Our first visit to Austerlitz in 1998 had been over shadowed by the poor weather, but it was such an interesting battlefield that we promised we would return again and “do” it properly. After our earlier visit we felt that a whole week would be too long, so we decided to combine it with a visit to Aspern-Essling and Wagram.
We decided that we would fly to Vienna and hire a car. We would then spend three days exploring Aspern-Essling and Wagram, drive to Austerlitz and spend a further three days there.
We knew Austerlitz very well, and could plan the three days with ease. Austerlitz is a compact battlefield, and we had already decided that we would stay at the Post House which is right in the middle of the battlefield.
But we had never been to Aspern or Wagram, and the area to be covered looked pretty large on the map. We wanted to explore Aspern and Essling plus the whole of Lobau Island.
map of Aspern-Essling-Wagram battlefield
From Aspern to Wagram is about ten miles. The battlefield from Wagram to Markgrafneusiedlung about four miles. We could use the car, but we decided that cycles would be best. We could use the mass of poor quality farm tracks, stop where we wanted and go as slow as we liked.
In early 2002 I contacted the Vienna tourist information office, who proved very helpful. I wanted a hotel close to Aspern who could arrange cycle hire. I also wanted a detailed map of the area. They provided contacts for both.
Our hotel was in Aspern itself, a short walk from the famous church which featured in the fighting. They specialized in cycling holidays, so hire would be no problem.
David Chandler’s “The Campaigns of Napoleon” is without doubt my favourite book to prepare for a visit to any of Napoleon’s battlefields. Despite the complicated subject, it is easy to read and the maps are excellent. I always photo copy sections to take with me.
I had bought “With Eagles to Glory” when it was first published, and found it one of the best introduction to, and description of, the 1809 campaign.
The maps are not the most professional, but the text more than makes up for that.
Osprey’s “Aspern and Wagram 1809” has great maps, diagrams and photographs, but I find the description of the battle hard going.
It also has a short description of the battlefield today.
Hourtoulle’s “Wagram” has excellent uniform plates, unusual prints and illustrations pretty useless maps.
Being translated from French it is also very hard work to read.
Scott Bowden’s “Napoleon and Austerlitz” is the most detailed, and easiest to read, book I have read on the campaign.
I also photocopied sections to take with me.
Osprey’s “Austerlitz 1805” is much better than “Aspern and Wagram 1809”.
It follows the same format.
Great maps, diagrams and photographs.
But this one is written by David Chandler, so it’s not surprising that the text is easy to follow as well.
And I found the battlefield today section very useful.
Hourtoulle’s “Austerlitz” is very similar to “Wagram”.
Again superior uniform prints and less well known prints.
Again useless maps and difficult text.
At 0725 on 20 July 2002 we departed Heathrow for Vienna and the start of our last battlefield tour.
From Vienna airport it was a short drive to out hotel in Aspern. We had booked our hotel in advance, and arranged to hire two cycles to explore the area. The Vienna tourist information had recommended Asperner Lowe Hotel-Pension as the most suitable. It is not only about 100 yards from the famous Aspern church, but it also specializes in cycling holidays. Best of all it was easy to find with its striking yellow and green colour scheme!
Due to some mix up our bikes were not ready when we arrived, and in fact would not be available until the next morning. So we decided to walk to the nearby Lobau Island. This was the concentration area for the French army during the battle of Aspern-Essling and also prior to the battle of Wagram.
It took us about an hour to walk to the island. On the way we passed, and had a look at, Aspern church. The island itself is a leisure area, very popular with cyclists and ramblers. We were surprised, and a little shocked, to discover that it also has a nudist area. We were not aware of this until we went to a bar and found ourselves surrounded by a mass of well bronzed and very naked locals. 
As we explored the island we found these stone markers, which seem to be part of a sort of trail. Unfortunately we were not aware of this before our visit, and did not have any sort of guide to follow. I am sure that there must be some printed guide and was sorry that the tourist information office had not told us about it.
It took us about two hours to walk around the island. We took a circular path which followed the stream between the island and Aspern, and eventually reached the river Danube. The river has changed greatly since 1809, but the island remains quite unspoilt. 
