DÉFENSE ZONE
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.
E-dog: the new Gendarmerie dogs that sniff out USB sticks
In Gramat, the Gendarmerie trains dogs capable of finding hidden phones, USB sticks and SD cards: digital evidence now has its own sense of smell. An extract from Défense Zone magazine #22.
How do you become a water bomber pilot? (DZ#20)
When the sky becomes the last line of defence against the flames, an elite corps steps in. Aboard massive aircraft, experienced pilots engage in a spectacular and risky fight for Civil Protection. ...
Low Profile: the art of protecting without being seen
Behind the Hollywood image of the giant in a dark suit, the reality of the bodyguard’s job is far more subtle. Far from confrontation, the close protection professional operates under the seal of d...
So that the law prevails (DZ#19)
In Saint-Astier, in the Dordogne, lies the National Gendarmerie Forces Training Centre (CNEFG), a strategic site where France’s public order elite is trained. Mobile Gendarmerie squadrons go throug...
Every year, thousands of lives are saved at sea thanks to the commitment of volunteer and professional rescuers. Sea rescue in France is a complex mission involving many different institutional and...