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Origin and history

The cut-off camp of Mouiz, also called Koralhandia ("large enclosure"), was erected in 1813 on the northern slopes of the Rhune, at 537 m above sea level near the Pass of Saint-Ignace. Built in stoneware slabs without mortar, it adopts a six-point starry shape, optimized for short-range flanking fire. With an area of 1,040 m2 and walls of 2 m high, it was connected by a 400 m trench to the fortified ridge of Alchangue, equipped with four infantry posts.

This camp was part of a vast French defensive system against the Anglo-Hispano-Portuguese troops of the Duke of Wellington during the campaign of 1813. On November 10, 1813, he was attacked by the Kempf brigades (43rd Allied Regiment) and Colborne (17th Portuguese Regiment), while a Portuguese battalion attacked the fortification directly. The French defenders, short of ammunition, resisted until exhaustion, even using stones during the final assault. The surrender of the camp marked a turning point in the battle of the Nivelle, allowing the Allies to progress towards Saint-Pée-sur-Nivelle.

The construction of the camp met a strategic need: to protect access to the Col de Saint-Ignace and the village of Sare against an offensive from the west or south-west. Its star plan, adapted to the steep relief, reflected the fortification techniques of the era, combining trenches, parapets and ditches. Despite its modest size, it housed six pieces of artillery and served as a support point for neighbouring dreads, such as those of Zuhalmendi or the Madeleine Chapel.

The site, registered with historical monuments since 1986, illustrates the ingenuity of French military engineers in front of a mountainous terrain. The vestiges, now protected, include dry stone walls, trenches and fire stations, testifying to the fierce fighting that took place there. The French defeat at Mouiz was part of a series of setbacks leading to the retreat to Bayonne, weakening the Pyrenean defence line.

Historical sources, such as the accounts of General Francis Gaudeul or Jacques Antz, underline the summary but effective nature of these fortifications. The soldiers, exposed to the weather, set up shelters in the rocky fractures, creating a network of trenches and parapets still visible. The Mouiz camp, with its 1,460 m perimeter, remains one of the best preserved in the area, offering an overview of the Napoleonic Empire's defensive tactics.

His abandonment in 1813 marked a turning point in the Pyrénées War, opening the way for the Allies towards the interior. Today, the site is a place of memory, recalling the sacrifices of French and allied soldiers during this unknown campaign. The excavations and studies carried out since the 1980s have clarified its role in the overall arrangement, between the fears of the Rhune and those of Ascain or Urrugne.

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