The Falaise Pocket
Where the Conqueror was born, his army perished
📱 1 to 10 phones · 1 team per phone · Independent codes
In 1027, William the Conqueror was born at Falaise Castle. In August 1944, 50,000 German soldiers were encircled and captured in the same hills. Germany's greatest defeat in Normandy took place where the history of conquest had begun.
The nine-century loop closes here
You are an Allied liaison officer. Your mission: coordinate the closing of the Falaise Pocket by intercepting and deciphering the last German radio messages. American forces are arriving from the south, Canadians and Poles from the north. Between them, 50,000 German soldiers are trying to escape. If the pocket closes, the Battle of Normandy ends. If it stays open, the war drags on.
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
« "The Falaise road was a sight that only Dante could describe. It was literally possible to walk for hundreds of yards on bodies." »— — General Dwight D. Eisenhower, August 1944
From the birth of a conqueror to the death of an army
Falaise Castle, perched on its rocky spur, is the birthplace of William the Conqueror, born here in 1027. It was from within these walls that the future Duke of Normandy and King of England forged his destiny. Nine centuries later, the same hills that saw the birth of a conqueror witnessed the collapse of an army.
In August 1944, after the Avranches breakout (Operation Cobra), the Allies attempted to encircle German forces in what would become the "Falaise Pocket." Patton's Americans advanced from the south, while Canadians and General Maczek's 1st Polish Armoured Division pushed from the north. The objective: close the trap around the German 7th Army and 5th Panzer Army.
From August 12 to 21, the battle raged in the hills around Falaise. On August 19, the Poles and Americans linked up at Chambois, sealing the pocket. Around 50,000 German soldiers were captured, 10,000 killed. The carnage was such that Eisenhower himself compared the scene to Dante's visions of Hell. The Battle of Normandy was over — the road to Paris was open.
The Route
5 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?
Radio interception
Decipher real German radio messages to coordinate the pocket's closure.
Historical loop 1027-1944
From William's birthplace to Germany's greatest defeat — nine centuries of echo.
Conqueror's castle
The route starts at the castle where William was born — one of the finest Norman castles.
Last great battle
The Falaise Pocket was the last great battle of Normandy — the gateway to Paris.
Where a conqueror is born, an army dies.
Intercept. Decipher. Close the pocket.
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.
Avis des aventuriers
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Your turn to play
Coordinate the closing of the Falaise Pocket by deciphering the last German radio messages. An outdoor escape game at the heart of Normandy's last great battle, from William's castle to the surrender field.
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
🪙+15 TripCoins granted with your booking
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