Normandy Millennium: European Year of the Normans

MILLENIUM, the European Year of the Normans, is the Normandy Region's celebration of the thousandth anniversary of the birth of William the Conqueror, born in Falaise in 1027. William was the son of Robert the Magnificent, Duke of Normandy, and Herleva of Falaise. He became King of England after the Battle of Hastings and was crowned at Westminster Abbey on 25 December 1066, and his descendants ruled Normandy and England until 1204.

The Region describes MILLENIUM as a popular, cultural and tourist event with a European dimension. It has worked since 2022 with partners that share the Norman legacy: the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Channel Islands, Flanders, Norway, Denmark and southern Italy. Normandy Tourism says nearly 1,000 events are planned across Normandy and Europe, from exhibitions and concerts to medieval festivals, sport and food, and the official site already lists more than 900.

Both the Region and Normandy Tourism acknowledge that opinions on William and the Normans remain divided, as invaders or as builders, and the programme sets out to tell that shared history from several countries' points of view.

This edition

The year runs from 1 January to 31 December 2027. Caen, where the Normandy Region has its Caen seat at the Abbaye aux Dames, is one of the main hubs: the year's launch show, the Gates of the Millennium, is in the abbey's cloister gardens from 20 to 27 February 2027. Falaise, William's birthplace, will show a new tapestry of the missing final scene of the Bayeux Tapestry after its display at Westminster Abbey. The Bayeux Tapestry itself is on loan to the British Museum in London until 11 July 2027, and the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for renovation until autumn 2027.

• The Gates of the Millennium: a free, immersive launch show in the cloister gardens of the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen, 20–27 February 2027.
• Viking ships: a gathering of Viking ships along Normandy's estuaries from 11 to 27 June 2027, ending at the Rouen Armada site from 19 to 27 June 2027. Rowing boats from Nordic countries come up the canal to the port of Caen on 12–13 June 2027.
• The Normans in the Middle Ages: the exhibition “The Normans in the Middle Ages: A European Adventure (911–1204)” at the Abbaye aux Dames in Caen.
• The missing scene: Hélène Delprat's 25 m² tapestry of William's coronation, at Westminster Abbey from 1 May to 30 July 2027 and then at Falaise Castle.
• Medieval weekends: festivals, banquets and medieval events every weekend, from Falaise to Domfront, Les Andelys and the Harcourt Estate.
• FÊNO: a special edition of the Festival of Norman Excellence, 16–19 October 2027.

• Caen city centre: near the Abbaye aux Dames, the Abbaye aux Hommes and the castle, about 15 minutes' walk from the station and 15 minutes from the Ouistreham ferry port.
• Falaise: William's birthplace, with Falaise Castle, the new coronation tapestry and medieval weekends.
• Bayeux: on the train line from Paris Saint-Lazare and close to Caen, but note the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for renovation until autumn 2027.
• Rouen: for the Viking ships' arrival in June 2027 and the Lewis Chessmen at the Musée des Beaux-Arts from April to October 2027. See our Rouen guide.

By ferry: Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Caen (Ouistreham) in about 6 hours, by day or overnight, all year, with up to three sailings a day. Normandy Tourism lists four other routes from England: Portsmouth to Le Havre, Portsmouth to Cherbourg and Poole to Cherbourg with Brittany Ferries, and Newhaven to Dieppe with DFDS. Ouistreham is about 15 minutes from Caen, and Twisto buses (lines 12, 12 Express and Gare Maritime Express) link the port and the city.

By rail: Eurostar runs from London St Pancras to Paris in about 2 hours 16 minutes. Trains from Paris Saint-Lazare reach Caen in about 2 hours 15 minutes and also serve Rouen, Lisieux and Bayeux. From Caen station's Rives de l'Orne exit, the city centre is about a 15-minute walk.

By air: Caen-Carpiquet Airport (CFR) is 7 km from central Caen, and Deauville-Normandie Airport (DOL) is 9 km from Deauville; check both airports' sites for current routes. Normandy Tourism names Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) as a gateway, with some coach lines from the airport to Normandy's main cities.

By car: events are spread across the region, from Caen and Falaise to Domfront and Les Andelys, and Normandy Tourism points visitors to car rental for touring. The A13–A14 Paris–Normandy motorway uses free-flow tolls: you have 72 hours to pay if you don't have a toll tag.

We don't have a Caen guide yet; see our Normandy guide and our France guide.

Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights.

Normandy Tourism lists MILLENIUM as free, and the opening show, the Gates of the Millennium in Caen, is free and open to all. Exhibitions, museums and individual events across the programme set their own entry arrangements, so check each event's listing on the official MILLENIUM events page.

If you plan to see the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum in London (10 September 2026 to 11 July 2027), the museum says tickets up to 31 March 2027 have sold out.

• Timing: the programme runs all year, so pick your dates by event: late February for the launch in Caen, mid to late June for the Viking ships, and mid-October for FÊNO.
• The Bayeux Tapestry: it is in London at the British Museum until 11 July 2027, and the Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for renovation until autumn 2027. Check before planning a trip around it.
• Loans from the British Museum: the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Rouen shows pieces from the Lewis Chessmen from April to October 2027, and the Musée de Normandie in Caen plans to show the Sutton Hoo treasure over the same months.
• Markets in Caen: Normandy Tourism names the Place Saint-Sauveur market on Fridays and the Saint-Pierre market by the marina on Sundays.
• Weather: check the Met Office forecast for Caen before you go.
• Local food: Normandy Tourism says tripes à la mode de Caen, slow-cooked tripe and trotters, was perfected in the 11th century by William the Conqueror's personal chef.

The MILLENIUM organisers haven't published accessibility information for visitors, and venues range from city-centre abbeys to castles and outdoor medieval sites. For questions about a specific event, use the MILLENIUM contact page or contact the venue directly.

The FCDO's France travel advice says terrorists are very likely to try to carry out attacks in France, including at sporting and cultural events, crowded places and transport hubs, and asks you to stay vigilant and follow local authorities' advice. It also warns of demonstrations, sometimes at short notice, and industrial action that can disrupt roads and public transport. The FCDO doesn't advise against travel to any part of Normandy.

On entry, France follows Schengen rules: the FCDO says you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and under the EU Entry/Exit System you may need to register your fingerprints and photo at the border, which can mean longer waits.

• Before you go, read the UK government's FCDO travel advice for France (entry requirements, safety and local laws).
• Flight delayed or cancelled on the way? See our Travel Disruption guide for your rights and live alerts.