You may have seen the postcard shots of the Dordogne River Valley. Medieval castles and ancient Troglodyte caves along the glistening Dordogne River. It was these views that I sought when I booked a weekend away in Vézac, the heart of the Valley of the Five Châteaux in the Dordogne. Exceptional Perigordine food, scenery and sights awaited us…
Where to stay in the Valley of Five Châteaux
We chose to stay in Vézac, a small town right in the centre of all the action. You wouldn’t stay there for a lively night life, but you would choose this area for the many hotel and camping options available. Not to mention the proximity to Castelnaud, La Roque Gageac and Beynac-et-Cazenac.
I would recommend the hotel, L’Oustal de Vézac. It is a modern hotel with a good breakfast buffet, clean rooms and good facilities. There is also a pool which is great for the summer months. We enjoyed the friendly owners and the hotels easy access to all the surrounding sights.
The Five Castles Around Vézac
Château de Castelnaud
The Château at Castelnaud was built to face their arch rival, Château de Beynac, across the Dordogne River. This medieval castle was built sometime in the 13th century, and is now privately owned. The castle changed hands many times in its first 300 years of life, and was a ruin by the time the French Revolution came around. You are able to visit and explore this beautiful restored château, the grounds, the ramparts and even the roof ramparts!
Château de Castelnaud also allows well-behaved dogs into the grounds!
Castelnaud offers the most magnificent views of the surrounding valleys. To the north, you can see over the valley towards Castle Beynac, to the east, the Dordogne River, and to the south you can follow the Céou tributary for miles.
Château de Beynac
Beynac is a spectacular hillside town a couple of miles along the road from Vézac. Atop of the hill, high above the Dordogne River, sits the Château de Beynac. Beynac Castle was built in the 12th century, and was held by the french during the 100 years war. Castelnaud across the river was in English hands, so these two castles were opponents for centuries. Château de Beynac is now privately owned, and has been beautifully restored. You can now visit this castle, take tours, and explore the Romanesque additions too.
Château de la Malartrie
The stunning Château de la Malartrie, in La Roque Gageac, isn’t open for tours. But perhaps that makes it even better, because you can actually RENT it! That’s right, for a mere €5000 per week you can hire this entire château. Malartrie Castle can accommodate 14 people, and you can even hire a chef and babysitter to cater to your guests. When you think about it, €360 per person for a week in a château seems like a pretty awesome price, don’t you think?
The town of La Roque Gageac is at your disposal, and is remarkably cute. Replete with Troglodyte caves, restaurants and river tours – it is a gorgeous place to visit, whether you are staying at Château de Malartrie or not.
Château des Milandes
The Château des Milandes was built in the 1400s, and was the manor house for the lords that ruled Castelnaud. It was once owned by famous American / French naturalised singer and dancer, Josephine Baker! She would bring her 12 adopted children down from Paris in the summer and put on lots of events. Unfortunately she lost the castle in 1968 due to unpaid debts, but these days you can tour the house and attend events such as bird displays and seasonal shows.
Chateau de Fayrac
The Château de Fayrac is a private residence, so isn’t available to tour. However, you do get a great view of it from the river road between Castelnaud and Les Milandes. This complex was built from the 13th-16th century, and has remained as a private residence for much of its life.
Other Châteaux & Bastide Towns Nearby
Other châteaux in the Dordogne, not to far from Vézac, are Château de Commarque and Château de Puymartin. I would also recommend a trip to the gorgeous bastide town of Domme. This medieval fortified village is full of beautiful yellow limestone houses, grottos and incredible views. If you are heading further north towards the Haute-Vienne, visit the Château in Jumilhac – its fairytale turrets are quite the site!
Love historic sites? Check out some of my favourites in Nouvelle-Aquitaine!
PIN IT FOR LATER…
All content © Hannah Henderson or listed guest author, and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!).
Ok you’ve inspired me! This place looks like a fairytale dream – and I want to visit ASAP!
It really is the stuff of fairytales!
I have only visited this area once but I actually missed this!! When I return I will absolutely have to go, it sounds awesome!
You really do! It’s so so beautiful around this area – and it’s only 8kms from Sarlat (which has a major train station etc).
Such pretty places! Some of those tables look like a great spot for a glass of wine.
Always!
This looks like such a beautiful place to visit. Your photos are stunning! I would love to visit the Château de Beynac!
Such beautiful photos, I really hope that I can get back to travelling soon as France is so high on my list. Vézac, in particular, sounds absolutely lovely.
You’ll love it down there – and I can’t wait to have wine with you there!
You have once again put a place I had no knowledge of onto my travels list! Thank you 😊 Like your idea of renting Château de la Malartrie- with family & friends- imagine the memories!
Thank you for reading, Cindi! Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have the whole chateau!!