The Zoo and Botanical Garden of Branféré (French: Parc animalier et botanique de Branféré) is a 35-hectare (86-acre) zoo and botanical garden located in Le Guerno, Morbihan, Brittany, France.
The park is open daily except in winter, and an admission fee is charged. Visitors can see the animals roaming freely in a centuries-old botanical garden.
History
From 1662 until 1988, the garden was a private estate, with a château built in 1848 by the family of Freslon Freslonnière. It was acquired in 1884 by Casimir Jourde, whose grandson Paul became a wildlife painter and world traveler. In the 1930s Paul and his wife, Hélène Castori, having discovered a game reserve maintained by Khengarji III, Maharao of Kutch, decided to create an "animal paradise" at Branféré by letting exotic animals from around the world acclimatize to the property and roam free, creating a park where animals and humans could interact. In 1965 the park opened to the public after thirty years of development, and in 1988 it was bequeathed to the Fondation de France.
Animals
Today the park contains almost 1,000 animals representing nearly 150 species, including antelope, gibbons, hippopotamus, lemurs, llamas, prairie dogs, tapirs, wallaby, zebras, and yaks, as well as flamingos, parrots, pelicans, and storks, all set within landscapes of prairies, waterfalls, and small islands. Its grounds have displayed botanical plantings since the 18th century, and today contain about 70 species of trees and shrubs including araucaria, azaleas, camellias, laricio pines, rhododendrons, sequoia, and a 300-year-old weeping specimen listed as one of the remarkable trees in France.
Education
The Fondation de France, in collaboration with the Fondation Nicolas Hulot pour la Nature et l'Homme and the commune of Muzillac have created the Nicolas Hulot School for Nature and Man, open since 2004 at Park Branféré.

Château de Branféré

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The Château du Plessis-Josso is a fortified 14th century manor house in the Morbihan département of France. The manor is located in the town of Theix, near Vannes. The manor-house is open for tours during the summer, and offers its main hall for hosting events and marriages as well as a small country cottage outside the enclosing walls.
History
Well-preserved and partially inhabited, the manor-house stands next to a large pond. This feudal Breton ensemble still has its fortified enceinte with towers and crenellated walls that protected it from the armed gangs and pillagers who were operating in the region during the Hundred Years' War and later during the Wars of Religion of the 16th century.
Built around 1330 by Sylvestre Josso, squire of the Duke Jean III during the turbulent period of the Breton War of Succession in the 14th century, it passed next by a powerful alliance to the Rosmadec family and served as a residence for dignitaries such as a bishop, sénéchaux and the governors of various Breton towns. In the late 18th century it became the property of the Le Mintier de Léhélec family who still live there today.
Plessis-Josso, like all 15th century manors in Brittany, had especially an agricultural function as the head of a domaine of 1,500 hectares spread over several parishes and with a population of nearly 500 inhabitants. It had several mills, baker's ovens, a chapel and a small private port in the Gulf of Morbihan. Its role was therefore political, economic and administrative.
Architecture
This medieval site is composed of several sections of varying architectural styles and eras: the main corps de logis dating from the 15th century with its Gothic dormer windows, a 16th-century Renaissance pavilion, Classical 17th century outbuildings, and a complete enclosing wall whose corner tower (tour d’angle) defended the access road that spans the causeway, between the lake and the mill.
The ground-floor hall has a very beautiful example of a crédence de justice (wall-cupboard built directly into the stone wall) that was used by the lord of the manor to place books and documents relating to the administration of the manor-court.

