| École de l'infanterie | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1946 – Present |
| Country | France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Training |
| Role | Infantry Training |
| Garrison/HQ | Draguignan |
The École de l'infanterie (English: "Infantry School"), formerly known as École d'application de l'infanterie, is a French military academy that trains commissioned officers, non-commissioned officers, and some enlisted with special aptitudes and roles. It is located in Draguignan.
The École de l'infanterie offers over 70 different formations (either generalist, specialist or adaptation) to around 1500 trainees yearly. 500 further trainees from foreign armies or from French ministries other than Defence follow courses there.
The École d'application de l'infanterie was created on 30 January 1946 in Auvours, as a post-graduate course for young officers freshly graduated from Saint-Cyr.
On 15 October 1948, the school was moved to Coëtquidan, next to Saint-Cyr itself. In October 1951, it was moved again to Saint-Maixent, and opened to non-commissioned officer promoting to officer, to élèves-officiers de réserve, and to non-commissioned officers in active service.
On 15 January 1955, a new unit was created specifically to train Army captains and majors in active service, as well as promotable reserve officers.
On 1 August 1967, the school was moved again to Montpellier, and fusioned with the École militaire d'infanterie (Infantry military school). In 1969, it also absorbed the Centre de perfectionnement des cadres de l'infanterie (Infantry leaders perfectionning Centre), and later the Centre d'instruction spécialisé du tir et du combat de nuit (Night fire and combat instruction specialised Centre).
The 2008 reforms of the French Defence moved the school to Draguignan in 2010.
The school has the following missions: