France · Restored
Château de Beynac
The Château de Beynac is a medieval castle in Beynac-et-Cazenac, Dordogne, France, built on a prominent limestone cliff overlooking the Dordogne river. The complex combines a large square Romanesque keep, curtain walls and later residential wings; it has been preserved and restored and is a well-known historic monument.
First raised
1200
Its prime
1650
Today
Restored
As it stood in 1650
The shape it held in its prime.
Perched directly on a sheer pale-yellow limestone cliff, the château presents a compact mass of stone: a large square Romanesque keep with vertical, sparsely pierced walls and a crenellated terrace, attached smaller watch-towers, and successive crenellated curtain walls stepping down the rock. To one side are steep-pitched roofs and rectangular residential ranges with mullioned windows and a round corner turret; a steep gabled chapel roof sits lower on the cliff. The stone is warm, locally quarried limestone; terraces and defensive walls cling to the cliff face.
Its story
The story of Château de Beynac.
The barons of Beynac — one of the four baronies of Périgord — built the castle in the 12th century to close the Dordogne valley. With the sheer cliff face enough to discourage assault from the river, the defences went up on the plateau side: double crenellated walls, double moats (one a deepened natural ravine) and a double barbican, around a square Romanesque keep with attached watch towers and a narrow spiral staircase.
The roll of barons runs from Maynard de Beynac in the early 12th century down through fifteen generations, and even includes Richard Cœur de Lion, King of England (1189–1199). During the Hundred Years' War the English held the Château de Castelnaud on the opposite bank of the river. The de Beynac male line ended in 1753 with Pierre, last marquis of Beynac.
The residence beside the keep was remodelled and enlarged in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the apartments keep their original woodwork. One of the best preserved castles in the region, Beynac has become a regular film set, appearing in Ever After, The Messenger, Chocolat, Fanfan la Tulipe and Ridley Scott's The Last Duel.
Step inside
10 places to explore in 1650.
The record describes 10 distinct spots at Château de Beynac — including 5 interiors: spiral staircase rising to the keep terrace, residence wing with 17th-century apartments, salle des états (states' hall) and more. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and walk through every one — more scenes means more photos, more angles and more rooms of the immersive experience.
Create History
Recreate Château de Beynac with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1650 — a photoreal walk that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
Recreate Castle to Explore →Whose castle
Clans who held Château de Beynac.
The families that held Château de Beynac for a decade or more across its history — follow a name to its clan.
Beynac
Built and held by the barons de Beynac from the 12th century until the male line died out in 1753 with Pierre, last marquis of Beynac.
