Normans were definitely French speaking, though their cultural pecularities made them a specific unit. For example, they were considered very warlike, and even Norman clergy was inclined to carry weapons and engage in combat, which wasn't typical elsewhere.
If we consider 911 to be the year when Normandy was founded, it took just two centuries for Norman power to expand from Normandy to England, South Italy and Palestine, which is quite a remarkable feat. In contrast, power of the Capetian kings remained limited to the region around Paris. Which is a testament to the aforementioned warlikeness of the Normans.
If we consider 911 to be the year when Normandy was founded, it took just two centuries for Norman power to expand from Normandy to England, South Italy and Palestine, which is quite a remarkable feat. In contrast, power of the Capetian kings remained limited to the region around Paris. Which is a testament to the aforementioned warlikeness of the Normans.