The French left wing rested on steep hills near Puebla, which tower above the River Zadora, and leave but a narrow defile.
Their centre held a less precipitous ridge, which trends away to the north parallel to the middle reaches of that stream.

Higher up its course, the Zadora describes a sharp curve that protects the ridge on its northern flank; and if a daring foe drove the defenders away from these heights, they could still fall back on two lower ridges nearer Vittoria.

But these natural advantages were not utilized to the full.
The bridges opposite the French front were not broken, and the defenders were far too widely spread out.

Their right wing, consisting of the "Army of Portugal" under General Reille, guarded the bridge north of Vittoria, and was thus quite out of touch with the main force that held the hills five miles away to the west.
The dawn broke heavily; the air was thick with rain and driving mists, under cover of which Hill's command moved up against the steeps of Puebla.

A Spanish brigade, under General Morillo, nimbly scaled those slopes on the south-west, gained a footing near the summit, and, when reinforced, firmly held their ground.