A GIGN antenna with 50 elite soldiers settles in Caen

From April 1, 2021, the gendarmerie barracks in Caen (Calvados) will house a GIGN branch. About fifty elite soldiers are expected.

The gendarmes of the Le Flem barracks, in Caen (Calvados), will soon have new neighbors. From April ¹ , 2021, the accommodation located near the Parc polyclinic, in the Guynemer district, will accommodate soldiers from the GIGN, the famous National Gendarmerie Intervention Group. "At first, there will be 10 of them," warns Colonel Christophe Junqua, commander of the Calvados Gendarmerie Group. This is called a “harpoon”. They will prepare for the arrival of the rest of the unit”.

The Ambassador's Protectors

Over the weeks, they will be joined by other elite gendarmes, to reach the number of 32. Twenty TEASS soldiers will also be added (technicians in escorting authorities and securing sites). These gendarmes are in charge of protecting French diplomats abroad, but also of securing major events, such as the Olympic Games or major international summits. "In the event of a major crisis, such as attacks, they complete the action of the GIGN", deciphers Colonel Junqua. In total, about fifty men will settle in Caen. They will be placed under the command of a branch manager.

How does the GIGN intervene?

The National Gendarmerie Intervention Group is an independent unit within the Gendarmerie. “There is no hierarchical link with us”, explains the commander of the Groupement du Calvados. Based in Satory, it deploys branches all over France. Its action is triggered in the event of a major crisis, such as attacks. But it also intervenes at the request of the local gendarmes. "I called him in September 2020 when a man had taken refuge at his home in Soulangy, near Falaise", illustrates Colonel Junqua. The madman had fired 141 times, requiring the intervention of elite gendarmes.

@HumurousPaladin //DON'T DO IT it's the foot thing

— moss Mon Apr 01 04:17:41 +0000 2019

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The members of the "harpoon" will first endeavor to find discreet training sites, so as not to frighten the population, and to discover the territory, its geographical particularities and its strategic sites. Delighted to welcome these new colleagues, Colonel Junqua illustrates:

Normandy's seafront is also one of the reasons for setting up a GIGN branch in Caen. Until now, the closest elite units were located in Nantes (Loire-Atlantique), Tours (Indre-et-Loire) and Satory, near Versailles (Yvelines).

Caen central and well served

The central position of Caen in Normandy and its very good road service played in the choice of the central direction of the gendarmerie to settle in the city of Guillaume-le-Conquérant.

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In the coming weeks, the Le Flem barracks will undergo some improvements. In particular, a building will be reassigned to GIGN equipment. It is there, in a secret and secure place, that the armament “of a higher level than what we have” will be stored, specifies Colonel Junqua.

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