The Ecole Militaire (Military School) still houses several military training facilities including the Collège Interarmées de Défense (Joint Defence College) and the Institut des hautes études de défense nationale (Institute of High Studies of National Defence). They train high-potential officers in all three services as well as personnel from allied armed forces. Also based at the Ecole Militaire is the French Army Reserve Staff College. In addition, one of the courtyards is still used as a cavalry exercise ground, right in the middle of Paris.
Ecole Militaire
56 Rue Cler
75007 Paris
France
011-33-1-47-05-45-16
The Ecole Polytechnique, nicknamed X, is a military school with a twist. While its students are part of the military, many of them do not stay in the service as the school trains engineers and high-level civil servants with an emphasis on scientific research. Polytechnicians join a four-year training program after a competitive entry exam. The school was founded in 1794 and Napoleon made it a military school in 1804. It is now located in Palaiseau, south of Paris. The Ecole polytechnique, the Ecole navale, the Ecole de l'Air et Saint-Cyr all admit foreign students.
École Polytechnique
Campus du Plateau de Saclay
91128 Palaiseau Cedex
France
011-33-1-69-33-33-33
polytechnique.edu
The Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr, commonly known as Saint-Cyr, trains officers who will serve in the army as well as the Gendarmerie Nationale, an arm of law enforcement which is part of the military. Napoleon founded Saint-Cyr in 1802. The school is now located in Coëtquidan in Brittany.
Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr
Coëtquidan
56381 Guer Cedex
France
011-33-2-97-73-52-99
st-cyr.terre.defense.gouv.fr
Based near Brest in Brittany, the Ecole navale trains naval officers and future senior officers. The curriculum emphasizes human and military sciences, maritime and technology training as well as scientific training (signals and underwater acoustics, for example). King Louis Philippe created the school in 1830.
Ecole navale
Lanvéoc Poulmic
29240 Brest naval
France
011-33-2-98-23-30-00
ecole-navale.fr
In 1933, the French government decided to create a school to train officers for the air force. The school is located in Salon de Provence in the south of France and is also responsible for training French astronauts. The Ecole de l'air has an exchange with the United States Air Force Academy, its American counterpart.
Ecole de l'air
Base Aérienne 701
13661 Salon de Provence Cedex
France
011-33-4-90-53-90-90
ecole-air.air.defense.gouv.fr
Beyond these historical military schools, there are many others. Some cater to senior officers like the Institut des hautes études de la défense nationale (Defense Postgraduate Institute) or the Collège d'enseignement supérieur de l'armée de terre (Army Higher Education College). Others are specialized like the Ecole du service de santé des armées (Army Health Services School) and the Ecole des troupes aéroportées (Airborne Troop School).