Le Petite Rhune

Thursday 27 June 1996

At last a dry, if overcast, morning. After a hasty breakfast we set off to climb La Petite Rhune on the path from Sare. The building, and the approach road, looked much too modern to have been there in 1813.

Nearing the top of La Petite Rhune and looking down on Sare.

This outcrop on La Petite Rhune was our objective. It was here that the French had built three redoubts facing Wellington’s position on La Grande Rhune, the peak in the distance with the building and aerials. The light division hid in the valley between the two peaks, and attacked the redoubts from the left.

This is the remains of the one of the redoubts. They consisted of rocks piled on top of each other, similar to a stone wall, and would easily have been dismantled.

This is the ridge of Le Petite Rhune. The light division attached from left to right, taking the three redoubts in the process. This is the location of the third, and strongest, of the three redoubts called The Donjon.

Behind the redoubts was a stone wall connecting to the Mouiz fort. This was another stone built fortification, but much larger than the three redoubts overlooking it. The photo is taken from The Donjon looking down on The Mouiz.

The entrance to The Mouiz Fort. The walls are chest high

Jan leaning on the wall demonstrates how easy it would have been for the garrison to fire over the wall. The fort was attacked by 52nd Light and apparently fell quite quickly, as did the three redoubts above it.