Journey to Viking lands in Normandy

Aboard their famous Drakkars, the Vikings arrived from Scandinavia in 841, and chose to dock in this land, which would not become Normandy until much later, for practical reasons. The region boasted a wealth of resources, but above all, as well as being a coastal region, it had a privileged shipping route: the Seine. Thanks to this, they could expand their fleet inland without any problems. Despite the defences they had put in place, the Carolingian kings were soon unable to stop the northern scourge. Pillage, fire, rape... Viking raids ravaged the country from the Norman lands, which were now ravaged and practically annexed by the barbarians.

For 50 years, a real war was waged between the Franks and the Vikings, between negotiation, resistance and concessions. In 911, the current king of the Franks, Charle le Simple, had to react and proposed an agreement to Rollon, the jarl of the day. In exchange for the county of Rouen, the equivalent of today's Seine-Maritime and Eure departments, Rollon and his men had to stop the violence and convert to Christianity, which the Jarl accepted. Thanks to the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, Normandy, literally "the land of the Northmen", was finally born, even though it had been completely deserted by the Franks, who had been terrified by the previous violence.

So it's only natural that our journey in the footsteps of the Vikings should begin in Rouen, the first town to be plundered, but above all the first to be inhabited and the first to be 'legally' acquired by the people. Here, history buffs will be delighted by the few museums that deal with the subject. Firstly, the Maritime Museum, a permanent exhibition recounting the history of Viking expeditions to the area and detailing the features of their famous drakkar. Then there's the Antiquities Museum, which focuses on the objects used in daily life by the Vikings: swords, fibulae, clothing, etc.

Rouen is also the place where Rollon' s life came to an end, at Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption Cathedral, where you can see his recumbent statue. We also found the remains of his son, Guillaume Longue-épée. A statue also pays tribute to his father in front of the town hall. In the evening, once the city has been illuminated by street lamps and the stars, the cathedral offers a night-time show that we couldn't miss, a sound and light show on the theme of the Vikings that takes place every evening during the summer season, completely free of charge. The building is right in the heart of Rouen, so it's also a good opportunity to visit the historic centre and the rue du Gros-Horloge, one of the city's most emblematic monuments. The street is also the perfect place for a shopping break or a snack. At the end of the street is Place de la Pucelle, where, according to legend, Joan of Arc was burnt.

Practical information :

⏰ Maritime museum opening times:

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

1.30pm to 4.30pm

Friday, Saturday and Sunday

2pm to 5pm

⏰ Opening times, Antiques Museum :

Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 12.15pm and 1.30pm to 5.30pm, then 2pm to 6pm on Sundays.

The traces of the Vikings can also be seen in the names of the surrounding towns. Harfleur, Honfleur and Barfleur share a suffix derived from the Scandinavian word floth, meaning "river". Similarly, Elbeuf and Cricquebeuf also have a similar ending, this time from the Norse word buth, meaning "hut". Exploring these towns means following in the footsteps of the Vikings who named them. We warmly recommend Honfleur, a typical Normandy port town. Its historic cobbled streets and art galleries give it a certain charm and a unique atmosphere. It's a great place to enjoy a stroll along the banks of the Seine, accompanied by a delicious homemade ice cream.

As we travelled through Normandy, we might have stumbled across the Rollon tapestry, a 22-metre-long record of the jarl's warlike deeds right up to his agreements with Charles the Simple. The tapestry is on display in several towns in Normandy and can be found on the dedicated website.

Although hard to miss at 23.50 metres long and 5.20 metres wide, the Drakkar de Carentan, the Dreknor, is a must-see for fans of Viking culture. The boat has been awarded the Bateau d'Intérêt Patrimonial (BIP) label by the Fondation du Patrimoine Maritime. The imposing structure replicates the Gokstad, the one and only drakkar in a perfect state of preservation, currently on display in Oslo.

Practical info

📍 Dreknor address: 9 bis Site Lepelletier - 50500 Carentan

Many preconceived ideas about the Vikings are reflected in films and series, and Ornavik is a place that invites us to understand what they were like. The park offers three main types of activity: re-enactments, shows and immersive experiences. As soon as you arrive, the gigantic wooden gate transports you into the world of the Men of the Far North. Despite what you might think, the Vikings were not just greedy plunderers; their society was based on land ownership, trade, crafts, fishing and so on. They came to our lands not only to enrich themselves brutally, but also to maintain their trading and production activities. What's most striking about the reconstructions is just how close-knit and supportive the Vikings were. Life in the park is like a huge community, just like that of the Scandinavian people. This was in stark contrast to the Carolingians of the same period.

Each reconstruction is staged in such a way as to include you if you wish, and each is like a small workshop where you can learn the trade in question. Enthusiasts pass on their knowledge of stone cutting, ancient construction, fire lighting and so on. Every person you meet is an opportunity to learn something. As for the shows, they depict battles or slices of life in Viking society. They also teach us in a didactically different version. Every detail of these first performances is a source of information to be gathered, from the brightly coloured clothing, in contrast to popular representations, to the weapons used, faithful to the discoveries of historians, to the dialogue between the actors, born of a genuine state of mind found in the rare texts that have come down to us...