Rated a dap day by all the walk between the Châteaux of Beynac, Marqueyssac and Castelnaud was a highlight of the trip so far. Just brealing out of the river mist as we arrived the castle at Beynac is spectacularly sited above the river Dordogne. After an introduction about the 100 years’ war we headed inside to admire the C12 masonry and the vertiginous views. After our tour and climb up to the top of the ramparts we started our walk which led us down to the flat lands near the river before making our way up again and into the delightful C19 gardens of Marqueyssac. The topiary box hedges gave way to a herb bordered walk with views out across the river. We then took an unusual route out of the gardens through an unguarded woodland area which bordered a lane along which we walked to lunch.
The afternoon walk descended to La Roque Gageac – an impossibly pretty village – and from here we drove to the castle of Castlenaud, an adventure playground for boys of all ages full of armaments and videos describing how to hurl stone balls at a castle and breach the walls.
We returned to a dinner of wild mushrooms and partridge…..
From Jim’s journal:
We learn this morning that Cal beat UCLA convincingly—Jim wins the pool and is rewarded with bird songs. This is a day to visit grand castles, including two fortified castles across from each other on opposite sides of the Dordogne River. After breakfast at the hotel (which included a dish that some thought was tapioca and others rice pudding) we drive to our starting point and hike to the Chateau de Beynac on the north side of the river near La Roque Gageac. This castle was one of the principal power centers and a fierce rival of the Castlenaud la Chapelle across the river. Owned by the Barons of Beynac, the castle remained in French hands for the entirety of the Hundred Years War (1337 – 1453). It is the epitome of a fortified castle, with its straight and high walls and slotted windows for the archers or for throwing projectiles at the enemy. Wooden pikes added recently to the exterior walls enhance the feeling that the castle is impenetrable. They have also contributed to the site’s being selected as the site of many movies including a Monty Python movie. From here we hike to the Chateau de Marqueyssac, boasting some of the most splendid gardens in the Dordogne, planted in the 17th and 19th Centuries. There are 22 hectares of gardens, six kilometers of paths, and numerous panoramic viewpoints, rockeries and waterfalls surrounding the 18th Century chateau. The topiaries go on and on, consisting of over 150,000 hand-trimmed boxes. After sneaking out the rear of the gardens, we hike to the village of La Roque Gageac where we picnic in an open field—lowlight of the day being the substitution of “fruited bread” for the wonderful tarts available at most other lunches. After lunch, we cross the river to the south side of the Dordogne where stands the Chateau de Castlenaud la Chapelle. Castlnaud la Chapelle was originally built in the 11th Century, burned down in the 12th Century, and rebuilt in the 13th Century. During the Hundred Years War, the castle exchanged hands between the French and English no fewer than 7 time, finally becoming French in 1442 when the French captured it permanently after a three week siege ordered by France’s King Charles VII. The Caumont family, who inherited the castle following the marriage of Magne de Castelnaud to Monpar de Caumont, continued to reinforce the Chateau, completing the mighty artillery tower in 1520. The family eventually converted to Protestantism and protected the castle against catholic invasions during the Wars of Religion (1562 – 1598). After the French Revolution of 1789, the Castle was neglected and became used as a quarry for the construction of local buildings. It was later rebuilt to reflect its earlier glory. Today the artillery tower houses a remarkable museum of armor and weaponry from these early periods—including a wide array of swords, pikes, early guns and cannon and ”trebuchet,” a powerful machine used up to the 16th Century to hurl stone balls at the castle walls in an attempt to cause a breach. Despite their nearness to each other, occupants of the competing Beynac and Castlenaud castles never directly confronted each other—their respective fortresses (Beynac and Castlenaud) being impenetrable by the weapons then available. Rumor has it, however, that the French and English frequently stood on their respective sides of the Dordogne and hurled insults at each other. We return to our hotel where the plan is to have a free night at a restaurant of our choice in Les Eyzies. Peter one-ups us by making a reservation for the entire group at a lovely restaurant adjacent to our hotel—the Moulin de la Beune—another old converted mill, where we have a wonderful dinner in the style of those at our hotels. The hike this day covers 6 miles.
