Château de Beynac

I had an amazing time at this castle. It felt like walking into the past. The staff were friendly at the gate, and there was a very informative audio tour that made it even more enjoyable, put the headphones in, and was immersed in history. It was hard to believe that I was in such a historic place. I felt like I would run into King Richard "The Lion Heart" at any moment. It has stunning views and very beautiful rooms that I felt like I was looking into the past.
I will say there is a steep walk from town, so be aware it is obviously on top of a cliff, so just be aware of that. Unforgettable

Definitely worth a visit. Very dog friendly (all the way round, the village, inside the castle and in the grounds - even sitting in the restaurant nearby). We visited on a cloudy day in May but you wouldnt notice as there's so much to see. Key tip is dont panic about parking at the bottom as there's two good size car parks if you go up the hill (it looks like you're heading into narrow streets through the village). There's also a smaller car park at the top, which on the day we visited was half empty. Unless you park at the top there's a bit of a step climb to get up to the Chateau. The entry fee for adults is 11.5 euros each. Very worth it. The chateau dates back to 1100 (ish) and was the main residence for Eleanor of Aquitaine (Queen of France - and then Queen of England!) Also mother of Richard the LionHeart, who also lived at the Chateau for periods of his life.

Absolutely the highlight of my trip to the Dordogne region! The hike to the castle made me understand why the medieval people lived to the average age of 45. I contemplated throwing myself off the wall half way up. Im glad I didn't! So worth it!! Amazing history! Beautiful views! Stunning! A must see.

Off season visit, castle was closed however it’s worth going up. The view is excellent. Makes sure you have good legs… it’s quite a good walk up to the top. Also be careful on the way down, it’s steep.

I think one of the best castles to visit in the Dordogne!

Remember there is a parking lot at the top, almost at the enterance!

Very enjoyable walk up a steep hill with lovely early century places, you can drive if you want to, at the top apart from the Chateau is a couple of bars and shop. Really lovely views.

A great climb we'll worth the effort for the view

Well worth a visit. All guides and the audio tour are available in English. If you're a history buff you'll enjoy learning about the castles story and if not, there are amazing views of the Dordogne to enjoy!

A beautiful castle, inside and out, with lots to explore. Good value tickets. We thought the views were good from the base of the castle when we first entered, but they were truly stunning from the top. Our only disappointment was that the shops we had hoped to visit on our way our were closed by the time we left, but that's our own fault for not checking.

Beautiful place along the Dordonne. You can walk along the river or take a boat ride. It's quite a steep hike up to the top but you can also drive up and park behind the Chateau. You have beautiful panoramic view of the river and valley and other Chateaux across the river. With lunch on the terrace of a local restaurant it was a perfect day.

What a great castle, superb location and views. Richard the lion heart lived here, his bedroom still intact.

Very impressive and well worth the 9.5 euros admissions fee.
How industrious our ancestors where!
There are bars, cafes and shops at the top.
30 minutes walk up, but very rewarding.

Phenomenal little town/village. We visited on the hottest day of the year, the castle was surprisingly cool and spacious. Beautiful walk up to the castle, so picturesque we thought it was directly out of a movie set! A quick dive in the river afterwards with the locals to cool us down. Cannot recommend this place highly enough! Bring water for the walk up (so worth it though!)

Although it seems there is a chateau around every corner in this region we found this chateau to be something special. As part of our entrance fee we were given personal audio devices that not only have information on each room but also additional background information if one choose to listen that I found provided helpful additional context. The castle itself not only was in an impressive location high up the cliff above the river but inside one got a good sense of the additions over time as times changed and needs changed. As an aside it seems that every place we go in this region, King Richard the lionheart has been there before us and this castle was no exception. Well worth the visit!

Even the walk up was wonderful. Spectacular place.

Didn’t go INTO the chateaux, but walked all the way around it and up to the top of the hill in the village. Tough walk in the sun, definitely want to be wearing appropriate footwear, but we’ll worth it when at the top. Bring cash as most places prefer that, but there are a lot of small trinket shops and a few places to buy a drink or some food. Chateaux itself was wonderful to observe from the outside, the only reason we didn’t visit inside was due to a lack of cash, as mentioned above. Wonderful views over the Dordogne too!

Amazingly middle age castle, restored, but offering an incredible view on the river Dordogne.

The castle also host the room of Richard the Lionheart

A stunning 1000 year old castle smack dab in the middle of the 100 years war. Looking down on the Dordogne River, and across the fields, with several other castles in view, this historically significant castle is not one to miss. Surely you know of Eleanore of Aquitaine, King Richard and the rest of her royal family, they all lived here.

Favorite Castle in the area. Authentic with interesting audio guide. Worth the walk up from Beynac-et-Cazenac but can be driven. Fantastic views over the valley and the Dordogne river.

A must see!! This is a beautiful castle that has all the trappings of a defensive, Mediaeval castle plus a few extras to make it a fairy-tale castle: keep, great hall, drawbridge, portcullis, hot oil chutes, mullions, crenellations, garderobes, etc., etc. Great interpretation in English allowing you to roam around as you wish. Spectacular views up and down the Dordogne Valley from the top. We’ve been to a lot of castles across Europe and really love this one. Did I mention the views?!?