After the launch of the national session by the Prime Minister and the Armed Forces Chief of Staff, the auditors arrived at the Centre national d'entraînement commando (CNEC) in COLLIOURE.
After a welcome from the mayor, followed by an account of the town's rich military history by Mr Etienne SESMATIn the presence of the town councillor and safety delegate, the auditors listened attentively to the words of the CNEC corps commander and the unit commander about the training course that awaited them.
Collioure is the traditional destination for the back-to-school seminar for students in the POLDEF major. This immersion in the forces helps to create group cohesion and forge the esprit de corps of the major for the rest of the training cycle.
On the morning of 16 September, after the flying of the colours in the parade ground at Fort Miradou, presided over by Lt-Gen Benoît DURIEUXThe Director of the IHEDN, the Head of the Major, the staff and the auditors set off on the many workshops set up in complete safety by the CNEC instructors, including abseiling, rolling in the sea, zip-lines, gutters, a variety of vertiginous obstacles between sea and rocks, shooting sessions and other nautical activities.
At the end of this invigorating and refreshing meeting, and after overcoming the apprehensions caused by the emptiness and the very particular configuration of the obstacles, the listeners met in the afternoon by committee for their first divan session.
It was an opportunity for them and their committee managers to get to know each other better, share their life experiences together and forge the cohesion of the group in an intimate environment conducive to confidences.
The reception organised by the Collioure town hall and the organisation of the water sports and crossing workshops, combined with the expertise and teaching skills of the CNEC instructors in charge of the activities, will certainly leave lasting memories with the participants, who were able to push themselves beyond their physical and mental limits.
It's a safe bet that this cultural yet studious seminar will surely inspire those unfamiliar with this magnificent town steeped in history to return and take a closer look at tourism and gastronomy by swapping the combat fatigues of the French army for a less camouflaged outfit and strolling through the gentle historic centre, this time outside the austere ramparts of Fort Miradou.
