Whether you’re a battlefield history nerd planning a trip to Waterloo, or a curious traveler looking for a great day trip from Brussels, Liège, or Aachen, Waterloo and Napoleon’s last headquarters offers a chilling look the final hours of a man who reshaped Europe. Of all the battlefield sites I explored, this one felt the most like stepping back in time. I didn’t expect this plain white farmhouse to leave such a mark, but it did.
This off-the-beaten-path treasure, which has been recently renovated, offers a unique and personal perspective on the history of the battle that ended Napoleon’s reign. Many people miss this location as they gravitate to other flashier battle sites, and the bigger museums in Waterloo. Don’t make that mistake, because at Le Caillou you’ll find an atmosphere, artifacts, and a real feeling of personal history unlike at any other battlefield site.
About 4 km south of the famous Lion’s Mound that marks the field of battle, the unremarkable farmhouse looks surprisingly isolated, and you might drive right past if you weren’t looking.
In this post, I’ll walk you through what it’s like to visit Napoleon’s Last HQ today after recent changes, how to plan your visit, what hidden treasures to look for, and why it’s totally worth that 4km detour from the heart of the Waterloo battle sight.
Authentic Atmosphere and Personal Artifacts at Napoleon’s Last Headquarters
There’s something haunting about Le Caillou, the understated plain white farmhouse that served as Napoleon’s last headquarters. I really felt like I was standing in the middle of history, visualizing Napoleon and his generals sitting at the long dining table poring over maps and plans. Even though it all happened more than 200 years ago, it felt very close and real.
The residents of the farmhouse, and most of their furniture were cleared out just before the battle, but the dining room and its original table that served as the strategic ground zero for planning the battle, remain in the museum today. This was the very spot of the breakfast conference where Napoleon told his marshals, “Wellington is a bad general, the English are bad troops, and this affair is nothing more than eating breakfast.” I imagine he must have had a rude awakening.
The place definitely feels more like an old farmhouse than a museum. The displays are understated and a little rustic, but be sure to take a careful look at all the little artifacts inside the glass cases because they will blow your mind. There are many small objects that are easy to miss. I took two passes around every room and always found something I’d missed the first time around.
🚨 Note: If you are coming to see the remains of the Prussian soldier discovered on the battlefield in 2012, they are no longer located at the Caillou farmhouse. You can see them, and the articles carried by that unfortunate soldier at The Museum of the Domaine de la Bataille de Waterloo.
🔍 Artifacts You Shouldn’t Miss
The bronze “Eagle Expiring” sculpture — prototype of the larger roadside monument
A locket containing Napoleon’s hair
The mug he drank from in Charleroi just before the battle
His copper cooking pot and a surprisingly ornate travel glass
The blanket he used the night before the battle (in stunning condition)
His diamond ring, stolen from his sedan after the defeat
A small lead figure of Napoleon, carried by a soldier for luck
A piece of the balcony from the room where Victor Hugo wrote the Waterloo chapter of Les Misérables
It’s really worth your time to take this museum slowly, read information cards, and let it all speak to you.
💎 The large final sculpture of the wounded eagle stands on the Chaussée de Charleroi (N5), about 1500 meters southeast of the Lion’s Mound and 200 meters south of the Belle-Alliance farm. The wounded eagle marks the location of the last stand of the French Imperial Guard during the battle. You’ll see it behind a gold-tipped iron fence with Napoleon’s monogram decorating the top rail. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.
🌳 The Orchard at Napoleon’s Last Headquarters
Don’t miss the tiny orchard beside the farmhouse. It has more historical significance than you might think! Napoleon and his staff didn’t sleep inside the farmhouse the night before the battle. Instead, they camped in a military tent set up in the orchard surrounded by the Imperial Guard.
This was a standard practice for Napoleon during campaigns. He often preferred to stay close to his men to remain in full control of the battlefield situation. His command tent served as both sleeping quarters and a mobile war room.
You can see a good reproduction of his camp bed and writing desk in the Caillou farmhouse, and the originals at the Army Museum in Les Invalides in Paris, the same place you’ll find his tomb.
The orchard was once much larger, but has been partly preserved because of its historical significance. There is also a small ossuary at the back of the orchard which was built in 1912, and where some unidentified battlefield bones have been interred.
⚔️ The Caillou Farmhouse’s History
- 1757: Built
- 1815: Napoleon’s last headquarters. Housed Napoleon’s command tent and staff headquarters, partly burned by Prussians the night after the battle
- 1816: Restored as a tavern
- 1889: Restored into its current historic appearance
Visiting the Caillou Farmhouse
🎧 Audio guide: Available in multiple languages and excellent for absorbing the historical significance
☺️ Atmosphere: Quiet and intimate.
🕒 Recommended stay time: Around 45–60 minutes to fully take in the artifacts, audio guide, and orchard
🎟️ Admission is €5 for adults, €3 for children 7-17, and children under 7 are free.
🅿️ Parking is available right on site next to the farmhouse. You’ll see a bronze statue of Napoleon in the garden near the parking area.
📍 Landmark: Look for the bronze statue of Napoleon, donated by Italy in 1980 to honor Italian soldiers who fought at Waterloo
🗓 The museum is open every day of the year except Christmas and New Year’s Day. For details about opening hours, and accessibility features, plus children’s programs check out the official website of the Napoleon’s Last Headquarters Museum.
🪦 Napoleon After Waterloo
A few months before, I had visited Napoleon’s tomb and saw many Napoleonic artifacts at the Musée de L’Armée at Les Invalides in Paris. That visit was absolutely stunning. But this visit to Napoleon’s last headquarters really helped to personalize him, and place the most consequential battle of his life in a real living context.
Four months after his defeat at Waterloo he would arrive in exile on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena, where he would die six years later. His humble grave on this far-flung island would not be permanent, though.
His remains were eventually moved to one of the most elaborate resting places in Europe. If you’re curious about how Napoleon is memorialized just as large in death as he lived in life, you can read my full post: Napoleon’s Tomb in Paris: Why It’s Bigger, Wilder & Grander Than You Think. My jaw dropped.
✅ See You at Napoleon’s Last HQ
If you love Napoleonic history, or just want to feel the gravity of a moment that changed the face of Europe, don’t skip this place. Napoleon’s Last Headquarters at Le Caillou feels like so much more than a museum. It’s almost like visiting the ghost of that June day in 1815.
Related Posts You Might Enjoy:
Visiting Hougoumont Farm: The Most Powerful Stop on the Waterloo Battlefield
The Wellington Museum in Waterloo: The Duke’s Headquarters Before Battle
Waterloo Battlefield Museum Guide: Exploring the Lion’s Mound and the Legacy of Napoleon
Napoleon’s Tomb in Paris: Why It’s Bigger, Wilder & Grander Than You Think