Blood of the Drakkars — Noirmoutier's Hidden Viking Stronghold
Decipher the Viking occupation of Noirmoutier (799–1000 AD). Track down the monastery's lost relics, decode the raiders' supply routes, and expose the secret alliance that kept the Norse invaders entrenched on French soil.
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 799, Viking drakkars appeared off the coast of Noirmoutier, launching a 200-year reign of terror across the Loire Valley
Noirmoutier, Bloody Outpost of the Northmen
In 799, Viking drakkars appeared off the coast of Noirmoutier, launching a 200-year reign of terror across the Loire Valley. The monks of Saint-Philbert's monastery were slaughtered; their sacred reliquary—the golden chasse of their founder—vanished into legend. By 843, the Vikings had established a permanent stronghold on the island, using it as a base to pillage Nantes, Angers, and the Aquitaine coast. But how did they hold Noirmoutier for so long? What local lords turned a blind eye? Where did they hide their plunder and sacred treasures? Your mission: walk the island's 2 km core, visit the ruins of the monastery, the castle ramparts, and the harbor fortifications. Piece together cryptic monk chronicles, decode Viking settlement patterns, and uncover the conspiracy that allowed Norse raiders to operate with impunity from French soil. The truth lies buried in stone and salt-worn memory.
A game, a guided tour and a heritage guide — all in one
You're not just buying an escape game. You're carrying a living guide — historical anecdotes, forgotten legends, key monuments, hidden architecture — unfolding as you go.
At each stop, places ordinary guides miss — secret façades, sculpted crests, alleys steeped in history.
Every riddle is rooted in a real historical fact or local legend. You leave with dozens of stories to tell.
Learn to read buildings — flamboyant Gothic, Baroque, Art Deco — like a real art historian, while having fun.
Walk through the city like a novel's character — every alley becomes a stage, every square a theatre.
A voice walks with you at every step, tells the story of each place, reads clues, adds a cinematic feel.
Keep access to the guide & game for 1 year. Come back any time, share it with friends.
« You will not leave this city the way you entered it. »
How does it work?
Explore the city on foot solving puzzles based on real historical facts. No locked room — the city is your playground.
No app to download. Play directly from your browser. Guided step by step, at your own pace.
One purchase per phone is enough. Play with family, friends or as a couple — everyone participates.
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears and speaks to you in your language. Golden letters magically write themselves on the wall to reveal the puzzle answer.
Stuck? Progressive personalised hints. The character repeats the puzzle on demand — at your own pace.
French, English, German, Spanish, Italian + 27 other languages auto-translated by AI.
Want to go deeper?
Places tied to your adventure — optional entries, totally up to you · per person
« On ne peut s'empêcher de s'émerveiller de la témérité de ces hommes du Nord, capables d'établir une base si loin de leurs terres, au cœur même de l'empire carolingien. »— Ermentaire, moine et chroniqueur, IXe siècle
Île d'Her: Fortification and Wintering
As early as 799, Noirmoutier was the first Frankish land to suffer Viking attacks. These incursions, initially targeted pillaging of the wealthy Abbey of Saint-Philibert, quickly transformed into a strategic occupation. The island, named 'Île d'Her' by the Norsemen, offered an ideal refuge for their fleets, a wintering spot, and a base of operations for sailing up rivers.
Faced with this growing threat, Louis the Pious ordered the construction of a *castrum* around 830. However, the persistence of the raids, notably the defeat of Count Rainaldus d'Herbauge in 835, forced the monks into a definitive exodus in 836. Figures like Bjorn Ironside left their mark there, transforming Noirmoutier into a formidable outpost, even observed by distant ambassadors such as al-Ghazal in 844.
The Route
8 stages through the city
The gameplay: AR, camera, hidden clues
At each stop, open your phone camera: an augmented reality character appears on the façade and speaks your language. Hunt the clue — it materializes as golden letters on the real wall or floats in front of you. When you find it, the phone vibrates, an AR chest opens and reveals your answer fragment. 8 stops, 8 clues to find with the camera, 1 final code.
