Viking adventures at Parc Ornavik

Pierre, tour guide and archaeologist

A trained archaeologist, he will guide you through the Viking era during your visit to Parc Ornavik. With great pedagogical skills and empathy, he shares the way of life of these so-called barbaric people, offering a unique insight into their history.

Travel back in time

We’re barely through the gate and it’s like we’ve gone back to when the Vikings first arrived in Normandy from Scandinavia! Society in this time was made up of landowners, peasants, fishermen and traders. The sea played a huge role in Viking life – at numerous points in their history, the Vikings sailed to other lands, Normandy included, to trade (and loot). But onland, we dicover that the Vikings lived in communities, unlike the Carolingians, who we briefly encountered at the start of our walk through this immersive park.

See Masonry in action

Throughout our walk, we come across passionate actors reenacting everyday Viking scenes, as well as people busy building things. A particular highlight is the different workshops and activities. We watch a stonemason at work, as well as ‘masons’ (I’m not sure whether this term was used at the time, hence the quotation marks) who are busy preparing a type of cement made with lime to build a 10th-century chapel in the middle of the Carolingian village. We learn, as a family, how the artisans worked and how families lived.

Live history

Viking clothes were simple with shimmering colours. Their dwellings were certainly basic, but the different spaces within them are clear: work area, sleeping area, etc. chatoyantes. It’s amazing to be able to immerse ourselves in this world which was so long ago but which is not so different to ours, thanks to this live history experience. It feels like we’ve truly travelled back in time 1000 years to the time where Normandy was founded by these ‘Norsemen’ through the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte! Kids (and adults too) are allowed to touch and crush herbs in their hands, which are then used to dye Viking clothing. We are also allowed to handle all of the weapons these people would have used, including a knife called a ‘scramasaxe’, worn on their belt, which was used for hand-to-hand combat, as well as the long spears and shields they used for fighting.

Learn to light a fire

Our immersive experience continues with a lesson in how to light a fire without a lighter or matches. Did you know that the Vikings used a hot iron to do this? They also used tinder, a spongey material that they would urinate on and then let dry. As urine contains ammonia, when stone and the hot iron come into contact with it, it emits sparks and ignites the tinder. Now the campfire is lit, we’ll be able to enjoy some hote food and keep wild animals away tonight!

Thanks to our guide, our time at Parc Ornavik has been an atmospheric adventure back in time where we’ve learnt all about Viking history, had fun with tools, and played games such as ‘merelle’, a puzzle game where we have to line up three of our pieces to win the game. We’ve discovered all sorts of anecdotes and historical facts that explain the everyday life of the Vikings, which together have helped us all understand the bigger picture of how they lived. All in all, it’s been a magical immersive experience which we’d recommend to anyone.

Useful Information

A unique place

Ornavik

Located near Caen, Ornavik is a historical park that brings to life a significant period of history, from the Vikings to the Normans. The project is supported by around a hundred volunteers.