French Foreign Legion Recruitment Plan for 2021 — Historical Analysis

Historical article (December 2020). This post discusses the Legion’s recruitment plan for 2021 and includes estimates I made at the time. The figures and regiment allocations are not current recruitment requirements. For the latest information, see my 2026 recruitment overview and joining guide.

In October 2020, the French Foreign Legion shared a poster announcing plans to recruit 1,300 volunteers in 2021. The poster referred to personnel needs in six operational regiments in mainland France and the overseas units, including the 3e REI and DLEM.

• What was behind these numbers?
• Could a new legionnaire go directly to Mayotte or French Guiana after four months of basic training in Castelnaudary?
• Which regiments expected the most recruits, and what did the 1,300 figure represent?

Here is how I understood the recruitment plan at the time, along with my own experience of choosing a regiment.

Recruitment in 2019 and 2020

In 2019, 1,245 volunteers from 90 countries reportedly signed their first contracts with the French Foreign Legion. The original target for 2020 was 1,750 recruits, but the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted recruitment. At the time of writing, the final 2020 total was not yet available.

The pandemic made 2020 an unusual year. I wondered whether the Legion would retain more soldiers recruited after the 2015 terrorist attacks or see its overall strength decline. Those were two possible outcomes, not confirmed trends.

• The Legion could retain more of its serving legionnaires.
• Its overall strength could gradually decrease.

French Foreign Legion hiring plan in 2021

The plan announced 1,300 recruits for 2021. This was a recruitment target, not a guaranteed number of vacancies available to every applicant.

At the time, estimates suggested that thousands of French and foreign volunteers tried to join the Legion each year, but only a minority were selected. People arrived for different reasons: adventure, a fresh start, better living conditions or the institution’s reputation. The 2021 recruitment target did not mean that everyone who applied would be accepted.

The Foreign Legion remained highly selective. In December 2020, it was still unclear how pandemic restrictions would affect applications and recruitment in 2021.

Possible regiments to join

The Legion’s human-resources service plans regiment assignments according to expected staffing needs. The allocations below reflect the assumptions used for this 2021 forecast.

My estimates assumed that roughly eight out of ten selected recruits would complete basic training and proceed to a regiment. That suggested around 1,000 new legionnaires to distribute among the units listed in the contemporary plan: 1er RE, 4e RE, 2e REI, 2e REP, 13e DBLE, 1er REG, 2e REG, 1er REC and 3e REI. These were historical estimates, not actual end-of-year figures.

Under the 2021 allocation described here, Mayotte did not appear as a direct first posting from Castelnaudary. This should not be read as a permanent rule.

Returning ex-legionnaires

Another factor in my estimate was the return of former legionnaires who re-enlisted after completing a contract. Using the assumptions available in 2020, I projected the following allocation for 2021:

1°RE	4°RE	2°REI	2°REP	13°DBLE	1°REG	2°REG	1°REC	3°REI
7	65	172	175	157	132	155	107	30

For a graduating training section in 2021, I estimated that the distribution of available places might have looked something like this:

1°RE	4°RE	2°REI	2°REP	13°DBLE	1°REG	2°REG	1°REC	3°REI
0	3	9	9	8	7	8	6	0

At the time, I expected the few places at the 1er RE to be mainly in support roles, such as administration or the band. Many candidates I spoke with were more interested in joining an operational regiment, but assignments still depended on the Legion’s needs.

Places in 4°RE

Places at the 4e RE also depended on instructor staffing and transfers from other regiments. In my experience, staying in Castelnaudary was usually offered to recruits who had performed well during basic training, rather than being a simple choice. I personally preferred an operational posting. A friend who finished third in our basic training stayed at the 4e RE, and our careers later developed differently.

My choice of regiment

I chose the 2e REG, completed my basic engineer training, mountain training and radio course, and returned from an overseas deployment near the end of my second year. I became a corporal after approximately two and a half years of service.

During that time, my friend stayed in Castelnaudary, became a corporal and helped instruct two sections of recruits. For reasons I never fully understood, he was then assigned to the 1er REC rather than the regiment he wanted.

The 1er REC was moving from Orange to Carpiagne at the time. My friend became discouraged, completed no overseas deployments during his contract and left after five years. Meanwhile, I qualified as a radio specialist, deployed twice and was promoted to sergeant. These were two individual career paths, not a guarantee that one regiment would be better for everyone.

My perspective on the 4e RE and 3e REI

In my opinion, remaining at the 4e RE can be a good opportunity for someone interested in training and early leadership responsibilities, particularly if they already speak French well. It depends on your goals and on where the Legion needs you.

One regiment I especially appreciated was the 3e REI in French Guiana. In my experience, its operational environment offered demanding and rewarding work. Posting opportunities depend on staffing requirements, so the seasonal possibilities I discussed in 2020 should not be treated as a current rule.

In the example above, only a small number of places were available for French Guiana in each graduating group. Actual allocations depended on the needs of the regiment.

What I liked about the 3e REI was the opportunity to practise my military trade regularly. Jungle training was challenging, useful and exciting, and the overseas posting also came with different pay conditions. The six months I spent in French Guiana were among my best experiences in the Legion.

For current recruitment requirements and regiment information, check the official French Foreign Legion recruitment website.