Château de Beynac

Château de Beynac

A fortress on the cliff

In the beautiful Dordogne valley of south-western France, the Château de Beynac clings to the very edge of a high limestone cliff, its honey-coloured walls rising straight from the rock above the slow-moving river far below. The village of Beynac tumbles down the slope beneath it, and from the castle's battlements there is one of the finest views in all the Dordogne — including, across the river, the rival fortress of Castelnaud.

Rivals across the river

Beynac is forever linked to its great rival, Castelnaud, which stands on a cliff on the opposite side of the Dordogne. During the long Hundred Years' War between France and England, the river marked a frontier between the two sides. Beynac was held for the king of France, while Castelnaud, just across the valley, was held for the king of England.

For years the two castles glowered at each other across the water, their soldiers raiding and skirmishing in the lands between. To stand on the walls of Beynac and look across at Castelnaud is to see, at a glance, the front line of a war that lasted more than a hundred years.

A strong and ancient castle

A castle has stood at Beynac since at least the 1100s, and it was one of the strongholds of the powerful barons of the Périgord region. Even Richard the Lionheart is said to have been involved in fighting over Beynac in his day.

The castle is unusually well preserved, with a great square keep, strong walls, a hall where the local barons held their councils, and steep approaches that made it very hard to attack. Walking through its rooms and up to its battlements, visitors get a vivid sense of how a real medieval fortress worked.

A favourite of filmmakers

Because Beynac is so authentic and so beautifully set above the river, it has become a popular location for films set in the Middle Ages. Several well-known historical movies have used its halls, walls and dramatic cliff-top setting, dressing it as a castle of knights and kings. This has brought the fortress to audiences around the world.

A perfect valley

The Dordogne valley around Beynac is one of the most castle-rich regions in all of France, with fortresses dotting the cliffs and beautiful old villages along the river. Beynac itself is officially listed among the "most beautiful villages of France", and a visit combines the drama of the castle with the charm of the village and the loveliness of the valley.

Visiting today

Visitors can climb up through the village to the castle, explore its keep, hall and chambers, and walk the battlements for the breathtaking view over the Dordogne and across to Castelnaud. Boats on the river below offer another way to admire the line of cliff-top castles. Dramatic, authentic and steeped in the rivalry of the Hundred Years' War, Château de Beynac is one of the great fortresses of the Dordogne.