"Waterloo Campaign Battlefields" Topic

All

I am thinking of a short notice visit to Belgium next week (Tuesday 19th August 2014 – Thursday 21st August 2014) and i'm stuck for places to go.

I thought I might go visit Waterloo as i've been to Belgium a lot but never been. Any places you'd recommend visiting/things you'd recommend seeing?

Also is Quatre Bras, Wavre, Ligny worth a visit or not really?

All replies welcome, i'll have to book something today!

Thanks

Ferg

Not been to the others but Waterloo is a must-see. Lots of tourist shops and such line the Ohain Road (Wellington's position). But do visit Hougomont, La Haye Sainte, La Belle Alliance (it had a delightful little bar back in 1974) and Plancenoit.

The Army Museum in Brussels is also worth a visit.

link

and if you are in the region: Flanders Fields in Ypres and Passendaele 1917 in Zonnebeke

I found them all worth a visit. Gives you a good idea of distance, size of battlefield, terrain. Ligny of course, will also give you 1794's Fleurus and the windmill!

If you had time/inclination, you could follow road down to Charleroi, maybe even do Mons (WWI)

Be sure to visit Plancenoit, about a 20-minute walk from the Waterloo Panorama. La Belle Alliance still stands, tho' now a bar. Ronsomme, just to the south, has Napoleon's hdqts and a museum. Likewise don't miss Wellington's hdqts in the town of Waterloo.

A fine museum in Ligny.

Quatre Bras is well worth visiting. The farm of Gemioncourt is intact tho' the Bossu Woods is gone.

Thanks Guys

I've booked 3 days in Waterloo from Tuesday next week

I'll visit the battlefield on Wednesday!

Thanks

F

Lots of work going on around the battlefield of Waterloo , Hougoumont is being restored for next year also a new visitors centre is being built ( underground ) by the lion mound . Many of the buildings that were built in the tourist area by the mound have been demolished . The battlefield is well worth walking , also Plancnoit is in easy walking distance . If you are on Facebook Project Hougoumont is worth looking up for photos of the works in progress and much more

An expensive option…..but a great way of seeing everything in a day….a guided tour by an expert. Hard on your own, in one day to get to QB (not much there and even that is threatened), Genappe, Ligny, Wavre, Plancenoit, Waterloo, Le Caillou and the main field……….and all are worth seeing. You also have to explore the route of Blucher's march to understand what the Prussians did achieve.

We did it with the expert 3-4 years ago. Well worth it. Door to door service.