The Beynac entry ticket, reviewed
Straight away: this is a ticket to a different castle. Beynac is the fortress on the opposite bank of the Dordogne, the one Castelnaud was built to face across the river, and it is the one castle interior in this valley anybody can book ahead. Rated 4.4 from 13 ratings, which is a thin base and is stated here rather than dressed up. What the ticket buys is entry, the exhibition on Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the bookshop — about an hour, self-guided, valid one day from first use. And from the Beynac terrace you look straight across at Castelnaud.
Making a day of it?The castle's own ticket is bought at the gate, so what is worth booking ahead is the rest of the day: the river under the walls, the valley from the air, a guided run out from Sarlat, or the rival castle across the water. Every option cancels free up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityWhy a Beynac ticket is on a Castelnaud site
Because of what the platform does and does not sell here. Castelnaud sells its own admission, at the gate and on its own site, every day of the year with no timed slot, and nothing on GetYourGuide includes it. Beynac is the other half of the same story and the only castle interior in this valley that can be fixed in advance. Most people who come to the Dordogne for castles see both, and the honest comparison is that they are two different days out: Beynac is preserved and furnished, with 17th-century apartments, painted ceilings, a 13th-century kitchen and 15th-century frescoes; Castelnaud is a restored ruin with a museum of medieval warfare inside it and siege engines standing on the bastion. The two compared, with the legend taken out.
What the listing itself says
Included, as the listing writes it
- Entry to the Château de Beynac
- The exhibition “Beynac in the time of Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine”
- Access to the castle bookshop
Not included, as the listing writes it
- Food and drink
- Parking
- Entry to the Château de Castelnaud
Three lines in, three out. The exclusion worth reading is the last one: this ticket does not cover entry to Castelnaud, and no listing on the platform does. The inclusion worth reading is the exhibition, which is where Beynac sets out its own connection to Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Castelnaud tariff, printed beside the products.
The route the ticket covers
Beynac-et-Cazenac, on the far bank and downstream -> the barbican and courtyard -> the hall of the guards -> the Salle des États du Périgord -> the oratory -> the 17th-century apartments and kitchens -> the keep and the spur terrace, from which Castelnaud is in view
An unhurried hour, ending on the spur terrace — and that terrace is the reason this listing earns a page on a Castelnaud site. From it you see Castelnaud on its bluff opposite, with Marqueyssac, Fayrac and Lacoste strung along the valley between. It is the best free view of the castle you will spend the rest of your trip inside. What is inside Castelnaud, room by room.
What reviewers found
Thirteen ratings is a thin base, and this page prints it wherever the average appears. Three of the thirteen carry written notes, and they agree.
- Matthieu, France — calls it a site worth discovering for its history, in a beautiful setting. 28 August 2026
- Laurence, France — found it exceptional, and impeccably kept. 7 July 2026
- V., United Kingdom — reports incredible views. 18 July 2026
Laurence, France found it exceptional, and impeccably kept, and Matthieu, France calls it a site worth discovering for its history, in a beautiful setting. The word that recurs is kept rather than restored, which is exactly the useful contrast with Castelnaud across the water: Beynac is furnished rooms, Castelnaud is a fortress rebuilt around a weapons collection. And V., United Kingdom reports incredible views, which is the terrace again. One further rating on this listing was about pricing rather than the visit, and it is not repeated here; the useful answer to that question is the published tariff, and Castelnaud’s own 2026 rates are printed in full on tickets and 2026 prices.
Beynac is closed from January to mid-February, which matters for two reasons: it is the window in which the private tour substitutes Castelnaud, and it is the one stretch of the year when the castle across the river is the only one of the pair you can go inside. Castelnaud opens every day of the year.
Verdict
Book it if you want a castle interior settled in advance, and you are seeing both banks of this river rather than one. It fixes a date, cancels free up to 24 hours before, takes about an hour and puts you on the terrace that looks across at Castelnaud. Go in knowing the base is thirteen ratings, that the castle states it is not suitable for visitors with reduced mobility, and that this is Beynac and not Castelnaud — which sells its own way in, at the gate, on any day of the year. The Castelnaud visit, explained.
Who it suits
- Anyone doing both castles and wanting one of them fixed in advance
- Families: under 10s go free at Beynac
- Dog owners: dogs on a lead are welcome
- Anyone who wants the best long view of Castelnaud there is
Who it does not suit
- Visitors with reduced mobility: the listing says it is not suitable
- Anyone looking for a Castelnaud ticket: this is the other castle
- Anyone visiting between January and mid-February, when Beynac is shut
Other listings to consider
Both castles from the water are the canoe rental and the 15 km route. The village of Beynac with a guide, without the interior, is the half day from Sarlat.
Most reviewsFrom Vitrac: Dordogne River Canoe Rental
15 km routeVitrac: Canoe/Kayak Dordogne Châteaux Route (15 km)
Half dayFrom Sarlat: Beynac & Domme Tour & Dordogne Boat Ride
Frequently asked questions
Is this a ticket for the Château de Castelnaud?
No. It is the entry ticket for the Château de Beynac, the fortress on the opposite bank. What it buys is about an hour inside, the Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine exhibition and the bookshop, on a date fixed in advance. Castelnaud sells its own admission at the gate, every day of the year — the 2026 rates.
Can you see Castelnaud from Beynac?
Yes, and it is the best long view of it there is: the spur terrace at the end of the Beynac route looks straight across at Castelnaud on its bluff, with Marqueyssac, Fayrac and Lacoste along the valley between. How the two castles differ.
Is 4.4 from 13 ratings a problem?
It is a thin base rather than a poor score, and this page states it wherever the average appears. The three written notes agree on the history, the upkeep and the views. The deepest base on this site belongs to the canoe rental, at more than 270 ratings. All six compared.
Should you do both castles in one day?
Many people do; they face each other across the river and each takes about an hour inside. Beynac is furnished and preserved, Castelnaud is a restored fortress with a weapons museum and siege engines on the bastion, so the two hours are not repetitive. How long each one takes.