France Guide
The Limousin, Dordogne and Lot
Beynac-et-Cazenac
Clearly visible on an impregnable cliff on the north bank of the river, the eye-catching village and castle of BEYNAC-ET-CAZENAC was built in the days when the river was the only route open to traders and invaders. By road, it's 3km to the château (daily: 10am–6pm; €7) but a steep lane leads up through the village and takes only 15 minutes by foot. It's protected on the landward side by a double wall; elsewhere the sheer drop of almost two hundred metres does the job. The flat terrace at the base of the keep, which was added by the English, conceals the remains of the houses where the beleaguered villagers lived. Richard the Lionheart held the place for a time, until a gangrenous wound received while besieging the castle of Châlus, north of Périgueux ended his term of blood-letting.
Originally, to facilitate defence, the rooms inside the keep were only connected by a narrow spiral staircase. The division of domestic space into dining rooms and so forth only came about when the advent of artillery made these old châteaux-forts militarily obsolete. From the roof there's a stupendous – and vertiginous – view upriver to the Château de Marqueyssac, whose beautiful seventeenth- and nineteenth-century gardens extend along the ridge (same hours as Castelnaud; €7, or €13 for a joint ticket with Castelnaud).
For a different perspective of these châteaux, it's worth taking a river cruise with Gabarres de Beynac (April– Oct daily 10am–12.30pm & 2–6pm; €7.50; 
www.gabarre-beynac.com ) on a replica gabarre, the traditional wooden river-craft. This is also classic canoeing country, with rental available from Copeyre Canoë ( 
05.53.28.95.01, www.canoe-copeyre.com ), amongst numerous outlets along this stretch of river.
The best of Beynac's hotels is the Hôtel du Château ( 05.53.29.19.20, www.hotelduchateau-dordogne.com ; Price: €51-65; closed Dec to mid-Jan), with fresh, bright rooms, a small swimming pool and a good restaurant (menus from €16) with a terrace overlooking the river; though it's on the busy main road, rooms are double-glazed and some have air-conditioning. A little further east there's also a campsite, Le Capeyrou ( 05.53.29.54.95, www.campinglecapeyrou.com ; April– Sept).