The stops on your route are a surprise. You'll discover them one by one, guided by your phone, starting from the meeting point.
How does it work with a group?
One phone = one team. Pick the number at checkout (1 to 10).
Solo, or a group sharing the screen. One team, one code.
Family, couple, or 2-3 teams competing. Each phone has its own code and its own score.
Friends, bachelor/bachelorette, small office outing — each their own code, each plays at their own pace. Tiered pricing then €6 flat per phone from the 6th.
- ✓All codes are independent — play at the same time OR separately, each team advances at its own pace.
- ✓Leaderboard between your teams + global game leaderboard — each score appears in the public ranking.
- ✓More than 10 phones or need a personalized quest? Discover custom tours.
Ready to live this adventure?
Get my code · 12€No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒 Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
Practical info
Why this route?
In the Footsteps of Longships
Relive the Viking raids, from the arrival of the first fleets to the establishment of strategic bases.
Strategists and Fleeing Monks
Discover Louis the Pious's defense attempts and the forced exodus of Saint-Philibert's monks.
Noirmoutier, Île d'Her
Explore the island as it was perceived and used by the Northmen, an insular stronghold.
The Longships left their indelible mark on Noirmoutier. Unravel the mystery of their legacy.
A historical journey into the heart of France's first Viking incursions.
9 features nobody else has
OddballTrip combines gamified play, augmented reality and AI. All our competitors deliver 1 or 2 of these angles. We deliver all 5.
AR treasure chest
A golden chest floats in front of the monument. Tap → opening animation → reveals a secret message.
AR narrator character
Point your phone at the façade: a knight, witch, monk, sailor, detective or ghost appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language with their dedicated ElevenLabs voice (each character has their own unique voice) — your living guide.
Magic golden letters
At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's the puzzle answer. An unforgettable visual effect.
Written + audio narration
Every puzzle available as text AND voice-over: read at your own pace or listen eyes-free while walking. Great in groups and for accessibility.
360° radar + vibration
A mini-radar shows the target even behind you, and the phone vibrates when you aim in the right direction.
Heritage storytelling
Every puzzle weaves in real historical facts (architecture, era, anecdotes). You learn by playing — like a gamified audioguide.
Progressive AI hints
3 levels of AI-generated help: vibe → where to look → answer format. You're never stuck.
AR selfie memento
At the end of the game, capture a selfie with OddballTrip banner + mascot, shareable on Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok.
Zero app to install
PWA technology: open the link, it plays in your browser. Same quality as an app, no App Store hassle.
Frequently asked questions
Q01Do I need to download an app?
No, never. You get a link, you click, it plays in your browser. That's the point of a PWA: same as an app, without the hassle.
Q02Does it work offline?
GPS yes (handled by your phone). Maps yes (tiles cached). AI and hints need an intermittent 4G connection.
Q03How long does a game take?
1 h 30 to 2 h 30 depending on your pace. The timer runs but only for the leaderboard — you play at your own tempo.
Q04What happens if I'm stuck?
You get 3 levels of hints per puzzle (increasing penalty). If truly stuck, you can skip the step (45-min penalty but you keep going).
Q05What's the age range?
From 12 without an adult, from 6 with an adult reading puzzles. Works for families, couples, friend groups, companies.
Q06What if my city isn't in the catalogue?
Pre-register or contact us — we'll email you as soon as your city is live.
Q07What is augmented reality exactly?
Point your phone at the façade: a historical character appears full-screen and speaks to you in your language. At the puzzle climax, golden letters magically write themselves on the real wall — that's your answer. After each puzzle solved, a treasure chest floats in front of you. Seeing is believing.
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Your turn to play
Noirmoutier Island awaits you for an immersive adventure, between myth and history, to discover the secrets of the Northmen. Weigh anchor and embark on an unforgettable quest!
1 purchase = 1 phone. Play several on the same device.
No calendar booking. Code sent immediately by email.
🔒Secure payment · Code in 5 min · Free cancellation
🪙+24 TripCoins granted with your booking
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