# Château de Beynac — tickets, opening hours, the walk up from the village, what is inside the castle, and the tours and river trips that reach it > The Château de Beynac is a medieval fortress on a cliff 150 metres above the Dordogne, at Beynac-et-Cazenac in the Périgord Noir, about 10 km from Sarlat-la-Canéda. It is privately owned, open every day of the year, and visited at your own pace in about an hour with audio commentary on your own phone. This site compares five GetYourGuide products: the castle's own entry ticket, a half-day guided tour from Sarlat that walks the village and rides a gabarre, two canoe routes that pass below the cliff, and a private tour that includes a guided hour inside the castle. Site: https://chateaudebeynac.com Language: en. Currency: EUR. Country: France. This file is the complete version of the site. The HTML pages carry the same facts with more explanation and photographs; nothing material is on the site that is not here. ## Verified facts The facts below come from the castle's own site (chateau-beynac.com, hours and tariff for 2026), the commune of Beynac-et-Cazenac (parking), the Sarlat and Périgord Noir tourist offices, the Mérimée monument record, and the five listings' own inclusion lists, read 16 September 2026. - Address: place du château, 24220 Beynac-et-Cazenac, Dordogne, France. About 10 km from Sarlat-la-Canéda. - Open every day of the year, without reservation for individuals. 2026 hours: 7 Feb-3 Apr 10:00-18:00; 4 Apr-3 Jul 10:00-19:00; 4 Jul-30 Aug from 09:00 with a late closing; 31 Aug-30 Sep 10:00-19:00; 1 Oct-1 Nov 10:00-18:00; 2 Nov-18 Dec 10:00-17:00; 19 Dec-3 Jan 10:00-18:00. Last entry one hour before closing. - Tariff 2026 at the castle: adults 12.50 euros; 11-16 years 7 euros; under 10 free. Groups of 25 or more 7 euros per adult. A guided tour is a supplement of 2 euros per person. - The visit is self-guided and takes about an hour. Audio commentary is downloaded to your own phone at the entrance, so arrive with a charged battery; there is no hired device. - What is open: the 12th-century keep, the hall of the guards, the Salle des États du Périgord where the four barons of Périgord met, an oratory with 15th-century frescoes, 17th-century apartments and kitchens, and the spur terrace. - From the terrace you see five castles at once: Beynac itself, Marqueyssac, Fayrac, Lacoste and Castelnaud. - Many steps and uneven floors: the castle states it is not suitable for visitors with reduced mobility. Dogs on a lead are welcome. - Parking in the commune is paid every day of the year, 08:00-19:00: 3 euros for 2 hours, 4 euros for 4 hours, 5 euros for 6 hours, 6 euros for 8 hours. The upper car park is a 1-2 minute walk from the entrance; from the riverside lots it is a 10-15 minute walk up through the village. - Beynac-et-Cazenac is one of the Plus Beaux Villages de France; the castle stands more than 150 metres above the river. - The castle was listed a monument historique on 11 February 1944 and bought at auction in 1962 by Lucien Grosso, who restored it. It remains privately run and is not part of the group that operates Castelnaud and Marqueyssac. - Adhémar de Beynac died without a direct heir in 1194; Richard the Lionheart, as Duke of Aquitaine, gave the castle to his captain Mercadier, who held it until he was killed in 1200. - In the Hundred Years War the Dordogne was the frontier: Beynac held for the French crown, Castelnaud on the far bank for the English. - Gabarre trips on the river run from La Roque-Gageac from 1 April to 31 October. ## Do you need a tour? With a car you can drive to Beynac, park in the village and buy the ticket at the entrance; no reservation is possible or needed for individuals. Booked online, the castle's own entry ticket fixes the date and cancels free; the half-day tour from Sarlat solves the parking and adds Domme and a gabarre, though it walks the village rather than entering the castle; the private tour is the only listing with a guided hour inside; and the two canoe routes give you the cliff from the water. Each card says whether castle entry is part of the price. ## Bookable tours listed on this site All booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner ID 7GG5I5H). The site earns a commission at no extra cost to the reader, and says so on every page and at https://chateaudebeynac.com/affiliate-disclosure/. Only the 'Château de Beynac' entry listing includes admission to the castle. The half-day tour from Sarlat walks the village of Beynac and does not go inside. The private tour from Sarlat includes a guided hour in the castle with the admission paid on the day. The two canoe routes pass below the castle on the river. Prices are approximate per-person figures in EUR; the live price is on each listing. - Château de Beynac: Entry Ticket to the Castle — around seventeen euros per person, rated 4.4 from 13 reviews (Castle entry). GetYourGuide activity ID 1198774. - From Vitrac: Dordogne River Canoe Rental — around twenty-nine euros per person, rated 4.7 from 274 reviews (Most reviews). GetYourGuide