DÉFENSE ZONE
Saint-Cyr, a very special school
Camille Lanet, president of the “chef de bataillon de Cointet” class, explores what underpins the Saint-Cyr spirit of service: neither prestige nor posturing, but self-sacrifice. Excerpt from Défen...
Physical preparation before joining the military: the fundamentals to arrive ready for selection
Running, core work, pull-ups: what you really need to work on before military selection, over what period, and the mistakes that injure candidates before the big day even arrives.
French Air and Space Force: the trades really recruiting in 2026
More than 4,000 posts a year, some fifty trades, from lower secondary level to a master’s degree: what the French Air and Space Force really recruits in 2026 — and why mechanics are more sought aft...
SIGYCOP: the medical profile that fails thousands of army candidates every year
S, I, G, Y, C, O, P: seven letters that decide a military career. What the criteria mean, the coefficients, the most frequent reasons for rejection and possible appeals.
French Army selection tests: what really eliminates candidates
Two days of assessment decide entry into the French Army: psychometric tests, physical tests, interview, medical examination. The full process and the real reasons for elimination.
Gendarme salary 2026: real pay, allowances and the benefit everyone forgets
A Gendarmerie non-commissioned officer starts at around €1,500 net, but reaches €2,000 to €2,200 with allowances — and barracks housing changes the whole calculation. The figures explained.