Why a guide ?

20km south of Brussels, past Waterloo, a vast plain extends through hills and valleys just to the horizon.

On the 18th June 1815 a battle took place which changed the course of European history. 180 000 men confronted each other; their feat of arms is often spoken of and stays engraved in the memory.

To understand this battle and answer questions which arise, the explanation of a guide is essential. Why did Wellington choose this position on the approach to Brussels, how did he deploy his troops? Why was Napoleon, despite his talent as a strategist, and the courage of his troops, unable to resist the arrival of Blucher? The political context, the weapons, the different tactics. The personalities of the principal belligerents are equally exposed, and all this spiced with many memorable anecdotes.

Who are we ?

The Society of Guides 1815 was founded 1n 1983 by a handful of enthusiasts willing to share their knowledge and passion. Today, we are a group of fifty, full of enthusiasm and ready to bring to life the events of this important period.

Whether it is in French or in Dutch, in English, German, Spanish or Italian, Swedish, Polish, Hungarian, Bulgarian or even Portuguese, we are happy to welcome you 7 days a week, at the hour chosen by you (taking into consideration the opening hours of the sites) and for the length of time you wish. Our guides may accompany you to the different museums (Wellington and Napoleon’s last General Headquarters) and even help you discover the battlefields further on, which are Ligny and Quatre Bras.

The battlefield

Situated close to Brussels, this battlefield could have become a vast development site. However protected by a law of 1914 forbidding all new building, it has been conserved as it was in 1815. The cannons have disappeared, the corpses of the soldiers and horses have been buried and the crops have regained the rhythm of the seasons, but the farms which were at the centre of the battles are still there. Some of them are working farms and cannot be visited, but they are a privileged witness to those furious encounters.

The guides can assist you to discover and visit the site walking, by bicycle, by horse or in a tourist vehicle which traverses the actual battle lines.

Whatever your mode of transport or the length of your visit you will never forget your experience of the battlefield.