Educational projects as part of Millenium

Millenium gives school pupils and students in Normandy and the event’s partner countries an opportunity to discover or rediscover the role of the Normans in European history. A wide range of projects gives them access to new educational resources, as well as opportunities to take part in cultural exchanges and express themselves by creating collective works.

Educational resource pack: William the Conqueror’s Europe, a shared Norman heritage

For the 2026–2027 school year, the British Council, the Académie de Normandie and the Normandy Region are launching a bilingual (French and English) educational resource pack, soon to be available, on the theme of William the Conqueror’s Europe and its shared Norman heritage.
Designed for secondary school teachers, this digital pack offers interactive resources to explore Norman heritage on both sides of the Channel.
Available in France and the United Kingdom, it encourages educational exchanges and the discovery of a shared European history.

International masterclasses: “Discovering Norman gastronomy”

Through a series of masterclasses at partner universities and schools in Norway and Italy, École Fachon aims to share its expertise and introduce future food professionals to the richness and modern appeal of Norman produce.

Teenagers follow in William the Conqueror’s footsteps

Over the course of the year, a group of 15 teenagers from the Saint-Gatien-des-Bois youth centre will follow in William the Conqueror’s footsteps. They will set off from Normandy, William’s homeland, and cross the Channel to England.

“Two shores, one history”

Led by Francas du Calvados, this European arts and cultural education project brings together 24 young people aged 13 to 16, half from Normandy and half from Denmark. Through a collective creative project, they will explore and celebrate the historical ties that have connected their regions for more than a thousand years. At its heart is an original short film conceived, written and performed by the participants themselves. Filming will take place in Normandy and then in Denmark.

Medieval arts, contemporary creativity

At the initiative of the Manche Department, the team at Hambye Abbey is offering secondary school classes in Manche an original introduction to medieval arts and their contemporary forms. Every participating pupil will visit Hambye Abbey. A second day on site will feature a forum showcasing traditional crafts, followed by an interactive bardcore concert with the local band Courseval.

"Make a mark"

Make a mark is an educational and cultural exchange focused on heritage between Jean Jooris vocational school in Dives-sur-Mer and Northern Regional College in Northern Ireland. Bringing together students studying construction trades, the project explores the Norman and Anglo-Norman medieval heritage and how it can be restored and brought to wider attention.

When young people tell history

Venosa, which together with Melfi lies at the heart of the lands settled by the first Normans in Italy, will host a school workshop in partnership with Altavilla Lucania. The participating secondary school students will research and write a digital book about the first Normans in southern Italy, with a particular focus on Basilicata.

Once upon a time in the North-West

At the initiative of the City of Caen, participating primary and secondary schools in Normandy will receive a themed fact sheet about the region every week throughout the school year. History, heritage, culture: a wealth of resources ready to explore in class. An educational competition will also be held. The best entries -posters, leaflets, podcasts, videos or other creations - will be showcased and rewarded. Five winners will be invited to Caen for a special day “in William’s footsteps”.

“How the Normans influenced us”

Created by children and young people from the town of Battle (England), this permanent art installation explores the lasting influence of Norman culture from medieval times to the present day. Terracotta tiles based on drawings of Norman life will form a large outdoor wall mosaic in the heart of the town.

Talks and exhibition opening: students’ work inspired by the Pirou Embroidery and the Ros Tapestry

The Association of Members of the Order of Academic Palms (AMOPA50) invites secondary school students to reinterpret the Pirou Embroidery (Manche), which depicts the Hauteville family’s conquest of southern Italy and Sicily, and the Ros Tapestry (Wexford, Ireland), which tells the story of the Normans’ arrival in south-east Ireland.
Students from both countries will create a shared story in comic-strip form. Their original drawings will be exhibited at each location, while reproductions will be exchanged between the two countries and displayed at Pirou Castle. The project will continue with a cultural exchange.

Mercato e banchetto medievali

Questo banchetto rappresenta il momento conclusivo del progetto «L’Europa dei Normanni: dalla Manica al Mediterraneo» del Lycée Professionnel Le Hurle-Vent (76). Permette agli studenti di presentare il lavoro svolto, valorizzare il patrimonio normanno e mettere in pratica le proprie competenze in un contesto professionale reale.

Scambio culturale tra la scuola del gruppo scolastico «Les Bruyères» e la scuola di Rocchetta Sant’Antonio (Italia)

L’associazione «Les Amis de la Chapelle de Torp» propone diverse attività nell’ambito di Millenium: dalla scoperta dei siti storici della cappella di Torp e del borgo di Rocchetta Sant’Antonio alla creazione di immagini. I lavori realizzati saranno scambiati per posta tra le due scuole. Attraverso questo scambio, i bambini saranno invitati a immaginare le sfide affrontate dai Normanni che attraversarono le frontiere nell’XI secolo.