Renowned for their team spirit and operational abilities in extreme situations, they are sent on external operations in environments as varied as Lebanon, Macedonia or Afghanistan. They are equipped with high mobility vehicles (VHM), armoured personnel carriers (VAB) or CAESAR guns.
Saint Bernard de Menthon and a dog, 1832.
The patron saint of the Mountain Troops is Saint Bernard de Menthon. Born at the Château de Menthon on the shores of Lake Annecy, Bernard (998-1081) was a mountain dweller who looked after travellers crossing the mountains on perilous routes. To offer safe stopovers, he set up refuges along Alpine paths such as the Col du Grand Saint Bernard. His name was later given to a famous breed of mountain dog. Celebrations are organised by the Mountain Troops every year on his saint's day in Grenoble.
Découvrir l’histoire de tous les saints patrons
- Saint Maurice (22 septembre) : Saint Maurice patron de l’Infanterie
- Sainte Barbe (4 décembre) : Sainte Barbe patron de l’Artillerie
- Saint Eloi (1er décembre) : Saint Eloi patron des Mécaniciens
- Saint Luc (18 octobre) : Saint Luc patron du Service de Santé des armées
- Sainte Véronique (4 février) : Sainte Véronique patron des Photographes
- Saint Roch (16 août) : Saint Roch patron des Unités Cynophiles
- Saint Gabriel (29 septembre) : Saint Gabriel patron des Transmetteurs
- Saint George (23 avril) : Saint George patron de la Cavalerie
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION…
Book : Guillaume Desmurs, Soldat de montagne, l’esprit de cordée au service de la France (A mountain soldier, team spirit in the service of France), Glénat, 2018
Video : Survivre en montagne (Surviving in the mountains), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXJ_v8KjElU