The Republican Guard, heir to the military cavalry

The Republican Guard is the heir to all the military forces that ensured the protection of the city, the security of institutions and the honours for the highest State authorities. Thus, from sergeants-at-arms to the Republican Guard of today, more than 60 military corps have succeeded one another under different regimes.

The military wears a uniform commonly referred to as the GTS (Grande Tenue de Service – Full Service Uniform, in French), tailored to the Republican Guard’s cavalry unit. Moving downwards one finds:

• the 1876-model cavalry helmet and Medusa-head crest, red rooster-feather plume and red, dyed horsehair little crest. At the rear, a black, horsehair mane stretches down;
• the red-reverse, seven-button tunic bearing golden and scarlet shoulder pads and aiguillettes and golden aglets;
• white leathers including banner, gauntlet cuffs and belt with Paris’s coat-of-arms;
• blue horse-riding trousers;
• riding boots;
• “Prince of Wales” spurs;
• the 1822-model light cavalry sabre and white sword-knot.