Château du Plessis-Josso

In the shade of ancient oak trees is revealed the imposing silhouette of the ruins of the castle of Ranrouët. 
Located in an unique and unusual setting this sentinel of the marshlands is set apart from its contemporaries which are constructed on higher ground. Its construction began in the 13th century and it was continuously altered until the 17th century. The successive owners the Asseracs, the Rocheforts, the Rieux were able to modify the castle according to the needs of their time. 
Both a fortress and a residence the castle of Ranrouët is an undeniable witness to the history of Brittany.
http://www.chateaux-france.com/chateau-de-ranrouet/

Château de Ranrouët

A few kilometers from la Baule and the beaches of Morbihan, in the heart of Brière regional park, the Bretesche Manor takes from the past its tradition of courtly love, knightly jousts, aristocratic wellbeing and mysterious legends to display the refined comfort of a haven of peace and romanticism. 
Round the bend of a beautiful path, not far from the old roman road, later to become the royal way, the Bretesche manor awakes our memories of knights, elves, princesses and valorous deeds. 
Facing the hotel, the lake, with its mysterious early morning mists rising into the air, casts us back to King Arthur’s legends. From its windows, the "Relais et Châteaux" looks out to the fairy tale castle built in the XVth century, which raises its finely carved turrets, remembering its glorious past, when, ancient fortress, visited by du Guesclin, it was a stronghold at the gates of Britanny. It has abandoned its war machines and its machicolations to offer an elegant architecture which towers above a golf course of stunning beauty, ranked among the most beautiful in the world. Heralds and knights in armor, lance in hand, have deserted the tournaments, but today, golfers compete with similar panache on the greens ! We can imagine François 1er, who particularly appreciated the surrounding forest, coming to play a few holes, in order to seduce beautiful princesses dressed in their most flamboyant attire…  
All the more in that the Manor homes a beauty parlour, contemporary yet inspired by the spirit of the Renaissance, for the voluptuous pleasure of the gentlewomen and gentlemen of today. The ointments, rose creams or albaster pearls may have disappeared, but the treatment bestowed within the tranquil spa atmosphere prepares the today’s voyagers for an exquisite moment of pleasure, which can be followed by modern festivities at the brasserie or the Michelin starred restaurant Le Montaigu. Here, The Chef reigns over an intelligent cuisine, where regional, authentic and natural products are delicately reinvented. Our palate delighted, we find ourselves dreaming of some troubadour, trouvère or minstrel sharing with us our pleasure and good cheer. In these very exceptionnal surroundings, time slows down, making us wish it could last. 
https://www.bretesche.com

Château de la Bretesche

The Château de Largoët, also known as the Tours d’Elven (Elven Towers), is a medieval castle in Elven, in the Morbihan département of France, 13 km from Vannes.
History
A castle is mentioned for the first time in 1020, belonging to the baron of Elven, Derrien I, but the present building was constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries. The manor became the property of the Malestroit family in the 13th century. The houses of Blois and Montfort fought for it during the Breton War of Succession, before it came to the Rieux family in the 15th century. It was during this period (between 1474 and 1476) that Jean IV, lord of Rieux, protected Henry Tudor, Duke of Richmond, future King Henry VII of England. In 1490, Charles VIII of France, dismantled the castle, but it was restored under the influence of Anne de Bretagne.
Nicolas Fouquet bought it in 1656 and, after his death, it was sold to Michel de Trémeurec and stayed in his family. In the 19th century, it was proposed to demolish Largoët, given its dilapidation, but it was saved thanks to Prosper Mérimée, who had it classed as a monument historique in 1862. Beginning in the 1970s, there has been a programme of restoration.
Architecture
The ruins of Largoët maintain their imposing aspect, notably because of the 14th century octagonal keep. At 45 m, it is one of the highest in France (for comparison, the keep at the Château de Vincennes reaches 52 m). There are five floors and the walls are between 6 and 10 m thick. On the sixth or seventh floor is the room where Henry Tudor stayed.
As well as this colossal edifice, Largoët also boasts
A 15th-century gatehouse, marking the entrance to the fortress, built against another 13th-century building.
A round tower of three storeys, from the 15th century, with cannon openings on the first level, and covered with a hexagonal building. It was furnished in the 20th century as a hunting lodge. It has been used as a location for historical films, including Lancelot du Lac and Chouans.
The remains of the enclosing walls, dried up moats and a lake.
The ruins of a construction known as an ice house (glacière), used as a food store.
The entrance to a vast cellar which was used to store wood.
An underground mystery
An underground tunnel at one time provided an exit from the fortress, but its entrance has not been found. Works in the Lion d'Or inn, in the centre of Elven, could bring this to light.