People considering enlistment in the French Foreign Legion go through sports, psychotechnical, interview and medical evaluation in person in mainland France. This page summarises how that process works, based on the official recruitment site, and gives free practice sets on Legion history, ranks, units, conduct, weapons and traditions to build your background knowledge.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
According to French Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère), French Army / Ministry of the Armed Forces — official recruitment service Légi, “Over 2 to 3 weeks, you will be evaluated on sports and psychotechnical criteria.”[1]
The FFL selection is not a single written exam. It is an evaluation run by the French Foreign Legion, part of the French Army under the Ministry of the Armed Forces. The official recruitment site says candidates are assessed on sports and psychotechnical criteria over 2 to 3 weeks, split into 7 days of evaluation, 7 days of selection and 7 days of incorporation.
The tests include pull-ups, the Luc Léger beep test, psychotechnical logic and personality tests, motivation and security interviews, and medical exams. For the endurance test the official goal is the highest level you can reach, with level 5 as the minimum (about 2,500 m on the Cooper test).
Delivery is in person only. Pre-selection takes place in Aubagne or Fort de Nogent. There is no remote recruitment and none in foreign countries. You can walk in at any time, 24/7, though the site asks you to avoid arriving after 9 p.m. Food and accommodation are provided during the selection tests. There are no fixed selection dates because the Legion recruits all year round.
Results are announced at Aubagne during the incorporation phase, after the selection board. A final failure means you cannot reapply, and only a written appeal is possible. After a temporary failure you may reapply after a few months to a year. The initial enlistment contract is 5 years, and later contracts run from 6 months to 5 years. Check the official recruitment site for current requirements before you travel.
Prepare for the FFL - French Foreign Legion exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the primary role of the 1er REC (1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment)?
Answer: C. Armored cavalry reconnaissance
Explanation:
The correct answer is armored cavalry reconnaissance. The 1er REC is the Legion's armored cavalry regiment, so its work centres on scouting and operating with armored vehicles.
Airborne rapid deployment is wrong because that describes paratroopers, which are a different regiment type. Combat engineering support is wrong because engineering is its own specialty with its own units, not the cavalry's job. Special operations raiding is wrong because it names a different kind of mission than armored reconnaissance.
The rule to remember: in Legion regiment names, the letters after the number usually point to the branch. The C in REC stands for cavalry, so link the regiment to the armored and reconnaissance role, and treat the other branches as separate units with separate roles.
Question: On which French island is the 2e REP (Legion paratroopers) permanently based?
Answer: C. Corsica
Explanation:
The correct answer is Corsica. The 2e REP, the Legion's paratrooper regiment, is permanently based on that Mediterranean island, at Camp Raffalli near Calvi.
Réunion, Martinique and Guadeloupe are wrong because they are overseas territories of France, not the home island of this regiment. They make plausible distractors because overseas locations are often linked with French military deployments, but a deployment is not the same as a permanent base.
The rule to remember: when a question asks where a regiment is based, separate the permanent home garrison from places where it has operated. Learn each regiment together with its home location and its role, for example paratroopers with Corsica, so that a distractor naming a well-known overseas territory does not pull you away from the right answer.
Question: What is the role of a 'chef de section' (section commander) in the FFL?
Answer: A. A lieutenant commanding a platoon of approximately 30 Legionnaires
Explanation:
The correct answer is a lieutenant commanding a platoon of approximately 30 Legionnaires. A chef de section is the section commander, and a section is the platoon-sized unit.
A general commanding a regiment is wrong because that level of command is far above a section, and a regiment is a much larger formation. A sergeant commanding a squad is wrong because a squad is a smaller subdivision than a section, so the scale does not match. An NCO managing logistics is wrong because that describes a support role, not command of a combat section.
The rule to remember: match the title to the size of the unit it leads. Section commander points to a lieutenant and a platoon-sized group, and larger formations and smaller squads sit at other levels of the chain of command.
Start with the official recruitment pages on applying, tests and selection. They are the only source for what the evaluation involves, and they tell you what to expect on arrival. Our practice sets do not copy real selection tests. They are background knowledge about the Legion, useful for the motivation interview and for understanding the institution you want to join.
Begin with the recruitment and enlistment set, then move to ranks and organizational structure, since those give you the vocabulary for everything else. Next, work through regiments and units, basic training, and rules and code of conduct. Add history, traditions and culture, notable operations, and weapons and equipment once the structure is familiar.
After each set, reread the explanation for every question you missed, including the ones you got right by guessing. Write the general rule in your own words, such as matching a regiment to its role and home base. Revisit weak sets after a break rather than repeating them straight away.
Physical preparation matters at least as much as knowledge here. Practise pull-ups and running toward the level 5 beep test minimum, and keep your documents and plans for travel to Aubagne or Fort de Nogent ready.
The official site describes an evaluation, not a single written exam. It covers pull-ups, the Luc Léger beep test, psychotechnical logic and personality tests, motivation and security interviews, and medical exams. Our practice sets cover background knowledge about the Legion and are not real test questions.
In person, in mainland France. Pre-selection centres are in Aubagne or Fort de Nogent. The official site states there is no remote recruitment and no recruitment in foreign countries, and it asks you not to send information before your visit.
The official goal is to reach the highest level you can, with level 5 as the minimum. The recruitment site equates that to about 2,500 m on the Cooper test. Train toward a result above the minimum rather than aiming only for it.
It takes 2 to 3 weeks, made up of 7 days of evaluation, 7 days of selection and 7 days of incorporation. There are no fixed dates, because the Legion recruits all year round. The reception point is open 24/7, but the site asks you to avoid arriving after 9 p.m.
It depends on the decision. After a final failure from the selection board you cannot reapply, and only a written appeal is possible. After a temporary failure you may reapply after a few months to a year. Results are announced at Aubagne during the incorporation phase.
The initial enlistment contract is 5 years. After that, a legionnaire can continue through successive contracts whose length varies from 6 months to 5 years. For terms that apply to you, read the official contracts and career page.
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