Voltigeurs

Voltigeurs are a class of light infantry troops that originated in the French Army during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The name derives from voltige, a French term meaning to vault or perform agile maneuvers, reflecting their role as fast, mobile skirmishers. Voltigeurs were trained to operate ahead of the main force, screen marching columns, and harass the enemy through rapid movement and accurate fire.

In the military organization of the time, voltigeurs formed a distinct branch alongside other light infantry such as chasseurs and tirailleurs. They fought in many campaigns of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, often using open-order formations to take advantage of terrain and to extend the reach of fire before the heavier infantry closed for the assault. Weapons varied over the period, but voltigeurs generally used the standard infantry musket or rifled firearms available to light troops, paired with bayonets, and practiced disciplined skirmishing as a core tactic.

With modernization, many armies reorganized or renamed light infantry, integrating voltigeur-style units into broader light-infantry or rifle regiments. The term has persisted in various contexts as a designation for historic or ceremonial units, and in some jurisdictions as a traditional title within national or local militia or reserve forces. Today, voltigeurs are primarily referenced in historical writing and in regimental lineages, serving as a reminder of the Napoleonic era’s emphasis on mobility, reconnaissance, and the specialized role of light infantry within large-scale armies.