Porcia, 1809, Friuli-Venezia Giulia: two armies face each other across a muddy battlefield: the Franco-Italian army of Eugène de Beauharnais, Viceroy of the Kingdom of Italy, and the Austrian army led by Archduke John of Austria, brother of Emperor Francis I. The clash, the battle of Sacile was a bloody one, involving 75,000 men, leaving about 8,000 fallen in the field, and seeing the Austrians winning the field.

“A few” years later, from 28 April to 1 May, 2017, the imposing Villa Correr Dolfin and the area of Valvasone-Arzene hosted the traditional historic reenactment of this and another, nearby battle of 1797, the battle of the Tagliamento”, which saw the Republican forces of Napoleon defeating the Austrian army under Archduke Charles, thereby gaining control of Friuli.

There were two highlights at the event.

The battle of the Tagliamento, re-enacted in the area of Valvasone-Arzene. This event involved both the historic centre of the village, “assaulted” by French troops, and the bed of the river, where the “fighting” took place. Starting with skirmishes and diversified actions to disperse, tire and commit the enemy troops, Napoleon’s army then launched a series of unstoppable attacks, causing the Austrians to flee.

The more traditional and famous re-enactment is of the battle of Sacile was held in the splendid setting of Villa Dolfin, where the re-enactors recreated the battle between the Franco-Italian army of de Beauharnais and the Austrian one of Archduke John.

The re-enactment saw the participation of 300 re-enactors from Italy, France, the Czech Republic, Belgium, Germany and Poland playing the part of the protagonists of the battle, and setting up real camps: on the one hand, the French, led by Mark Schneider (who has played Napoleon since 1998); on the other hand, the less numerous but fierce Austrians.

I can assure you that, what with the wonderful vintage uniforms and the perfectly functioning guns and rifles, it really felt as though I were on a movie set!