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2. Chapter – Sport, IQ test and Interview in Aubagne

7 mins read
french foreign legionnaire sport test

We arrived to Marseille and a bus waited for us near to the Saint-Charles station. The view and the sunshine gave me a feeling that I’m on a holiday. 

I thought, if somehow I can’t get in, I’m going to swim in the sea, at least. As we arrived to Aubagne to the HQ of the French Foreign Legion we had to give our civil stuffs down again. We only got them back for the journey from Paris to Aubagne. 

We were in a cave under the main building of the recruiting center which is a railed off space of the 1st Foreign Regiment. We had to put all of our belongings (underwear, socks included) in our backpacks or in a carton if somebody did not have one. 

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Finally, I found myself between 20 fully naked guys in a cave somewhere in a foreign country. Fantastic, I thought. 

A few minutes later, we got a temporary uniform, a blue shorts, a black T-shirt and some new, but pretty shitty underwear probably from the ‘80s.

The next morning after breakfast we started with the sport tests.

We marched a few hundred meters from the regiment and got a few minutes to prepare for the Cooper test. The only test I almost failed because I didn’t have a watch to control the time at the end. Back home I trained on a running machine and I always had a monitor before my eyes to check my speed. I finished with 2600 meters, although I did 200 meters more in the gym. The minimum distance you have to accomplish is 2600 meters to join the French Foreign Legion

The same morning after a 10 second shower we continued with the IQ test.

The IQ test wasn’t too hard, simple logic exercises, domino tests or completing a number pyramid for example. Not very difficult, but it’s better if you prepare for. (I wrote an article about the IQ test if you want to learn more )

After lunch there were some guys who failed one of the 2 tests and had to leave immediately the regiment. The day after we had the luc-leger running test and the pull-ups. I passed all of them and only had the interviews and the second medical visit left.

The evenings we had 2 hours pretty much “free” in the garden behind the building. 

We had a possibility to do some sport, or buy a bar of chocolate or just to speak with the others. From 8 PM we went to take a shower, not more than ten seconds per person. We finished the day by cleaning the rooms, the corrdiors and offices of the building. 

The responsible, a caporal-chef came by for the inspection. The guys already selected (called “Rouge”), organized the cleaning and if something didn’t go well, they had to do push-ups as punishment. If that happened, we could be quite sure that we are not going alowed to take a shower. The “rouge” guys were already in military uniform so it wasn’t too hard to make the difference between them and us.

The 3rd day in Aubagne.

Wake up at 5.30, cleaning the rooms, go to breakfast, and visit the doctor again. As we arrived, we got a vaccination and had to wait in the hall for the results. It was a test to detect if you are allergic for basic food ingredients or not. An Italian guy next to me said that he doesn’t know if he is allergic or not and got afraid of being disqualified… So he just decided to suck the vaccine out. 

In a minute his arm got twice bigger than before and when the doctor realized what happened, he called the Italian in his office. He waited until the guy got better and send him back to the center. I have never seen him again…

In the afternoon, the interviews started for some of us.

For those who couldn’t pass on the interview at the same time like the others, they had to work in the kitchen or somewhere in the regiment under the command of the old soldiers. Usually they were caporal-chefs before retirement or between two long-term missions. 

The interview in Aubagne was just a little bit more specific than in Paris. Almost the same questions, but more focused on your future career. 

  • Why did you come here? 
  • What do you want to do in the Legion? 
  • How many years did you plan to stay here? 
  • Do you want to become a parachutist? 
  • Do you volunteer to do a career here? 
  • In which regiment do you want to serve later? 
  • What kind of specialty did you imagine for yourself…..?

My last interview was probably the most awkward 3 hours of my life. Candidates called the office “Gestapo” (officially DSPLE) after the secret police of Nazi Germany. So I went by and knocked on the door….

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26 Comments

  1. Hi Aron,
    The food allergy vaccine you mention; is that injected with the intention of triggering a direct allergic response – such as the Italian seems to have suffered – or is it a antigonistic agent designed stimulate an immune response for a blood test? I realise you’re probably not a bio-chemist; but as best as you could tell.

