After 23 years of almost continuous warfare in the Revolutionary / Napoleonic Wars a King Louis was again on the throne of France, the bulk of the French Army disbanded and the former Emperor Napoleon pensioned off to Elba. With reports of growing unrest in France reaching Napoleon he decided to regain his crown, landed on the French coast on 1st March 1815 and commenced a triumphant march on Paris gathering support as he went. Napoleon was once more acclaimed as Emperor when King Louis fled France.

The old coalition partners of Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia were not about to accept this coup and soon their soldiers were marching towards the borders of France. In a whirlwind round of activity the Emperor recalled his old comrades in arms back to the colours and called up tens of thousands of new conscripts to create an Army to meet this challenge. Using his tried and tested strategy of the central position Napoleon planned to beat the coalition armies in detail as they arrived one after the other. Rapidly crossing the French border before the British Dutch/Belgian army under Wellington had concentrated, Napoleon had time to defeat the Blucher's at Ligny and at the same time fighting a fierce battle at Quatre Bras to prevent Wellington's army joining the Prussians.

Wellington decided to make a stand at Waterloo on the road to Brussels if Blucher would send some help. The indomitable Blucher announced he would join Wellington with his entire Army and the stage was set for the final climactic battle of the Napoleonic Wars.

The Battle of Waterloo was notable in that this was the first time that Wellington and Napoleon faced each other on a battlefield and the last that either of them ever fought.

Your guide John Lee has studied the campaigns of the Napoleonic period for many years and is looking forward to exploring with you the battlefields of the campaign.

ITINERARY
Day 1 (Friday): Depart Victoria Coach Station London 09:00. Dover – Calais ferry. Dinner and overnight
(3 nights) at the stylish and welcoming 4 star Grand Hotel, Waterloo.
Day 2: The Battle of Ligny; a partial victory for Napoleon against the Prussians. Ney clashes with Wellington at Quatre Bras.
Day 3: Napoleon meets, and is defeated by, Wellington's Allied Army on the battlefield of Waterloo. Lunch break in Mont St. Jean.
Day 4: Wellington's Headquarters and the church and memorials in Waterloo. Lunch break in Waterloo. Calais – Dover ferry. ETA Dover 18:30 and London 20:30.