During the Paris Commune () in 1871, the regiment participated with "Armée Versaillaise" () to the "semaine sanglante" ("Bloody Week"). The commander-in-chief of the "Armée Versaillaise" was Marshal of France Patrice de Mac Mahon. The regiment then returned to Algeria in June 1871 (Mascara near Oran). On January 1, 1885, the "French Foreign Legion", named given to the "Foreign Regiment" on March 13, 1875, doubled in two foreign regiments constituted each of 4 battalions and one depot company. During the Expedition of Madagascar in 1895–1896, the foreign regiment with the 2nd Foreign Regiment, formed a Marching Battalion, which depended on the Algerian Regiment (), of the Army of Africa () under the orders of Colonel Oudri of the 2nd Foreign Regiment.