Chasseur Chasseur [ sha - sur ; Fr . sha - sœr ] ( a French term for " hunter " ) is the designation given to certain regiments of French and Belgian light infantry ( " Chasseurs à pied " ) or light cavalry ( " Chasseurs à cheval " ) to denote troops trained for rapid action . History . This branch of the French Army originated during the War of the Austrian Succession when , in 1743 , Jean Chrétien Fischer was authorized by the Marshal de Belle - Isle to raise a six hundred strong mixed force of infantry and cavalry . It was called Fischer ' s " chasseurs " . During the remainder of the 18th century various types of light troops ( " troupes légères " ) were employed within the French army , either as independent units or as companies within existing regiments . Chasseurs à pied . The " Chasseurs à pied " were the light infantrymen of the French Imperial army . They were armed the same as their counterparts in the regular line infantry ( fusilier ) battalions but were trained to excel in marksmanship and in executing manoeuvres at high speed . The other light infantry unit type , the voltigeur s , specialised as skirmisher s and for advance screening of the main force . The chasseurs could also be called upon to form advance guards and scouting parties alongside the voltigeurs . Following the Napoleonic Wars the " Chasseurs à pied " continued to exist as a separate corps within the infantry . Initially a specially trained elite , their tactical role eventually came to match that of the ordinary " lignards " ( line infantry ) . By the late 19th century the differences between the two branches were confined to uniform and insignia , although the chasseurs retained a strong esprit de corps . Chasseurs à cheval . The " Chasseurs à cheval " , a type of French light cavalry , date from 1743 when an independent unit ( Fischer ' s Volunteer Company of Chasseurs ) was raised during the War of the Austrian Succession to counter Trenck ' s Pandurs and Croats employed as irregulars by the Austrian army . Originally a mixed corps of light infantry and horsemen , this force proved sufficiently effective to warrant the creation of a single corps : " Dragoons - chasseurs de Conflans " . In 1776 this and other volunteer " legions " had their mounted elements converted into 24 squadrons of " Chasseurs à cheval " , each of which was attached to one of the existing dragoon regiments of the Royal cavalry . In 1779 these squadrons were amalgamated into six regiments , each of which was given a regional title ( 1st " Chasseurs des Alpes " , 2nd " Chasseurs des Pyrenees " , etc . ) . In 1788 six dragoon regiments were converted to " Chasseurs à cheval " and during the period of the Revolutionary Wars the number was again increased , to twenty - five . During their earlier history these regiments lacked the higher profile of the identically - armed ( but much more lavishly uniformed ) hussar s . Distinguished by dark green uniforms and a bugle - horn badge , they were frequently used as advance scouting units providing valuable information on enemy movements . Both Napoleon ' s Imperial Guard and the Royal Guard of the Restoration each included a regiment of " Chasseurs à cheval " . In addition Napoleon added a further five line regiments to those inherited from the Revolutionary period . At the beginning of the Franco - Prussian War of 1870 , the French Army had twelve regiments of " Chasseurs à cheval " , grouped with eight hussar regiments to form the light branch of the cavalry and tasked with primarily reconnaissance duties . This intended role continued through World War I and the " Chasseurs à cheval " remained entirely horse mounted until the " 1er RCh " was motorised in June 1940 . Disbanded after the Battle of France , these units were reconstituted in 1944 – 45 as light armor . During the French occupation of Algeria , regiments of " Chasseurs d ' Afrique " were raised . These were light cavalry recruited originally from French volunteers and subsequently from the French settlers in North Africa doing their military service . As such they were the mounted equivalent of the Zouave s . Modern French Army . The modern French Army comprises bataillons of " Chasseurs à pied " ( mechanized infantry : 16e BC ) , " Chasseurs - Alpins " ( mountain troops : 7e , 13e , 27e BCA ) and regiments of " Chasseurs à cheval " ( 1er - 2e RCh and 4e RCh : light armored regiments ) . In addition one regiment of " Chasseurs d ' Afrique " ( training unit : 1er RCA ) has been re - raised to commemorate this branch of the French cavalry . Since May 1943 there has been a " Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes " ( 1er RCP ) . All of these units have different traditions : Although the traditions of these different branches of the French Army are very different , there is still a tendency to confuse one with the other . For example when World War I veteran Léon Weil died , the AFP press agency stated that he was a member of the 5th " Regiment de Chasseurs Alpins " . It was in fact the 5th Bataillon . Belgian Army . From its creation as a permanent force in 1832 the Belgian army included regiments of both Chasseurs à pied and Chasseurs à cheval , performing the same roles as their French counterparts . At the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 there were 3 regiments of Chasseurs à pied , each of 3 battalions , and 3 regiments of mounted Chasseurs . The last Belgian regiments of Chasseurs à cheval ( or " Jagers te Paard " in Dutch ) , the 1st Regiment of Chasseurs à cheval were amalgamated with the 1st Guides Regiment in 2004 , while the final unit , the 2nd / 4th Chasseurs à cheval , was formed into the ISTAR Battalion in 2011 , losing the distinctive designation .