28 V i s i t www.theculturalexperience.com C a l l 0345 475 1815 Napoleonic Napoleon in italy The Road to Rivoli The varied terrain of Northern Italy, and the military challenges that it presented, provide a magnificent backdrop for this wonderful tour: the confused fighting amidst the wooded, mountainous terrain between the Riviera and Turin; the challenges and manoeuvre opportunities provided by the flat land of the Po valley and its numerous watercourses; the exploitation of the bridges at Piacenza and Lodi; the beautiful fortress city of Mantua which endured numerous sieges; the mighty Alps reflected beautifully on the shimmering surface of the stunning Lake Garda, witness to at least three battles in 1796. We will find ourselves in fascinating historic towns and cities along the way: Milan, Verona, Mantua and Genoa, enjoy some great hotels and appetising Italian cuisine. And all this under the guidance of Dr Martin Boycott-Brown, author of ‘The Road to Rivoli’, the definitive study of Napoleon’s first campaign. 12 – 19 October 2018 8 days with Dr Martin Boycott-Brown Activity Level 2 Essentials Return flights from London, 3 and 4 star hotels, buffet breakfast, 3-course dinner with drinks each evening, all entrance fees and expert guide throughout. Tour Price: £2475 Single supplement: £350 Deposit: £250 Price without flights: £2325 "The Cultural Experience have made it possible for us to visit many battlefields. They are all well run, enlightening, with good guides and good companions." In 1796, France's army in Italy was under-fed, under-equipped and unpaid. It’s fair to say it was also low on morale. It was this army that Napoleon picked up by the scruff of its neck and turned into the effective fighting force that would defeat successive Austrian armies and conquer northern Italy. It was to be the beginning of a long road to glory for NapoleonandFrance,andindeed,manyhave said that this, his first campaign in command, was his most brilliant. Nevertheless it only created a peace that was to last for two years and the year 1800 saw Napoleon once again fighting in Italy winning a dramatic victory at Marengo on the 14th June, where he secured France’s dominance of Austria in both central Europe and Italy. It was also here that he began to collect the team of supporting personnel that would accompany him through his career, including half of his future marshals. Indeed it was his exploits in Italy that became inextricably intertwined with the Napoleonic Legend: the little corporal aiming the guns at Lodi; the Republican general crossing the bridge at Arcola, flag in hand; the First Consul crossing the Alps on a white stallion; the timely arrival of Desaix at Marengo. Day 1 - Genoa. Fly London to Milan. Drive to Genoa, where Massena’s small starving army was besieged for 2 months in 1800, and check in to our hotel for two nights. Day 2 - April 1876. Montenotte, Napoleon's first victory in high command, is our first stop followed by the battles of Millesimo, Dego, and Mondovi, which effectively took Piedmont out of the war. These Ligurian coast battles demonstrated Napoleon's first use of the strategy of the central position, the same strategy that he was to adopt in his last campaign at Waterloo, some 19 years later. Day 3 - Lodi and the crossing of the Po. Today we follow Napoleon and his Passage of the Po and the resultant battle of Lodi, whose bridge was stormed by Napoleon on May 10th 1796 earning him his title ‘the little corporal’. Here we see a fine example of Napoleon's use of his favoured strategy of the 'manoeuvre sur les derrieres.' Check in to our hotel in Verona and our base for the next 3 nights. Day 4 - Mantua and the banks of Lake Garda. Explore Mantua in the heart of the Po valley and the focus of the many Austrian thrusts into northern Italy during this campaign. This magnificent town is surrounded by three lakes and was virtually impregnable. We walk around the steadfast walls and wander through the old town. After