1812, the first French Empire is at its peak, Napoleon the 1st reigns over 85 500 000 European people ; even the Ancient Rome had not reached such a geographical expansion. Russia stays free following the Tilsit agreement in 1807 ; Napoleon wanted sincerily peace, but things do not take place as expected. In June 1812, Napoleon gathers 770 000 soldiers (French and allies), on the western bank of the river Niemen, precisely in Kovno, today Kaunas in Lithuania. It is the strongest military concentration never seen until then ; the offensive begins on June the 24th. At that time everything takes place well, the ground is flat, the lower Russians in number put off ; and especially, the weather is clear, beautiful...

In spite of wild and murderous fights such as Borodino "La Moscowa" in French, the "Grand Army" enters in Moscow on the 14th of september, a deserted city where a few inhabitants, among whom, some people show themselves fast to be arsonits ; Napoleon tries to join Alexander the 1st, Emperor of Russia, but obtain evasive answers for his peace proposals.

Napoleon decices to leave Moscow, devasted by the fire, on the 19th of October ; the retreat to the West has begun.

The Russians recognized later, that more than the military strategy of harassment by General Koutouzof, it is desease and the cold which got through the invader.

Il neigeait. On était vaincu par sa conquête.
Pour la première fois l'aigle baissait la tête.

Victor Hugo, November 1852 (Extract from l’Expiation)

129 years later, precisely on the 22th of June, another one, of sinister memory, and in spite the napoleonian disaster, took his turn towards East. We all know what happened...

A single engine airplane will suit for this journey.

Weather : Summer weather until Moscow, winter and snow on the way back.

Refer to the simulator map in order to reach the cities mentionned below with N and E positions ; the intermediary GPS waypoints can help you.

LITHUANIA

- Kovno - Kaunas (Kaunas Intl EYKA)

June 1812, crossing of the river Niemen

46mn

- Vilna – Vilnius (Vilnius Intl EYVI) / 178mn

BELORUSSIA 

Battle of Ostrovno (25th & 26th of July 1812)

- Vitebsk UMII

Entry of the French army on the 28th of July 1812 / 69mn

RUSSIA 

- Krasnoï – Krasny (Flying over the city - position : N 54 22 25 E 31 49 68)

- Smolensk (Flying over the city - position : N 54 46 66 E 32 03 00)

Siege of the city on the 16th, 17th & 18th of August 1812.

- Wiasma – Viaz’ma (Flying over the city - position : N 55 13 02 E 34 16 83)

The French headquarters settles down there on the 30th of August 1812.

- Borodino – "La Moskowa" (Flying over the city - position : N 55 31 36 E 35 37 23)

Battle on the 7th of september 1812 ; Napoléon commits this day a serious mistake, expecting important fights to take Moscow, 128km farther, he refuses to engage the elite units of the Imperial Guard. Consequently, 90 000 soldiers die in a single day in both camps, and there is neither winner nor overcome ; but the Russians understand that they can resist to Napoleon.

69mn

- Moscow (Sheremetyevo UUEE)

The "Grand Army" enters in Moscow on the Moscow on the 14th of September, without a single gunshot... Napoleon decides to leave the city on the 19th of October ; it is the Retreat of Russia with defensive battles on the French side.

67mn

- Maloïaroslavets (Flying over the city - position : N 54 59 57 E 36 26 74)

Battle on the 24th of October 1812.

- Borodino (Flying over the city - position : N 55 31 36 E 35 37 23)

- Wiasma – Viaz’ma (Flying over the city - position : N 55 13 02 E 34 16 83)

Battle on the 3rd of November 1812

- Smolensk (Flying over the city - position : N 54 46 66 E 32 03 00)

7th of November 1812, Rusian winter, strangely early and rigoros, rages as from this date, with cold wind and temperatures lower than – 20° celsius.

- Krasnoï – Krasny (Flying over the city - position : N 54 22 25 E 31 49 68)

Battle from the 15th to the 18th of November 1812

BELORUSSIA

- Orcha (Flying over the city - coordonnées : N 54 30 63 E 30 24 27)

- Bobr (Flying over the city - position : N 54 20 83 E 29 17 36)

- Studianka – Baryssav (Flying over the city - position : N 54 13 91 E 28 31 49)

Crossing of the river Berezina from the 26th to the 29th of November 1812. The French military forces and allies are, from now on,  in a desperate situation ; men, women (canteen keepers), and horses die from cold and hunger.

- Smorgorny – Smorgon (Flying over the city - position : N 54 29 53 E 26 24 32)

As he arrives there, Napoleon is informed that general de Mallet has tried to knock down the regime in Paris ; further to this total military collapse, he is betrayed, nothing is thus spared to him. He decides to return to France as a matter of urgency on the 5th of December, and reaches Paris on the 18th ; meanwhile, the rests of the "Grand Army" have been flinged back outside the Russian territory on  the 14th of December 1812.

So ends what the Russian will call later with pride : « The Patriotic War ».

85mn

LITHUANIA

- Kaunas (Kaunas Intl EYKA)

                                                                                                                                                                                                            Copyright Michel Lagneau 2010