The Château de Beynac perches on a sheer cliff 150 metres above the Dordogne, about 12 kilometres west of Sarlat. The medieval fortress, built from the 12th century onward and expanded during the Hundred Years War, is the most dramatically sited of all the Dordogne châteaux — the view from the battlements takes in several kilometres of the river valley, other clifftop villages, and the rival Château de Castelnaud on the opposite bank.
The interior has been partially restored and contains period furniture, weapons, and architectural features. The rampart walk is the highlight. Allow 90 minutes for the château and the village of Beynac below it, which has good restaurants and is worth a lunch stop.