The work of Historians behind the Viking Immersive City

A rigorous scholarly perspective on the viking age and the foundation of Normandy

Since its opening, the Cité Immersive Viking has pursued a clear ambition: to transport visitors through the history of the vikings — from their expeditions to their settlement in Normandy — by combining emotion, immersion and scientific accuracy.

Unlike purely visual or spectacular experiences, our approach is grounded in a fundamental principle: every image, every scene and every narrative presented draws upon solid historical research.

The design of the Cité Immersive Viking relied on a dedicated scientific council led by Vincent Samson, PhD in Scandinavian medieval history and specialist in viking warfare and society. He worked alongside Gaia Perreault, a PhD candidate in medieval history and Nordic studies, and Elizabeth Yardeni, Creative Director of Cités Immersives.

Their contribution was essential and structured around three missions:

• Guiding the historical thinking throughout the entire conception process.
• Reviewing, verifying and validating all content: mediation texts, videos, interactive devices, and scenographic choices.
• Supervising the production of a reference publication to ensure scientific continuity beyond the immersive experience itself.

To extend the experience, the Cité Immersive Viking is accompanied by a scientific catalogue gathering the contributions of eleven leading historians who specialize in medieval history, ducal Normandy, Scandinavia and contemporary representations of vikings.

Among them:

– Alessia Bauer, philologist and runologist

– Pierre Baudin, professor of medieval history

– Victor Barabino, historian

– Gaïa Perreaut, historian and literary scholar

– Élisabeth Ridel-Granger, linguist and historian

– Lucie Malbos, historian

– Christophe Maneuvrier, historian

– François Neveux, professor emeritus

– Jean Renaud, professor emeritus

– Vincent Samson, historian

– Pierre-Brice Stahl, historian

Each article expands upon themes explored in the exhibition: viking attacks in medieval sources, the construction of the “barbarian” figure, trade networks, the foundation of Normandy, Scandinavian cultural influence in Europe, and more.

The goals are clear:
✔️ Make the latest academic research accessible.
✔️ Give visitors the opportunity to deepen their understanding beyond the immersive experience.

The book contains more than 200 pages, including original contributions, reproductions of medieval sources, photographs of authentic artefacts and detailed maps. It is an educational tool that places the Cité Immersive Viking within a rigorous scientific framework.

Thanks to this extensive scholarly work, the Cité Immersive Viking succeeds in reconciling emotion with historical accuracy. The scenographic elements — décors, 360° projections, actor portrayals, sensory effects — never seek to oversimplify or distort the past. They bring it to life. The educational videos, mediation texts and displayed objects allow visitors of all backgrounds to grasp the richness of this fascinating chapter of history without falling into clichés.

Our approach reflects a humanistic vision of History:

“Rather than retelling the story of the victors, let us embrace multiple perspectives and preserve nuance.”

As Jean Vergès, President of Cités Immersives, reminds us, neither the exhibition nor the catalogue aims to glorify violence or indulge in fantasy. Their purpose is to depict the complexity of Scandinavian societies — their contradictions, their evolution and their real legacy — far from stereotypes.

The catalogue Vikings, in the Footsteps of the First Normans is available on Amazon, in the Cité Immersive Viking gift shop, and in bookstores (ISBN 979-10-415-4726-5).
We invite you to discover it and explore the wealth of scientific insights that enrich our exhibition.