Château de Beynac

Beynac Castle was built in the 12th century by the Barons of Beynac, one of the four baronies of the Périgord, and stands on a limestone cliff above the Dordogne. The oldest part is a Romanesque keep. As the cliff offered natural protection, the defences lie on the plateau: double walls, double ditches and a double barbican. Richard the Lionheart is listed among the lords for 1189–1199. During the Hundred Years War Beynac was French, while Castelnaud on the opposite bank was English.

Inside you can see a 17th-century apartment, a Renaissance fireplace in the States’ Hall and an oratory with 15th-century frescoes. The castle has been a Monument historique since 1944; Lucien Grosso bought it and restored it from 1962. Allow about an hour and a half (as of October 2026). According to Lonely Planet, the battlements offer a fine view along the Dordogne. The interior is rather bare, so an information booklet helps put it in context.