Image above: Logo of the French Foreign Legion.
Officially, there are no Americans in the French Foreign Legion—la Légion Etrangère—that legendary volunteer combat assault group comprised of 9000 men from 150 countries, each man with a past more mysterious, more shadowy, more enigmatic than the next. Americans aren’t typically allowed to fight under the flag of another country. So no Americans—officially. Yet among the legionnaires, there are some men with distinctly American accents who are said to be from Micronesia. So said General Alain Lardet, commander of the Foreign Legion, when I inquired over a glass of Légion Etrangère Côtes de Provence red wine at the Invalides.
You don’t have the security clearance for me to relate the full details of our conversation—kidding—but I am authorized to write that among the highly trained combatants of the Foreign Legion, 64 men also have musical talent. And you—without having to declare that you hail from Micronesia—can enlist as a spectator to see and hear them perform at the Legion’s charity concert that will take place on June 18 at the Paris concert hall L’Olympia.
The Foreign Legion holds a unique place within France’s national and military heritage due to both the reality and the fantasy of the corps. The reality itself is always clouded in an air of mystery about these men, with their white kepis and their world full of accents, who have made a 5+-year commitment to fight for France. That then opens the doors to the fantasy of the larger-then-life characters presented in French and foreign film, books and song, of men at once hardened, seductive, unfathomable, honorable and resolute. What intrigues the public about the Foreign Legion, both as reality and as fantasy, is the opportunity that the Legion offers men to leave behind their past.
Leaving behind the past is only the first part of the equation, as engagement in the Foreign Legion initiates a process of renewing and redirecting oneself with “honor and fidelity,” the watchwords of a legionnaire’s commitment. “That’s the secret of the Legion,” said General Lardet, “restarting, rebooting, getting back on one’s feet.” The Legion’s motto: Legio patria nostra—the Legion is our fatherland.
Listening to General Lardet speak of his relationship with the men under his responsibility is like hearing a firm and caring father speak of his children, treating them with “authority and goodwill because the legionnaire needs both.”
“[Bringing together] 150 nationalities and mentalities and cultures that are foreign to each other,” he said, “requires solidarity in order to function. The Legion’s solidarity is nearly the motor of its operational capacity. Our institution depends on a contract between a foreigner who signs a voluntary commitment to France and the Legion that receives him and provides an equally strong commitment. If you serve the Foreign Legion’s code of honor, the Foreign Legion will support you regardless of what happens.”
While the Foreign Legion is financed by the French Army, funding for additional social and welfare assistance, such as caring for the orphaned children of deceased legionnaires, reuniting families, assisting former legionnaires, etc., requires outside support and donations. Recently, that additional funding has been used to bring 40 families (about 100 people) of Ukrainian legionnaires to France from the war zones in their country. (Because of their commitment to France, Ukrainian legionnaires are not allowed to join their national army in fighting against Russia.)
The June 18 program
While the June 18 concert in Paris and other events held by the Foreign Legion throughout the year, help maintain public awareness of this unique institution, the upcoming concert in particular also serves as a fundraiser for the Legion’s social and welfare assistance project for current and retired legionnaires and their families.
The 2-hour concert will be performed twice on June 18. The first performance, at 2PM, is largely intended for the general public, though a group of non-participating legionnaires will also be in attendance. At the second performance, at 6PM, sponsors, donors, honored and official guests, and hundreds of legionnaires will comprise the bulk of the audience, however seating for the general public is also available. That concert will be followed by an invitation-only party at the Château de Vincennes of singing, burgers and beer (“the fundamentals at the Legion,” according to Lardet), under the culinary baton of stellar chef Thierry Marx.
