Years ago I had a T-shirt on which this famous quote from Napoleon Bonaparte was printed in French. Every time I put it on, I felt a sense of camaraderie with the legendary leader, who had a lifetime friendship with winery founder Claude Moët, begun in 1782 when they met in military school.

In the summer of 2023, my husband and I sold our home in Sweden and drove back to Portugal, where we had lived for many years. As we passed through the Belgian countryside, we discovered the tires on our car needed to be replaced. We found a store, ordered them, and waited several days for their arrival. That gave us a chance to explore, which led us to Hougoumont Farm where Napoleon spent the night before the Battle of Waterloo, fought on 18 June 1815. We all know how that turned out. (If you’re a history buff—or even if not—you may enjoy a stay at Hougoumont Farm, twenty minutes from Brussels.)


But what about the Battle of Buçaco?

Recently we spent a night in Luso, close to the site of that important Peninsular War conflict. The ordinarily quiet town, famous for its pure waters, was abuzz in anticipation of a reenactment of the famed battle that was taking place that night. Waged on 27 September 1810, the participants were a blended army of United Kingdom and Portuguese troops fighting the invading French.

A brief background: Months before, in April, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had commanded French Marshall André Masséna to drive the British from Portugal. By September the British under Viscount Wellington and their Portuguese allies under Viscount Luís do Rego encountered the French troops on the mountain range of Serra do Buçaco, under the direct command of Marshall Michel Ney and Major General Jean Reynier.

In the hours before the reenactment, we had the pleasure of meeting a number of actors as they sat relaxing at a terrace table at Rosa Biscoito. Rafael (far right in the photo), a former guide at the Lisbon Coach Museum, was eager to discuss the details of the battle. He enlightened us in such a way that when the reenactment began, we were well equipped to understand it.


The activities began at around 9:00 p.m. with a marching band, bagpipes and all. The main street opposite a narrow strip of park was lined with onlookers. The requisite speeches by prominent members of the community were made at the grandstand, accompanied by polite applause after each presentation. When it was announced that the Battle of Buçaco was about to be reenacted, the crowd erupted wildly.

As a man dressed in military uniform stood at the dais recounting the details of the battle, “officers” marched in, calling orders to their troops. Wave after wave of authentic-looking soldiers arrived in front of us, paused, fired on command, reloaded, and fired again. Canons were rolled into place and explosions shook the ground. Sometimes there was a scuffle, with opposing forces in hand-to-hand combat. It was fascinating to see the up close and personal nature of this particular form of warfare.

The conflagration continued for about an hour, and the haze of misty white smoke in the air became powerful, so we opted to leave early and let them fight it out.


“Remember men, you are Portuguese!”

Safe in our room at a hotel just off the main road, we heard the gunfire go on for some time. Finally, there was quiet. And we knew—because Rafael had told us—who had won. The French had been defeated. It is reported that when Wellington heard a Portuguese general address his troops prior to battle saying, “Remember men, you are Portuguese!” he was deeply impressed by the passionate courage displayed by those men in battle, displaying their national pride of heritage and culture.


The following day we toured Luso. We visited the Grand Hotel and chatted with front desk personnel who graciously allowed us to walk around the main floor, telling us not to miss the magnificent mural in the dining room.

The representative at Termas Luso, the hotel’s thermal and medical spa, was equally accommodating, handing us a folder listing their treatments and services. There was neither the time nor budget to take advantage of the offerings, but we did find some particularly intriguing. It’s not unusual to find a sports massage or detox wrap or hydrotherapy in such a location. But Vinoterapia Corporal e Facial? The body and facial treatment translating to “Wine Emotions” can be experienced for two hours for €188.

“Wine” brings me back to my opening comment about champagne. Although it is well known that Napoleon routinely traveled with it, he did not have champagne with him at Waterloo. (It is also said that because of Bonaparte, Wellington developed quite an affinity for it.) Could that be the explanation for French failure and British success? Peut-être.

Author

Native New Yorker Tricia Pimental left the US in 2012, later becoming International Living’s first Portugal Correspondent. The award-winning author and her husband, now Portuguese citizens, currently live in Coimbra.

Tricia Pimental