    I will be eagerly anticipating your response.

    Kind Regards;
    Jim

    • Hey Jim,

      A really good question and I’m not a 100% sure of my answer, but it’s rather a direct allergic test. They only want to know if you are allergic to basic aliments or not.
      I’ll prepare an article about medical tests, but as you said I’m not a doctor so it will be based on information I found I the internet.

      Best regards,
      Aron

  2. Hi Aron,

    I hope you’re well. Just out of curiosity is it harder to enlist in the FFL if you’re 36 years of age. I’m currently 35 years old and interested in joining the legion. I would like your opinion on the odds of getting a contract even if you past all the tests. Could you help please?

    Kind regards and thanks,

    Joseph

    • Hey Joseph,

      Modt guys are between 24-26, but if you have a good profile, it’s not impossible. Yes, it’s a bit more complicated to enlist if you are older, but if you have a good level of physical fitness and you pass all of your tests, your age won’t be a big handicap.

      I hope I answered your question.
      Take care and best wishes,
      Aron

    • Damn I can do at least 1000m in 10 minutes, I really need to run more and faster too lol

    • I can run 12 minute but at the moment my record is 2100m is this good or i have to do 2600m in 12 minute.Also how much pull up is enough for the pass i heard 5? Thank you.

  3. Hi aron.

    Is it okay , if i only pass phyiscal test in average? For example:- if i do beep running upto lvl 7 and other do it upto lvl 10 lvl 15 . My chinup is 12 and other 20 25.
    Does it effect in my selection process . Who got more piority or it will okay to get passed only.

    • Hey,

      No it’s not a big problem. You also have the IQ test which comes in the game. I don’t know how the Legion calculate the final result, but I know how it goes in the air force. I’ll update the article about the IQ test next week.

  4. Hi, I’m an Italian boy, my question is one I have to be right with the weight height table so I have to be with the right kg? motivation is not a problem i’m ready to give it my al

    • Yes. You can’t enlist if you are overweight. The body mass index is a useful stat if you are preparing for the FFL

  5. Hi Aron during interview which lauguege do you speak,lets defenetly you not coming from France?

  6. Hola necesito ayuda. Tengo una operación superada hace 15 años pero tengo una pequeña placa de metal en la mano. Estoy 100% recuperado y sin secuelas. Pero he oído que no dejan entrar a personas con metal en el cuerpo. ¿Es cierto eso? He mirado en la pagina web y dice que si la operación esta correcta y no es en zonas delicadas con certificado médico vale. Pero no sé si existe problema por tener metal en el cuerpo y en la web no dicen nada. Lo cierto es que la persona qué lo comento es legionario y por eso la duda, Gracias.

  7. Hi, I need help. I have an operation that was 15 years old but I have a small metal plate in my hand. I am 100% recovered and without sequelae. But I’ve heard they don’t let people with metal in their bodies in. That is true? I have looked at the website and it says that if the operation is correct and it is not in delicate areas, a medical certificate is worth it. But I do not know if there is a problem with having metal in the body and on the web they do not say anything. The truth is that the person who commented on it is a legionary and for that reason the doubt, Thank you.

  8. Hello , I ask you something, but for those who have some degree to the eye and therefore have to wear glasses when they are at the PC or when studying can they be excluded?

  9. I am 37 and about to retire from the United States Marine Corps. I am presently with MARSOC but was a member of Force Recon prior to 2006. I am an E-9, Master Gunnery Sergeant. I have gone as far as I can go within the enlisted ranks. Should I re-enlist, I will work in various administrative assignments. I have no interest in that whatsoever. I have been with Special Ops for just about my entire career. My PFT scores are off the chart. I am the best shooter in the unit. I can speak, read and write English, French and Arabic. My Pashto is very good as well. I want to remain in the community. I served with the Legion in Kosovo. They are among the best. I was stationed at the embassy in Paris. I love France and its people. Can I serve 20 before retiring?

  10. I feel that is one of the such a lot significant info for me.
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  11. Have a question regarding the questions.. Why do they ask if you want to become a parachutist and what specialty you want? Isn’t parachutist a specialty or I misunderstood?

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