‘Breton Hogwarts’ chateau rebrands after Warner Bros warning dropped

A chateau in Brittany previously dubbed the ‘Breton Hogwarts’ is operating under a new name of ‘Château des Sorciers’ (‘Wizards’ Castle’), after legal warnings from Warner Bros were dropped.

The Château du Rocher-Portail in Maen-Roch (Ille-et-Vilaine), between Rennes and Mont-Saint-Michel, is home to a wizard-themed immersive experience formerly known as the ‘Nouvelle École des Sorciers’ (‘New School of Wizards’).

Upon its opening in 2022, Warner Bros sent legal correspondence to the chateau’s owners, alleging that the themed attraction too closely mimicked the Harry Potter universe, which the production company owns and licences.

Change of name

Owner Manuel Roussel said the new name marks the evolution of a concept deeply rooted in Breton legends, not the end of a copyright saga.

He confirmed to The Connexion that while Warner Bros sent legal warnings when the attraction adopted its sorcery school theme in 2022, there are no ongoing disputes. 

“When we opened it was very stressful as we were receiving letters from Warner’s lawyers every two weeks,” he recalled. “But there has been no further action. The matter never went to court and it is closed.

“We changed the name for marketing reasons and to highlight that we are located in a listed 16th-century chateau,” he said, adding that the move helps distance the attraction from simple Harry-Potter-style comparisons. 

“The concept works well and visitors understand that it is not a copy-and-paste.”

In a previous 2017 interview with The Connexion, Mr Roussel said he was inspired by the UK’s National Trust in his vision for the castle.

Breton history inspires castle

If anything, he says, the challenge pushed him to double down on his own local, historical inspiration. 

“Although some compare it to the world of Harry Potter, all the stories and adventures featured at the chateau are inspired by the authentic history of the estate and the families who have lived there for 400 years: the coats of arms in the park are the original family emblems, and the characters’ names are inspired by real people (including the name of the school’s headmistress, who was the governess of one of the former barons in the early 20th century).

“Other storylines and characters are created and copyrighted by my wife, Madly,” said Mr Roussel. “Our universe is uniquely rooted in Brittany, the forest of Brocéliande, and Celtic legends.

“Representatives of Warner Bros did indeed raise concerns about what they considered similarities to the works of J.K. Rowling… however, given the historic precedence of the site, as well as the fact that stories of witchcraft and magic pre-date this and have been shared by countless authors for centuries, the matter did not proceed to court.”

Development of the chateau

Mr Roussel, who grew up in Maen-Roch and often told his parents as a child that he would one day buy the chateau, sold all his business shares in environmental and decontamination firms a decade ago to pursue the project. 

When he purchased the estate in 2016 – the first change of ownership since its construction – he undertook major restoration: re-excavating the silted moat, restoring the French gardens, repairing roofs and stonework.

“Opening the chateau to visitors was always the goal, but traditional heritage visits alone could not fund the upkeep,” he said. 

The attraction welcomes guests four times a year during school holidays and invests over €300,000 annually into restoration and upkeep of the château and its treasures. 

“We are preserving the chateau, opening it to the public, and keeping its history and legends alive,” Mr Roussel said.

Plans for the future 

Visitor numbers have surged – from 31,000 in 2023 to 40,000 last year – and Mr Roussel is aiming for 80,000 in the near future. 

“We are still not particularly well known, but the concept works,” he said. “People feel the authenticity.”

To support expansion, a first official boutique selling locally-made magical merchandise has opened in Dinard, and visitors will enjoy a new immersive game, Le pacte des ombres – described as a mix of Cluedo, escape game and treasure hunt.