William the Conqueror & Year of the Normans Tour for Groups

ENGLAND : trace William's invasion route and see the Bayeux Tapestry in London

• View the world-famous Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, where it will be displayed from September 2026-July 2027. Depicting the Battle of Hastings, the Tapestry is one of the oldest historical documents in Europe and was made by English craftsmen on the orders of William's half-brother, Bishop Odo. 
• Full day city tour of London, with many sites dating back to the Normans, including Westminster Abbey where Edward the Confessor was buried and William was crowned on Christmas Day 1066. Such was London's importance that William could only feel sure of his position once he had been crowned there and to secure the city he built the Tower of London and Baynard's Castle.
• Visit the site of the Battle of Hastings, where William the Conqueror defeated King Harold in October 1066. See Battle Abbey, built by William to celebrate his victory, and an exhibition exploring events leading up to the Battle. Walk the Battlefield, where King Harold is believed to have been killed. Listen to a detailed account of the Battle day itself with an exciting audioguide narrative. Enjoy free time exploring the shops and tea rooms in the picturesque market town of Battle.
• Pevensey Bay, famed for being the place where William landed, whose Castle was built in AD 280 by much earlier Roman invaders. 
• The seaside town of Hastings, to see the remains of William's first English castle. Learn about the smugglers who dominated the coastline, visit the Shipwreck Museum or enjoy traditional fish and ships.
• Herstmonceux Castle with its wide moat and rolling parkland.
• Whatlington and its collection of charmingly thatched buildings. Whatlington Manor belonged to King Harold, but was claimed by the Conqueror and inaugurated into the Battle Abbey lands.
• Canterbury, which surrendered to William, with its medieval city walls and Gothic cathedral, where Thomas Becket was murdered by William's great-grandson, Henry II. Enjoy a guided tour of the ancient Cathedral and precincts. 
• Dover, with its famous White Cliffs (National Trust), where William strengthened his defences immediately after the Battle. Visit Dover Castle, a stronghold built by Henry II to safeguard England against further invasions.
• Windsor Castle, an official residence of the King, one of William's first castles and the family home of British monarchs for almost 1000 years, making it the world's oldest and largest inhabited castle.
• Runneymead (National Trust), where the Magna Carta was signed by King John in 1215. See the British memorial to President John F. Kennedy. 

FRANCE : visit charming Normandy and the locations linked to William in France 

• Falaise, home of William’s mother Herleva, the daughter of a common tanner, and where William was born. See the castle, built during the reign of William's son, Henry I. The foundations are those of the castle where William was born. Experience Norman culture at its height with the feudal city gates and old city walls.
• The lovely medieval city of Bayeux to visit the Cathedral which was consecrated in 1077 and reflects Norman Romanesque architecture. The Bayeux Tapestry was designed on the orders of Bishop Odo to hang in his Cathedral in Bayeux, where it remained for several centuries.
• Caen, seized by William at the Battle of Val-es-Dunes. Caen Castle, one of the largest remaining medieval fortresses, built by William in 1060 and seat of power of the Dukes of Normandy. See where William was buried in Abbaye aux Hommes.
• Visit Abbaye aux Dames, built by William's wife Queen Mathilde. See the magnificent crypt where Mathilde is buried.
• Visit Dives Sur Mer, where William and his army departed Normandy for the conquest. See a church displaying a unique list of all the Conqueror’s victorious companions and the marina and the master’s office decorated with scenes from the Bayeux Tapestry. 
• Sightseeing tour of France’s capital, Paris. Discover the city's history and its major landmarks - Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower (selfie stop), Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral.
• Rouen and Place du Vieux-Marche, where Joan of Arc was burnt alive. Visit the memorial church in her name and Joan of Arc Museum. Also see the remains of the castle where she was sentenced to death.