Come to the historic park Ornavik to discover the wonderful history of Normandy's birth, that took place from 911 with the viking Rollo, to 1066 with William the Conqueror.
911 is the year of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte's threaty, when King Charles the Simple gives Rollo, a viking chief, the control of an area that will be at the origin of the Duchy of Normandy, a territory located in the low Seine valley, around Rouen.
1066 is the date when William the Conqueror, duke of Normandy, descendant of Rollo, became the King of England after winning the battle of Hastings.
You will be able to appreciate the dimension of our project and will be probably surprised by the big number of supporting partners it can federate. Inside the park, you will learn that volunteers, local authorities and a lot of patrons take part of this adventure.
Our main ambition is to make you discover, with some 15 interactive workshops, the history of Normandy in the 10th and 11th centuries. You will have the privilege to be immersed in an original work site of experimental archeology and historic reconstitution.
Our volunteers reproduce buildings, with technics and materials used at the time. They work in relation with archeologists and historians, who use the methods of experimental archeology. Thanks to this reversed archeology, you could visit buildings from the high Middle-Ages that really existed in Normandy and in the viking world.
Chose the Wild and the living history, join Ornavik during one afternoon. Located in a wooded park of 10 hectares next to the beautiful Caen canal, Ornavik also promotes an ecological and sustainable approach : we mostly use materials that are available on the site like sand, gravel, earth and wood.
isitors as well as volunteers live here in natural surroundings and are immersed in the heart of the Middle-Ages. You will walk through a Carolingian village, talk to our vikings in their Scandinavian camp set next to the water, and you will contribute to make this great epic live again, in the heart of the greater Caen. Your adventure joins ours !