For generations the French Foreign Legion has been romanticised as a refuge for men seeking a second chance in life. But what is it really like?

Bear Grylls sets off for the Sahara desert to find out. Along with 11 other volunteers, from ex-criminals to struggling businessmen, Bear puts himself through a month's brutal training at an ex-Legion fort in the Western Sahara that is designed to replicate the rigours of the Legion's own basic training.

The recruits discover the truth behind the Beau Geste image about the unique military culture that makes the Legion among the toughest fighting forces in the world.