Conférence : Sur les traces des vikings

By Olivier Mignon, holder of a Master's degree in Medieval History, graduate of the École du Louvre, national tour guide and author. At the end of the 8th century, Scandinavians from Norway and Denmark raided monasteries and towns unable to defend themselves. Embarking on remarkable ships, some headed towards the islands of the North Atlantic while others targeted the rich French coast. After initial reconnaissance and pillaging, these particularly audacious men founded colonies to address the land shortage plaguing their home regions, or to escape the increasingly powerful central authority. This is how the great Viking settlements of the Danelaw in England, Iceland, and Normandy emerged. We will embark on a journey to meet these men, studying their motivations, their strategies, their remarkable ships, and the lands they visited.

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