Napoleon TourRide from Paris to Tallinn

From charming boutiques to well-deserved comfort, our accommodations are carefully selected to reflect the unique character of each region. We favour places with a true sense of place over big chain hotels, ensuring your stay is as memorable as the ride itself. Depending on the stage, you’ll experience everything from luxurious retreats to functional stays, always selected with care to suit the journey. Below are a range of hotels we use on your tour.

This 19th century castle overlooks the La Meuse river in a 14 hectare landscaped park. With its individually decorated rooms, old-world detail, whirlpool and sauna, it’s a truly grand experience.

The namesake of the castle was Götz von Berlichingen, who was born here in 1480. A famous knight in German history, Götz was romanticized as a kind of Robin Hood, who stole from the rich to give to the poor.

A huge Gothic fortress of knight-monks, a seat of kings, hetmans and starostas, famous for knight tournaments, fierce battles and amazing spectacles, invites you to its Chambers.

An amazing high class Polish lodge with exceptional spa and sauna facilities and one of the best restaurants of the whole tour.

Set in a forest this hotel offers an exquisite dining experience and modern spa, an indoor pool, plus beauty and massage treatments.

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At Chalons en Champagne we enjoy a classic French brassiere with wonderful traditional meals, a modern twist and of course brilliant champagne and fine wine to match.

The tiny village of Meisenheim has been left unscathed by Europe’s conflicts and its historic buildings are beautifully preserved. It’s in this hotel, that’s been welcoming guests since 1699 and features some of the best vineyards in the world on its doorstep, that we enjoy the best of German cuisine served with their own wine.

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At Palac Wiechlice, we eat like kings, an amazing spread for breakfast and the dinner is a showcase of the best of Polish food.

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The Amandus restaurants is run by Lithuania’s best known chef, Deivydas Praspaliauskas. It’s here in the centre of the old town, with his 12 course degustation menu, that he brings to life probably the best meal of the tour as he socialises with us and explains each course, its local ingredients and its creative journey to your plate.

Our picnics are a highlight of the day. Fresh local produce, plenty of variety, and the freedom to enjoy whatever takes your fancy. While the setting might be a local park, a quiet forest clearing, a hilltop viewpoint, or a scenic roadside stop, it’s always a chance to pause, relax, and refuel. Whether you linger over good food and conversation or grab a quick bite before jumping back on the bike, it’s the perfect mid-ride reset.

“France has more need of me than I have need of France.”

Napoleon Bonaparte was born the 15th August, 1769 in Corsica. Educated at military school, he quickly rose through the ranks. At the age of 27 he was made commander of the French army in Italy, where he forced Austria and its allies to make peace. In 1798, Napoleon conquered Ottoman-ruled Egypt in an attempt to strike at British trade routes with India. However, he was defeated by the British at the Battle of the Nile. Austria, Russia and Britain allied themselves against France.

Napoleon returned to Paris where the government was in crisis. In a coup d’etat in November 1799, Napoleon became first consul. In 1802, he was made consul for life and two years later, emperor. He oversaw the centralisation of government, the creation of the Bank of France, the reinstatement of Roman Catholicism as the state religion and law reform with the Code Napoleon. In 1800, he defeated the Austrians at Marengo. He then negotiated a general European peace which established French power on the continent.

In 1803, Britain resumed war with France, later joined by Russia and Austria. In 1805 Britain inflicted a naval defeat on the French at Trafalgar causing Napoleon to abandon his plans to invade England. Napoleon turned on the Austro-Russian forces, defeating them at Austerlitz. He gained new territory, including Prussian controlled lands which ostensibly gave him control of Europe. The Holy Roman Empire was dissolved, Holland and Westphalia created, and over the next five years, Napoleon’s relatives and loyalists were installed as leaders in Holland, Westphalia, Italy, Naples, Spain and Sweden.

In 1810, he had his childless marriage to Josephine de Beauharnais annulled and married the daughter of the Austrian emperor in the hope of having an heir. A son, Napoleon, was born a year later.

The Peninsular War began in 1808. Costly French defeats over the next five years drained French military resources. Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 with the biggest army ever assembled resulted in a disastrous retreat.  The tide began to turn in favour of the allies and in March 1814, Paris fell. Napoleon went into exile on the Mediterranean island of Elba. In March 1815 he escaped and marched on the French capital, regaining power. The Battle of Waterloo ended his brief second reign. The British imprisoned him on the remote Atlantic island of St Helena, where he died on 5 May 1821