Settlement Near Noirmoutier

• After sacking Nantes, the Vikings establish a base near the island of Noirmoutier, which had been raided previously in 836.
• Noirmoutier serves as a perfect strategic location for future raids, allowing the Norse to winter on Frankish soil and conduct further attacks inland.
• This Viking presence signals a transition from seasonal raiding to permanent encampments, leading to deeper Norse incursions into West Francia.

Impact of the 842 Viking Invasion

• The Frankish kingdom is unprepared to repel Viking incursions, as Charles the Bald is still engaged in civil war against his brothers.
• The fall of Nantes and the establishment of a Viking base in Noirmoutier make the Loire Valley a primary target for future raids, culminating in:
  • The siege and destruction of Angers (845, 852).
  • Multiple sackings of Tours and Orléans throughout the mid-9th century.
  • The Viking expansion deep into Aquitaine, destabilizing Carolingian rule.

The sack of Nantes in 842 is one of the earliest major inland Viking incursions into West Francia, setting a precedent for later raids on larger Frankish cities such as Rouen (841), Paris (845, 885–886), and Bordeaux (848). It marks a turning point in Norse expansion, as Vikings shift from sporadic raiding to establishing permanent strongholds within the Frankish realm.