Zoo de la Bourbansais, Zoo in Pleugueneuc, France

Zoo de la Bourbansais is a zoo on about 10 hectares of the Bourbansais castle grounds at Pleugueneuc, in Ille-et-Vilaine. It keeps roughly 400 mammals and birds, with a large primate collection and a falconry section. Two reddish-brown mammals with long, low bodies and a pale band across the shoulders stand on grass in front of large leaves and a grey stone surface.

The grounds were once an aristocratic estate and still contain a castle from the 1500s, now protected as a historic monument. The transformation into a zoo happened in modern times, bringing wildlife conservation to this historic setting.

The estate's name, Bourbansais, is tied to the château built in 1583, which has stayed in the same family since its construction. Falconry displays with trained birds of prey, including Steller's sea eagles and griffon vultures, link the zoo visit to the castle grounds. On Sundays and holidays a pack of more than 50 French tricolour hounds is shown in the castle courtyard, led on horseback.

The park offers guided tours and educational programs for different age groups. Plan for a full visit and find out when the ticket office closes, as it shuts earlier than the park itself.

Since 1967 the estate has bred Français tricolore hounds, with about 20 puppies born each year. On Sundays and holidays a rider leads a pack of more than 50 of these tricolour hounds through the castle courtyard and park, explaining the French tradition of hunting with dogs.