ANCIEN LÉGIONNAIRE (2001)
In my photographic project, «Ancien légionnaire—Le Diable marche avec nous», I explore the lives of the residents of the Institution des Invalides de la Légion Étrangère (I.I.L.E.) in Puyloubier, Southern France.
The institution provides a framework for the professional and social reintegration of former soldiers of the French Foreign Legion who have been discharged because of illness or injuries sustained during service, as well as those who are “injured in life” and struggle to transition into civilian society.
Through this work, I seek to underline the importance of meeting these veterans with respect, understanding, and the practical care they need to live with the consequences of war. I portray the isolation and abandonment that many of them experience, while also addressing alcoholism—an issue that affects many veterans—in an unflinching way.
At the same time, I document moments of companionship, friendship, and humour. These encounters reveal the enduring bonds between men who have served together. Despite trauma, illness, loss, and the proximity of death, many remain committed to living with dignity.
As a former Légionnaire myself, I began this photographic documentary project in 2001. Twelve years after joining the Legion, I was granted exclusive access, as a civilian photographer, to the veterans’ everyday living environment.
In 2022, this photographic documentary was revisited as a book project in collaboration with Thomas Gast, a long-serving veteran of the Legion’s parachutist regiment and the author of several books on the Legion. Together, we aim to raise awareness of the realities veterans face and of the care, recognition, and support they deserve.