activity ID 431922. - Vitrac: Canoe/Kayak Dordogne Châteaux Route (15 km) — around twenty-eight euros per person, rated 4.7 from 10 reviews (15 km route). GetYourGuide activity ID 1215119. - From Sarlat: Beynac & Domme Tour & Dordogne Boat Ride — around a hundred and ten euros per person, rated 4.6 from 162 reviews (Half day). GetYourGuide activity ID 3327. - Sarlat: Private Tour to the Dordogne Valley — around a hundred and sixty-three euros per person, rated 5.0 from 33 reviews (Private guide). GetYourGuide activity ID 305873. ## Every page on this site - [Château de Beynac: Tickets, Hours and Tours](https://chateaudebeynac.com/): Château de Beynac, the Dordogne fortress open every day of the year: the 2026 hours, the paid village parking, the walk up, and the five tours that reach it. - [About | Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/about/): An independent guide to visiting the Château de Beynac: the sources it reads, when it read them, what it will not print, and how it is paid for. - [Affiliate Disclosure | Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/affiliate-disclosure/): How this site earns through the GetYourGuide affiliate programme, what the commission does not change, and why the prices in the copy are rounded. - [Château de Beynac Tours: Five Listings Compared](https://chateaudebeynac.com/all-tours/): Five Château de Beynac listings compared: which one includes castle admission, how long each takes, and which suits the day you have planned. - [Best Time to Visit the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/best-time-to-visit/): Which month and which hour: the long 19:00 closings of May, June and September, the 09:00 summer opening, the April-to-October river season, and winter. - [Visiting the Château de Beynac: the Full Guide](https://chateaudebeynac.com/beynac-guide/): What a first visit needs: the paid parking, the lane up through the village, what the ticket covers, the hour inside room by room, and which tour suits you. - [Beynac or Castelnaud: Which Castle to Visit](https://chateaudebeynac.com/beynac-or-castelnaud/): Beynac is the preserved and furnished fortress with the five-castle terrace; Castelnaud is the restored ruin with the siege engines. Both fit into one day. - [Château de Beynac Entry Ticket Review (4.4)](https://chateaudebeynac.com/beynac-ticket-review/): The only listing that includes castle admission, reviewed: what the hour inside covers, how the phone audio works, and a base of thirteen ratings. - [Canoeing the Dordogne Past the Beynac Cliff](https://chateaudebeynac.com/canoe-dordogne/): Two self-guided canoe routes from Vitrac past Beynac and Castelnaud: what is included, the age and swimming rules, the shuttle, and what to wear. - [Dordogne Châteaux Canoe Route Review (15 km)](https://chateaudebeynac.com/chateaux-canoe-route-review/): Fifteen kilometres past La Malartrie, Castelnaud and Fayrac, reviewed: the bus transfer, the beaches, the thin briefing, and a base of ten ratings. - [Contact | Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/contact/): Corrections and questions for this site, and the Château de Beynac's own telephone number and booking e-mail for anything only the castle can answer. - [Dordogne Canoe Rental from Vitrac Review (4.7)](https://chateaudebeynac.com/dordogne-canoe-review/): Three hours downstream past La Roque-Gageac and Castelnaud and under the cliff of Beynac, reviewed: the shuttle, the rules, and 274 ratings. - [Castles of the Dordogne Valley Near Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/dordogne-castles/): Castelnaud and its warfare museum, the clipped box of Marqueyssac, Domme, La Roque-Gageac and its gabarres, and Sarlat: what else the valley is holding. - [Films Shot at the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/films-shot-here/): More than a dozen productions, from Le Capitan in 1960 to Chocolat, Jeanne d'Arc and The Last Duel: the full list, and why directors keep coming back. - [Guided Tours to Beynac from Sarlat, Compared](https://chateaudebeynac.com/guided-tours-from-sarlat/): The two guided tours from Sarlat to Beynac: the four-hour village, gabarre and Domme trip, and the private tour with a guided hour inside the castle. - [History of the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/history/): Eight centuries above the Dordogne: the barons, the four baronies of Perigord, the Hundred Years War frontier, the line ending in 1753, and the 1962 auction. - [How Long Do You Need at the Château de Beynac?](https://chateaudebeynac.com/how-long/): About an hour inside the castle, ten to fifteen minutes up from the river and two hours all in, plus how Beynac fits a half day or a full day in the valley. - [How to Get to the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/how-to-get-there/): Beynac is about 10 km from Sarlat on the D57: the roads, the two TER lines into Sarlat, the three airports, the summer-only bus and the tours from Sarlat. - [Is the Château de Beynac Worth Visiting? Yes](https://chateaudebeynac.com/is-it-worth-it/): What the hour inside