Costarmorican base for the first week of the 250e session in the Brittany region
From 19 to 22 May 2026, the Côtes-d'Armor hosted the first week of the 250e session in the Brittany region of the IHEDN, focusing on major strategic issues in national defence and security.
The opening day, held at the Conseil départemental in Saint-Brieuc in the presence of the Prefect of Côtes-d'Armor, was the occasion to open this exceptional session - the 250th in the history of the Côtes-d'Armor region.e of its kind - before fifty-two auditors from the public and private sectors, both civilian and military. Ambassador Pierre Lévy, Chairman of the IHEDN Board of Directors, gave his views on the major trends in the contemporary world, drawing on his experience as French ambassador in a Russia at war.
The week's regional dimension was highlighted by INSEE Bretagne, which provided a socio-economic overview of the region, an essential prerequisite for understanding local defence and resilience issues. A visit to the Côtes-d'Armor departmental fire and rescue service gave the audience a practical insight into the crisis management and civil protection systems deployed in the region.
The week also included a closer look at the economic fabric of the Costarmoric region, with a visit to the European leader in armouring and mobile protection, Centigon France, in Lamballe. The auditors then discovered the Technopole Anticipa in Lannion, an ecosystem unique in France for the density of its innovative companies in digital technology, photonics and cybersecurity, more than twenty of which work directly for national defence.
A memorial sequence at the Collège Le Braz in Saint-Brieuc, linked to the history of the 71st arrondissemente Infantry Regiment, was a reminder of how deeply rooted the military is in Brittany's identity.
This year's commemoration takes on a special dimension. As part of the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the IHEDN, the 250e session in the Brittany region inaugurates a new partnership with the Order of the Liberation: students are invited to choose the name of their class from among the Companions of the Liberation. This innovation anchors this anniversary session in the memory of those who risked their lives to forge France's sovereignty and freedom - values that have been at the heart of the IHEDN's mission since it was founded in 1936.
Enriched by this first week of demanding training, the auditors are due to arrive in Brest on Tuesday 26 May for a week's internship dedicated to discovering our armed forces and France's defence system.
A stop-off in Finistère for the second week
Following an initial week devoted to the fundamentals of national defence and security, the 52 trainees on the 250the Participants in the session in the Brittany region travelled to Finistère for an in-depth look at the heart of France’s defence apparatus and the major maritime challenges that shape national sovereignty.
This second week began in Concarneau, on the quays of the Piriou shipyard. Surrounded by hulls under construction and workshops in full swing, the participants were able to appreciate the strategic importance of Brittany’s maritime industry, a vital component of France’s industrial self-sufficiency and naval power.
In Brest, they were then welcomed into the Jean Moulin Room at the Maritime Prefecture, a memorial dedicated to Bretons who have been awarded the Order of Liberation. This event struck a particular chord with the graduating class, which itself bears a name for the first time in a decade.
The week continued with a close look at the French Navy’s operational forces. The discovery of two nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines stationed at Île Longue, followed by a visit to a multi-role frigate, gave the trainees a practical insight into the capabilities that help safeguard the nation’s vital interests. This part of the programme was further enriched by a presentation by Vice-Admiral Jean-François Querat on the State’s activities at sea.
Exploration of the maritime world also continued from a scientific perspective, thanks to a visit to the French Navy’s Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM). The trainees learnt how knowledge of the seabed, ocean currents and oceanic spaces plays a direct role in the safety of navigation, military operations and our understanding of contemporary environmental issues.
Three talks rounded off this in-depth look at the challenges facing national defence. Damien Bégoc, regional defence industry attaché for the Directorate-General for Armaments, outlined the key issues facing France’s defence industrial and technological base. Emmanuelle Maître, a researcher at the Foundation for Strategic Research, discussed the principles and developments in nuclear deterrence. Finally, a round-table discussion on combating the manipulation of information provided an opportunity to address the challenges posed by social media, artificial intelligence and 24-hour news channels in today’s information landscape.
Held as a residential course, this week also marked an important milestone in the committee’s work. Through group discussions, field visits and informal exchanges, the participants continued to foster the sense of cohesion that characterises IHEDN’s regional sessions.
