This heavily fortified castle is found perched 200 meters above the Dordogne River high on a rocky cliff face. For the youngest guests, there is a detective puzzle and fun games to play that take them around the castle learning its history as they go, making it one of the best castles in the Dordogne for the whole family.Ĭhâteau de Beynac is named after the village Begnac, which is hands-down one of the prettiest villages in the Dordogne. While visiting the castle guests can enjoy a guided audio tour and watch an audiovisual documentary on the history of the castle in the projection room. Devastatingly the chateaux was severely destroyed following a fire immediately after the restorations and yet more restorations were undertaken giving you the majestic castle you see today. The castle underwent yet more restorations by Baron and Baroness de Bastard who spent 30 years renovating the castle in the mid-20th century. The renovations removed much of the former defensive fortifications and were carried out by Marquis De Hautefort, mistress to King Louis XIII.

It dates back to the 1100s and the subsequent centuries saw the castle remain a stronghold for royalty throughout the struggles of warfare common in France at that time.īy the 17th century, the castle had transformed into a ‘renaissance palace’. The vast majority of the typical Dordogne castles are an eclectic mix of sturdy fortified walls adorned with dainty Renaissance features.Ĭommonly famed as the most beautiful castle in the region and now listed as a historical monument is the formidable medieval castle, Hauteforte. Protective castles soared like mushrooms, and every strategic viewpoint & crossroad was lined with high-walled castles.Īfter the war these castles lost their defensive purposes and received a thorough make-over, turning them into little Renaissance palaces befitting local nobility. That little piece was Aquitaine, present-day Dordogne and its surroundings. At one point England seized control of a swatch of land within the French territory. The most well-known of which was the 100 Years War between France and England that ripped through the 14th and 15th century. Why are there so many castles in Dordogne you ask? One of the main reasons is the political instability of the region. No really! I was absolutely gobsmacked, especially in and around the Dordogne Valley where castles literally had been built on opposing hills, facing each other. There are few places in the world that are as densely packed with castles as Dordogne.

Chateau dordogne