Wellington in the Pyrenees

This tour has been designed to get the maximum enjoyment from an area alive with hills and mountains, rivers, bridges, forts and redoubts, all with Peninsular War connections. The operations in this region were very complex but the events of the summer and late autumn of 1813 will become clear as Ian Fletcher takes you ‘over the hills and far away’ in the footsteps of Wellington and his men to see how they drove the French back through the mountains before embarking upon the invasion of France. The tour focuses upon three main events; the battle of the Pyrenees, the crossing of the Bidassoa and the invasion of France and, finally, the battle of the Nivelle, considered by Wellington to be one of his greatest achievements. Each of the walks is designed to show guests the ground over which the battles were fought and, in the case of this region, walking is the only way to do this as the battlefields are, naturally, inaccessible to motor transport. Our walks will take in a host of forts and redoubts, built by the French, and which remain still today. Amongst these are the Mouiz star fort, situated high up on the Rhune mountain, the Signal redoubt, the Bayonet redoubt, and the Harismendi redoubt, the largest existing fort on the line of the Nivelle. This really is a superb tour and will suit those who prefer to see their battlefields on foot. The tour benefits from operating out of a single hotel, the new Ibis, St Jean de Luz. It is also a bed and breakfast tour. There are so many fine restaurants in St Jean de Luz it’s crazy not to take advantage of them.

Day 1. Fly London to Biarritz. Drive to St Jean de Luz and check-in at the Ibis Hotel. Overnight.
Day 2. Breakfast. Drive to Sorauren for battlefield walk. Overview from Wellington’s bridge. We then walk along the valley floor as far as the ‘land bridge’ across which the French attacked. We see Spaniards Hill before walking the northern front of Cole’s Ridge. In the afternoon, we drive to Maya for a walk along the ridge fought over on 25 July. We walk to the Aratesque Hill before walking the ridge itself where 400 men of the 92nd Highlanders kept at bay an advancing French division. Return to hotel. Overnight.
Day 3. Breakfast. This morning we drive to the pass at Roncesvalles before making the ascent to Ross’s position on the Linduz Plateau to see not only the old Revolutionary fort which still survives but a roman marching fort. We consider the the French attack and the famous bayonet charge by the 20th Regiment. Return to St Jean de Luz. Overnight .
Day 4. Breakfast. Today we focus on the Bidassoa operation, driving to the Col d’Ibardin and walking the Bayonet ridge, stopping at the Bayonet redoubt, before continuing via the Col de Poirer and the Cholcogagana, with superb views over the Bidassoa and San Marcial. Return to St Jean de Luz.
Day 5. Breakfast. This morning we follow the first stage of the battle of the Nivelle. We take the funicular railway to the top of the Rhune mountain. After getting an overview of the entire campaign area, we walk down to the Lesser Rhune and explore the remains of the French defences. We continue down the mountain and return to our hotel. Overnight.
Day 6. Breakfast. We again look at the battle of the Nivelle. We begin at Ainhoa, cross the Nivelle and continue west towards Sare through the area across which Wellington’s columns attacked, exploring the St Barbe redoubt en route. Walk ends at Sare. Return to hotel. Overnight.
Day 7. Breakfast. Today, we have the main part of our Nivelle walk. We begin on the French left flank at the Col de Finodetta, before walking along the top of the sector defended by D’Erlon. We explore the Harismendi fort, the largest fort on the Nivelle, before descending to the bridge of Amotz. We cross the river Nivelle close to the broken bridge at Amotz before walking up to the Margarita and Louis XIV redoubts. The Signal redoubt is next, taken by the 52nd. We then descend to Ascain where our walk ends. Return to hotel. Overnight stay.
Day 8. Breakfast. Free morning before we drive to Biarritz for the return flight to London.

  17 – 24 September 2011

  Price £1085
  Single Supplement £150

  Package includesReturn air farecoach transportseven nights bed & breakfast accommodationseven breakfastsguide Ian Fletcherplus tour manager