Following this busy week, which has seen meetings with those who design, build, implement and support our country’s defence capabilities, the trainees will gather in Morbihan for the third week of the course.
A taste of Morbihan for the third week of this session in the Brittany region
Following a second week devoted to maritime issues and nuclear deterrence, the 52 trainees of the 250the Participants in the Brittany regional session continued their training programme in Morbihan, focusing on a new theme: international cooperation and conflicts. Lectures by Dr Patrick Ferras on contemporary African dynamics, by Pascal Le Pautremat on China’s strategic ambitions for 2030, and by Fabien Cousseau on humanitarian action in crisis situations, shed light on the many dimensions of the current geopolitical shifts.
This approach was continued in the field through several immersive placements within the armed forces and the defence industry. The participants discovered the capabilities of the Lann-Bihoué Naval Aviation Base, met with personnel from the Marine Fusiliers and Commandos Maritime Force (ALFUSCO) in Lanester, and then visited the company Drone Act, illustrating the growing role of unmanned technologies in the fields of defence and security.
The week drew to a close at the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment in Vannes. Following a lecture by Lieutenant-General Patrick Steiger, Chief of Staff of the Western Defence and Security Zone, on the military challenges facing this strategic territory, the attendees were able to discover the operational capabilities of a regiment deployed across numerous theatres of operations. These sessions highlighted the synergy between strategic thinking, operational preparedness and technological innovation in the service of national defence.
Held as a residential course, this third week also enabled the five committees to take their work further in a spirit of ever-greater cohesion. Armed with this new knowledge and the many discussions held with the speakers, the trainees are now embarking on the final stage of their training in Ille-et-Vilaine, where they will finalise their reflections before presenting their findings to the civil and military authorities at the closing ceremony.
A finale in Rennes for the fourth and final week of the 250e session in the Brittany region
After three weeks spent studying strategic fundamentals, military affairs and international cooperation, the 52 trainees on the 250the The sessions held across the Brittany region concluded in Ille-et-Vilaine, centred on a final theme: crisis management and the challenges facing the region.
This week in Rennes began with a session focusing on the civil aspects of the Western Defence and Security Zone, presented by Commissioner Guillaume Catherine, Chief of Staff to the Prefect responsible for defence and security, followed by an immersive study visit to the Brittany Gendarmerie Region.
A highlight marked this final stretch: a special event organised at Sciences Po Rennes to mark the 90th anniversary of the IHEDN, dedicated to France’s defence strategy. Mr Jean-Christophe Erard, delegate for the national resilience strategy for local authorities at the General Secretariat for Defence and National Security, presented the National Strategic Review there, followed by a lecture by Mr Christophe Peyrel on the implementation of the national resilience strategy at ministerial level, using the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research as an example.
The delegates also continued their immersion in the heart of Brittany’s technological and digital excellence with a visit to the Directorate-General for Armaments in Bruz, the Digital and Cyber Land Support Command (CATNC) and Unseenlabs, a company specialising in space-based monitoring of maritime activities.
This week finally saw a lecture by Mr Frédéric Fogacci, Director of Studies and Research at the Charles de Gaulle Foundation, devoted to the Appeal of 18 June and the commitment to serving Free France — a particularly resonant theme for a cohort set to bear, for the first time since the regional sessions were established in 1954, the name of a Companion of the Liberation.
This selection, made to mark the double anniversary of this session — the 250the since the course was established in 1954, and to mark the 90th anniversary of the IHEDN — led the trainees to honour the memory of Jean Devé, a Companion of the Liberation from Brest, who died for France at Bir Hakeim on 11 June 1942.
This past week, which was packed and intense, concluded with the five committees presenting their findings to the civil and military authorities, in the presence of Mr Franck Robine, Prefect of the Brittany region, Lieutenant-General Patrick Steiger, Chief of Staff of the Western Defence and Security Zone, and Lieutenant-General Hervé de Courrèges, Director of the IHEDN, who had travelled to Rennes to formally bring this anniversary session to a close.
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