Morbihan, whose Breton name means ‘little sea’, is the inland and coastal department of Brittany, a region of moors, forests and inland waters dotted with islands and peninsulas. This unique geography has fostered the development of a highly diverse heritage of castles, ranging from the medieval fortresses on the Breton border to the stately homes of the Vannes countryside.
Josselin, whose flamboyant Gothic castle is reflected in the River Oust, is one of the finest residences in Brittany, inhabited since the Middle Ages by the Rohan family, one of the most powerful in Brittany with its motto “I cannot be king, I do not deign to be prince, but I am a Rohan”. Suscinio, the former seaside residence of the Dukes of Brittany, currently undergoing restoration, bears witness to the splendour of the ducal court in the 14th and 15th centuries. Largoët d’Élven, whose 45-metre keep is the tallest in France, Tonquédec, Rochefort-en-Terre…
The Gulf of Morbihan, an inland sea dotted with islands and megaliths, offers an exceptional setting for exploring this heritage, accessible from Vannes, the historic capital of the Duchy of Brittany.