Chateau Beynac

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 19:49:41 +0000

The castle was built from the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley. The sheer cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side, the defences were built up on the plateau: double crenellated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican.
The oldest part of the castle is a large, square-shaped, Romanesque keep with vertical sides and few openings, held together with attached watch towers and equipped with a narrow spiral staircase terminating on a crenellated terrace. To one side, a residence of the same period is attached; it was remodelled and enlarged in the 16th and 17th centuries. On the other side is a partly 14th century residence side-by-side with a courtyard and a square plan staircase serving the 17th century apartments. The apartments have kept their woodwork and a painted ceiling from the 17th century. The Salle des États (States’ Hall) has a Renaissance sculptured fireplace and leads into a small oratory entirely covered with 15th century frescoes, included a Pietà, a Saint Christopher, and a Last Supper in which Saint Martial (first bishop of Limoges) is the maître d’hôtel.

At the time of the Hundred Years’ War, the fortress at Beynac was in French hands. The Dordogne was the border between France and England. Not far away, on the opposite bank of the river, the Château de Castelnaud was held by the English. The Dordogne region was the theatre of numerous struggles for influence, rivalries and occasionally battles between the English and French supporters. However, the castles fell more often through ruse and intrigue rather than by direct assault, because the armies needed to take these castles were extremely costly: only the richest nobles and kings could procure them.

The castle was bought in 1962 by Lucien Grosso who has lovingly restored it.

Madeleine

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 18:16:54 +0000

Why did men settle on the banks of the Vezere for over 400, 000 years?
First of all for the quality of life. But also because nature always provided food and shelter.
Under the effect of erosion, the limestone cliffs hollowed out. These shelters were used by all the men who followed one another through the Aquitaine. Prehistoric man found there an easy natural dwelling place and in medieval times, fortresses and villages were built there.
At the bottom of the well-positioned cliff along the Vezere River(South, Southwest) groups of hunters settled under a rock shelter. The community grew and was continnously inhabited until the end of the ice era, 10,000 years ago.

The Madeleine and lots more can be seen on Walking Dordogne’s ” Canoe & Hike the Vezere” trip and

The Vezere Valley» Vezere Valley Dordogne France

Chateau Beynac

Madeleine