Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint - Cyr The École Spéciale Militaire de Saint - Cyr ( ESM , literally the " Special Military School of Saint - Cyr " ) is the foremost French military academy . It is often referred to as Saint - Cyr ( ) . Its motto is " " Ils s ' instruisent pour vaincre " " : literally " They study to vanquish " or " Training for victory " . French cadet officers are named " saint - cyriens " , or " cyrards " . The École spéciale militaire de Saint - Cyr is located in Coëtquidan in Guer , Morbihan department , Brittany , France . French students who enter the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint - Cyr as cadets are about 21 years old , and undergo three years of training . All ESM cadets graduate with a master of arts or a master of science and are commissioned officers . The Academy was founded in Fontainebleau in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte near Paris in the buildings of the Maison Royale de Saint - Louis , a school founded in 1685 by Louis XIV for impoverished daughters of noblemen who had died for France . The cadets moved several times more , eventually settling in Saint - Cyr , located west of Paris , in 1808 . History . The " École Spéciale Militaire " was created by order of Napoleon Bonaparte on May 1 , 1802 ( the Law of " 11 Floréal an X " according to the then - official revolutionary calendar ) , to replace the " École Royale Militaire " then located in Fontainebleau . Renamed the " École Spéciale Impériale Militaire " after Bonaparte was proclaimed Emperor , it moved in 1808 to Saint - Cyr - l ' École ( Yvelines ) in the castle of the former " Maison royale de Saint - Louis " , a school for girls of the French nobility disbanded at the time of the Revolution . The school trained a large number of young officers who served during the Napoleonic Wars . It remained stationed in Saint - Cyr - L ' École after Napoleon ' s deposition and through all regime changes until 1940 . After the defeat of the French Army against Germany in 1940 , the school moved to the free zone , in the south of France , in Aix - en - Provence . After the invasion of the free zone by the Germans in 1942 , the school was disbanded , but French cadet officer training went on , part in Cherchell ( Algeria , then Free French territory ) and part in the United Kingdom ( " Cadets de la France Libre " ) under General de Gaulle ' s command . At the Libération of France in 1944 , the School was reunited under the command of General de Lattre de Tassigny and settled in the military camp of Coëtquidan , Morbihan , because the " " vieux bahut " " ( old school ) had been severely damaged by an Allied bombing during the Libération campaign . The " École Spéciale Militaire de Saint - Cyr " has remained there to this day . A reform in 1961 split the school into two entities : the current " École Spéciale Militaire de Saint - Cyr " ( ESM ) , devoted to the training of direct recruitment officers , recruited through an annual national competitive exam , and the " École Militaire Interarmes " ( EMIA ) , cadets from internal recruitment ( selected from non - commissioned officer ( NCO ) ranks and reserve officer ranks ) and added a third entity , the " École Militaire du Corps Technique et Administratif " ( EMCTA ) , devoted to the formation of administrative specialist officers . The school admitted its first female cadets in 1983 and underwent a minor reform in 2002 devised to broaden the diversity of its direct recruitment . Since 1802 , 65 , 000 saint - cyriens have been trained , along with 2 , 000 international cadets . Nine thousand six hundred thirty - nine of them died on the field of battle . Alumni also count 11 " Maréchaux de France " , three French heads of state , two flying ace s , six members of the " Académie Française " , and one Blessed of the Catholic Church . Motto . Napoleon ' s original motto , " " Ils s ' instruisent pour vaincre " " ( " They study to overcome / conquer / win " ) , was changed by the restoration king , Louis XVIII , to : " " Ils s ' instruisent pour la Défense de la Patrie " " ( " They study for the Defence of the Fatherland " ) . The Napoleonic version was used again from 1848 to 1870 . That motto was next changed to " " Honneur et Patrie " " ( " Honour and Fatherland " ) until 1918 , when it reverted again to the original Napoleonic wording . Museum . The museum is open to the public Tuesday , Wednesday , Thursday and Friday mornings from 10 a . m . – 12 a . m . to group tours and afternoons to the public on Tuesday , Wednesday and Friday from 2 : 30 p . m . – 5 p . m . On the weekend , the museum is open to the public from 10 a . m . – 12 a . m . and from 2 p . m . – 6 p . m . The museum is closed to the public on Mondays and it is closed from 2 : 30 p . m . to 5 p . m . on Thursdays . The museum is located on Rivoli court . The permanent collection explores the lives of the saint - cyrien from the end of the ancient regime to today . The collection shows the evolution of the uniform , personal objects , artwork , authentic documents , arms , clothing and family relics . Traditions . Using authentic battle gear and uniforms of the period , re - enactments of famous battles and ceremonies are staged . The most famous of these is the Battle of Austerlitz , which took place on December 2 , 1805 and has been celebrated since . Application . The cadets of Saint - Cyr are recruited through a national annual competitive exam , after previous tertiary education . French students take exams on general knowledge , aptitude and intelligence ; sit for an interview and pass a test of physical ability . In addition , a number of foreign students are admitted annually . Training . The course is three years long and covers academic training , military training , physical training and leadership training . The first year involves military training and academics . The last two years focus on academics with one to three week breaks for military training . Officer cadets at St - Cyr are commissioned officers . The cadets attend school from September to July . Each promotion ( class ) of the ESM is organised as a battalion . The 1st - year students ( rank of " élève - officier " – Cadet ) are " France ' s Third Battalion " , 2nd - year ( rank of " aspirant " – Officer Designate ) are " France ' s Second Battalion " and third - year ( rank of sous - lieutenant – 2nd Lieutenant ) are " France ' s First Battalion " . The Reserve Officers , Special Duty Officers and " Aspirants " trained at the ESM in short sessions are " France ' s Fourth Battalion " . Upon graduation , cadets are awarded the diploma of Saint - Cyr , which is a Master ' s Degree in " Strategy and Internationals Relations " or " Management " , or an engineer ' s degree , depending on their major . Majors are in engineering or science subjects or specialization in classics , modern or ancient history , modern languages , applied modern languages , geography , science and economics , law , computer science , physical education , political science or Asian studies . Graduates leave the school with the rank of lieutenant and join the specialist school of the branch they select for one additional year , before being assigned to a regiment to serve as a platoon leader .