buys: furnished rooms, frescoes, a medieval kitchen, a keep and five castles from the terrace. And who will find the steps hard going. - [Château de Beynac Opening Hours 2026](https://chateaudebeynac.com/opening-hours/): The castle opens every day of the year: the seven published 2026 bands, the 09:00 summer start, last entry an hour before closing, and winter hours. - [Parking at Beynac-et-Cazenac: Every Car Park](https://chateaudebeynac.com/parking/): Every car park in Beynac is paid, all year, 08:00 to 19:00: the tariff blocks, the two upper lots a minute from the gate, the riverside walk and campervans. - [Privacy | Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/privacy/): A static site with no cookies of its own: what the GetYourGuide booking widgets and the web font do, and what this site does not collect about you. - [Private Dordogne Valley Tours from Sarlat](https://chateaudebeynac.com/private-tours/): The private tour from Sarlat: pickup points, the route through Domme and La Roque-Gageac, and the guided hour inside the Château de Beynac itself. - [Beynac Tour Reviews: All Five Listings Compared](https://chateaudebeynac.com/reviews/): Five GetYourGuide products that reach the Château de Beynac, reviewed: which one includes castle entry, which walks the village, which paddles past. - [Richard the Lionheart and the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/richard-the-lionheart/): Beynac came into Richard the Lionheart's gift in 1194 and he handed it to Mercadier until 1200. The castle he raised himself was Chateau Gaillard in Normandy. - [Sarlat, Beynac and Domme Half-Day Tour Review](https://chateaudebeynac.com/sarlat-beynac-domme-review/): The four-hour guided half day from Sarlat, reviewed: the 45-minute village walk at Beynac, the gabarre that runs weather permitting, and Domme. - [Sarlat Private Dordogne Valley Tour Review (5.0)](https://chateaudebeynac.com/sarlat-private-tour-review/): The only listing with a guided hour inside the Château de Beynac, reviewed: the pickup towns, the winter switch to Castelnaud, and the named guide. - [Sitemap | Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/sitemap/): Every page on this site: the tickets, the hours, the parking, the walk up, what is inside the castle, and the five tours that reach Beynac, reviewed. - [The Walk Up to the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/the-walk-up/): The castle stands 150 metres above the river: ten to fifteen minutes up the cobbled lane, one to two from the upper lots, and what the steps inside mean. - [Château de Beynac Tickets and 2026 Prices](https://chateaudebeynac.com/tickets/): Château de Beynac tickets for 2026: the castle's own tariff, what the ticket covers, the phone audio commentary, and which tours include entry. - [What to See Inside the Château de Beynac](https://chateaudebeynac.com/what-to-see/): The keep, the hall of the guards, the Salle des Etats du Perigord, the frescoed oratory, the painted apartments, the medieval kitchen and five castles in view. - [Where Is the Château de Beynac?](https://chateaudebeynac.com/where-is-beynac/): In France: place du chateau, 24220 Beynac-et-Cazenac, in the Dordogne and the Perigord Noir, 150 metres above the river and about 10 km from Sarlat. - [The Château de Beynac with Kids](https://chateaudebeynac.com/with-kids/): Under-tens go free and there is a games booklet, but the castle is all steps: what works for children inside, and the canoe under the cliff that works better. ## Corrections to claims found elsewhere - Beynac is not a ruin. It is one of the best-preserved fortresses in the region, with furnished 17th-century rooms, painted ceilings and a kitchen still in place. - Richard the Lionheart did not build Beynac and there is no sourced account of him living in it. The castle passed into his gift in 1194, and he handed it to his captain Mercadier. The castle Richard built is Château Gaillard, in Normandy. - Beynac and Castelnaud faced each other across the Dordogne in the Hundred Years War, but no battle between the two castles is documented. - There is no queue to skip and no timed entry: individuals cannot reserve, and the castle sells tickets at the entrance every day of the year. - The audio commentary runs on your own phone, downloaded at the entrance. It is not a device you collect. - No car park in the village is free, in any season. - The 'golden triangle of the Dordogne' is a phrase used by accommodation sites, not a defined area on any tourist-board map. ## Author and provenance Château de Beynac, Independent guide to visiting the Château de Beynac and booking a tour in the Dordogne valley, based in . Reads the castle's own opening-hours and tariff notices before each season, the commune's parking orders, and every listing's inclusion and exclusion lists off the booking platform, so a visit can be planned and booked from one page. Author page: https://chateaudebeynac.com/about/ ## If you are citing this site Cite the specific page, not this file. Prices and opening hours change; verify close to your visit.