Waterloo Visit ?

Yes, if you are a history lover. Since the 2015 bicentenary, the site has been significantly upgraded. It is no longer just a "hill with a lion on it." The underground Memorial 1815 Museum is now world-class, featuring immersive 4D films and high-tech displays. However, if you are not interested in the Napoleonic Wars, you might find a day trip to Ghent or Bruges (both under an hour away) more visually rewarding.

I spent a half day at Waterloo. Came away with an understanding that the fate of Western Europe was changed in a fairly small area. It was worth it to a degree. If you’re a student of military history go see it.

For those interested in history it’s certainly interesting, with a visit you get more feel with the past, something you can’t get otherwise. You can combine it with a visit to the Wellington Museum, his headquarter at the time in the center of Waterloo. And the final headquarter of Napoleon some 4km south of the battle field.

https://www.waterloo1815.be/en/
https://www.museewellington.be/?lang=en
https://www.dernier-qg-napoleon.be/en/home/

During the bicentenary of 2015 I was in the Musée de l’Armee in Paris and can’t remember finding anything about the Battle of Waterloo or anyway something related to the bicentenary. The only thing I saw was a leaflet in the museum shop, that was it. Seems still too painful for the French till today.

The only thing I saw was a leaflet in the museum shop, that was it. Seems still too painful for the French till today.

Yes, of course, Napoleon was (and is) THE hero of France. Think about that when you visit his tomb in Paris https://www.napoleon.org/jeunes-historiens/napodoc/le-tombeau-de-napoleon-aux-invalides/

But shouldn't it be painfull for the European neither? Are we aware of the fact that a victory of Napolean would probably have avoided both WWI and WWII ?
And that the struggle for a unified European Union of today wouldn't have been necessary since we all would have been one big France!

Do we realize that the 'butte', the hill with the lion on it, is just a monument erected in order of Willem I for his son Willem II on the location where the latter was get wounded. I won't elaborate on the tactical failures he made...
And we won't dwell on the fact that in 1830 the Dutch were expelled and Belgium declared its independence. If the "butte" hadn't not yet been there then, it would never have been there... I'm glad it was never removed, though... ... ,😉 ... it's just too beautiful!

I haven’t been to Waterloo but hope to go on a future visit to Brussels. I think historically, while important, it’s a bit overrated since even if Napoleon had won it, he still wouldn’t have lasted long, although the war would have lasted longer. France was exhausted and all of Europe was against him. So history would not have changed fundamentally. Just as had happened the year before, the allies would have ground their way to Paris and taken it.