Titled “Monsieur Legionnaire,” the June 18 program musically retraces the path of the legionnaire through music and song, percussion and chant. Various pieces express the legionnaire’s sense of searching, volunteering and commitment, military and technical training, the esprit de corps, combat operations, nostalgia for the country left behind, victory in combat, the wounded, R&R, and more. Along with legionnaire marches and chants, homage is paid to Edith Piaf for her well-known affection for the Legion and its legionnaires. Among the songs most identified with Piaf is Mon légionnaire, which includes the line “Il était mince, il était beau, il sentait bon le sable chaud, mon légionnaire,” a line that is nearly as famous in France as “Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien” from Non, je ne regrette rien, itself a song that the Legion has since taken on as something of a theme song of their own. A nod is also given in the program to the communion between the legionnaires and underdog cross-cultural Americana with themes from “Dancing with Wolves” and “Rocky.” There’s even a bit of rap, performed by a Mongolian legionnaire, to show that these young men are of their times.
The concert will be led by Senior Officer (hors classe) Emile Lardeux, the Legion’s musical director. Lardeux said that have adequate musicians is always uncertain since the Foreign Legion doesn’t recruit soldiers for their musical abilities. If a legionnaire is a musician, he can be invited to join the band, and even get special physical training as you can see in this video of a legionnaire who is both a combatant and a tuba player. If a man played an instrument, or was even a professional musician, in his pre-legionnaire life, he isn’t required to play in the Legion. Like any other aspect of his former life, Lardet noted, a legionnaire has a right to leave it behind.
The Foreign Legion always has a presence among the French military corps to parade down the Champs-Elysees toward the presidential tribune during the annual 14th of July Parade in Paris, as can be seen here.
But performing at the 1985-seat concert hall L’Olympia represents a different kind of badge of honor. L’Olympia, located between the Garnier Opera and the Madeleine, is a mythical venue for national and international performers. Created in 1893 as a music hall, used as a cinema in the 1930s and 1940s, it has been a premier concert hall for popular artists since 1954. Performing at L’Olympia and seeing one’s name in red neon on the marquee is a consecration for many pop performers. Lardeux himself is starstruck at the possibility of conducting his orchestra there. Set to retire this summer, he said that along with leading the Legion on a sixteenth march down the Champs-Elysées at this year’s 14th of July parade, “performing at L’Olympia is a beautiful way to end my career with the Legion.” The French-born maestro will then hand the baton to Captain Vladimir Khourda, born in Ukraine, trained in Russia, legionnaire since 1999, now with French citizenship.
How to join the French Foreign Legion
Created in 1831 initially to assist in the French conquest of Algeria, the Foreign Legion has since participated in French actions around the world: Crimea (1854-1855), Italy (1859), Mexico (1863-1867), the Franco-Prussian War, the First World War, the Second World War, Indochina (1946-1954), Algeria (1954-1962), and since then in war- and conflict-zones as diverse as Kuwait, Afghanistan, Iraq, Mali and the Ivory Coast, among others, as well as for anti-terrorist patrol missions in France. The current corps of about 9000 men represents 11% of France’s Operational Land Force. The Foreign Legion is headquartered near Marseille, in Aubagne, and has based spread throughout southern France. The Musée de la Légion Etrangère in Aubagne is open to the general public.
Men can apply to join the French Foreign Legion if over 17½ years old and under 39½ years old on the day they present themselves to the information desk. (Those under 18 require parental authorization.) No school diploma is required, though the applicant must at a minimum know how to read and write in his native language. Only 20% of applicants are finally integrated into the Legion. A legionnaire signs up under his true or declared identity for an initial engagement of five years. He then lives in the military compound, as a single person, at a starting salary of 1380€ net per month. When not busy on active mission, his weekends are free and he additionally has 45 vacation days per year. After three years of service a legionnaire can request French citizenship. After the initial tour of duty, reengagement in the Legion is possible for successive durations of from six months to five years. After five years of service a legionnaire can bring his family to France.
If tempted to join—whether you’re from Micronesia or elsewhere—you’ll find full recruitment information here.
If in a 2-hour concert rather than a 5-year engagement, see here to reserve to see the Foreign Legion at L’Olympia on June 18, 2023. Two shows, beginning at 2PM and 6PM. Tickets 49-99€.
You can follow the musical corps of the Foreign Legion on their Facebook page here.
© 2023, Gary Lee Kraut