Puy du Fou: Vikings and History of France

Puy du Fou celebrates the history of France with its four replica villages. First, Font-Rognou features French life of knights between the 11th and 15^th centuries. Next, Chasseloup covers the 18^th century. Later, Le Bourg Berard recreates France as it was during the Belle Epoque, between 1871 and 1914. Every village showcases the talents of artisans as they would have been in that era. They also have spectacular shows to immerse you into history. Finally, our favorite village, Saint Philbert le Vieil, takes visitors back to 1000 CE, the time of Viking attacks in France. It is home to the Puy du Fou Vikings.

Viking Show Spectacular

Quite possibly the best attraction in the park, the Viking stunt show brings to life in spectacular fashion the attack of Vikings on a quiet French town. First, Saint Philbert le Vieil is celebrating the wedding of Sybele and Alderic. Next, Alderic gets knighted and demonstrates his skill in horseback archery. The show also features animals, including dogs, deer, and pigs. Then, the Vikings attack. The 72-foot tall (about 22 meters) tower and a 66-foot long (about 20 meters) longship are prominent features in the battle, but it’s the stunt choreography that makes this show amazing. The show lasts about 26 minutes. In fact, Puy du Fou calls it Les Vikings.

French Village of 1000 CE

Saint Philbert le Vieil recreates a fortified village of around the year 1000, with a forge, a jeweler, and other crafts of the era. However, the village restaurant, Le Chaudron, serves more modern fare: fish and chips, calamari, sandwiches, and salads.

Puy du Fou Location

Located in its namesake Puy du Fou Forest, the park makes use of its woodland backdrop, incorporating the beauty and experience of nature into every visit. It’s about an hour by shuttle from the Nantes-Atlantique Airport or the Angers Saint-Laud TGV station. In addition, the park has six themed hotels. Season dates, show times, and tickets are on the park’s official site.

Puy du Fou also offers a self-guided virtual tour.

In short, Puy du Fou shows what a history park can be: real craftspeople, real stories, and a thousand years of drama in one forest. With Guédelon and Lofotr, it’s the kind of immersive experience Asgard Alaska is working to build in Alaska’s wilderness.

Still, the museum is not open yet. We are raising the Land Fund to buy the site, Phase 1 of our Roadmap. Read Our Mission.

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