The Paris War Games: the military city of 4,500 soldiers to defend the Olympics

It will be built on the Reuilly lawn, almost in the center of the capital. "We haven't seen a camp like this since the Second World War"

ROME – More than an Olympic village. Not since the Second World War have France built such a large military camp in such a short time. 4,500 soldiers stationed in the center of Paris, ready to “defend” the security of the Olympics. It will be born in just two months on the Reuilly lawn, on the edge of the Bois de Vincennes, in the eastern part of the capital. It will cost 45 million euros. In a very delicate historical moment, with Macron foreshadowing the (remote) possibility of sending troops to the Russian-Ukrainian front, it is quite impressive. There are those who call the Gamesthe Paris War Games.

“It’s the equivalent of the Paris Air Show, except that it was set up in six months on well-controlled terrain. Here we are starting from scratch, on unknown territory, and we only have two months – says General Pourqué, head of the camp to Le Parisien – It has never been done since the Second World War. The largest camp operated by France since the 1990s is Gao, Mali, which housed 2,000 men at the time of Operation Barkhane.”

To be able to build this military city in the civilian city, 400 people were mobilized day and night, seven days a week. In total, 331 dormitories with 12 to 18 places will be built, to offer 6 square meters to each soldier. Every infrastructure will be air conditioned. A restaurant with a capacity of 2,000 seats will also be set up, as well as medical bungalows, a common place of worship, a laundry, an infirmary but also sports equipment and a bar.

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When everything is finally up and running, 140 EdA employees will manage the daily life of the camp, which will live at the rhythm of the patrols and will be conditioned by the timetables. Food will be supplied three times a day by truck. 8 million liters of water will be needed just for the troops’ needs.