first moment you will realize that they will be your new family and you need to accept that. I made some friends there but the one I liked most was the Colombian : a very nice guy, coming from a very poor country. He told me that Europe is heaven on earth and also in his country people are poor and is another reality, the harsh reality...
At that time we were 75 guys, some waiting for 2 weeks and still didn't do anything to pass further. I did the psychotechnical test (75 questions, mathematics, logic, 3d pictures, and things like that). An old caporal-chef asked for 4 volunteers and I accepted with 3 other guys. We had to prepare the grill and arrange the tables for guys from Marines corps who stayed there. We had a lot of fun, the caporal-chef gave us some t-shirts with emblem Légion étrangère, wine, bbq and food for free as a reward. Such a great man!!
After I had the medical test with the colonel. No problem with my scars. In that days I also had the sports test: level 10 at Luc-Léger and 13 or more pull-ups. The pull-ups need to be executed in perfect form to the chest not only chin above bar... Only 3 guys were eliminated in the sports test. After some days, from the 75 guys we remained only 20. 15 went to Aubagne for further tests and maybe for instruction but the other ones didn't pass the medical or sports test. The colonel was very strict any little problem you had : go home to hospital.
I noticed also that you learn French very quickly there. We ve had a mini footbal table game where we could play in our free time... What do you do most of a time? You f*ck wait, all day long, some days 10 or more hours up standing... A lot of guys were sick and by coughing they gave me some virus.
I had a serious throat infection that didn't allow me to breath properly. I didn't sleep for 2-3 days until I told the caporal-chef that I had a problem and requested some drugs, but he refused and then I asked him to let me go to the hospital to get some antibiotics. But he refused and for God's sake I considered that it was better to come back when are not so many guys. It was a great experience and a lesson for me.
What is the ideal candidate? Somebody who has nothing to lose, who is ready to serve France for 5 years or more, very healthy and in good physical condition. If you have some question I will be more than happy to answer...
I will go back in 6 months in winter more precisely!!
I'd like to share with you my experience at Fort de Nogent Legion recruiting station, near Paris. I arrived on Sunday 27 May at 8 am at Beauvais-Tillé (~ 80 km NW of Paris) and I arrived at 11 am to the fort. After that,one legionnaire who was on guard took my passport and told me to wait in a room. I waited till 4 pm and after that I went with him to met the caporal-chef. He checked my luggage and gave my some money and my clothes... After that I took the pull-ups test (did 8) and went to our room. At the same time a guy from Moldova showed up. In my room I had guys from Nepal, French Polynesia (Tahiti), Russia, Moldova, Japan, Brazil, Ukraine, Senegal, Iceland, Colombia, Mexico. I was shocked to see so many different nationalities...
The schedule is pretty simple and clearly defined. Food is very good, but at petit-déjeuner (breakfast) there is little. One piece of bred with 5g of Nutella or some strawberry jam. From your first moment you will realize that they will be your new family and you need to accept that. I made some friends there but the one I liked most was the Colombian : a very nice guy, coming from a very poor country. He told me that Europe is heaven on earth and also in his country people are poor and is another reality, the harsh reality...
At that time we were 75 guys, some waiting for 2 weeks and still didn't do anything to pass further. I did the psychotechnical test (75 questions, mathematics, logic, 3d pictures, and things like that). An old caporal-chef asked for 4 volunteers and I accepted with 3 other guys. We had to prepare the grill and arrange the tables for guys from Marines corps who stayed there. We had a lot of fun, the caporal-chef gave us some t-shirts with emblem Légion étrangère, wine, bbq and food for free as a reward. Such a great man!!
After I had the medical test with the colonel. No problem with my scars. In that days I also had the sports test: level 10 at Luc-Léger and 13 or more pull-ups. The pull-ups need to be executed in perfect form to the chest not only chin above bar... Only 3 guys were eliminated in the sports test. After some days, from the 75 guys we remained only 20. 15 went to Aubagne for further tests and maybe for instruction but the other ones didn't pass the medical or sports test. The colonel was very strict any little problem you had : go home to hospital.
I noticed also that you learn French very quickly there. We ve had a mini footbal table game where we could play in our free time... What do you do most of a time? You f*ck wait, all day long, some days 10 or more hours up standing... A lot of guys were sick and by coughing they gave me some virus.
I had a serious throat infection that didn't allow me to breath properly. I didn't sleep for 2-3 days until I told the caporal-chef that I had a problem and requested some drugs, but he refused and then I asked him to let me go to the hospital to get some antibiotics. But he refused and for God's sake I considered that it was better to come back when are not so many guys. It was a great experience and a lesson for me.
What is the ideal candidate? Somebody who has nothing to lose, who is ready to serve France for 5 years or more, very healthy and in good physical condition. If you have some question I will be more than happy to answer...
I will go back in 6 months in winter more precisely!!