Beynac entry ticket, reviewed
The only listing on this site that includes admission to the Château de Beynac, rated 4.4 from 13 ratings. Thirteen is a small base, and it is worth knowing why: this is a dated ticket to a castle that opens every day of the year and takes individuals without a reservation, so the people who rate it are the ones who chose to fix the date in advance. What the ticket buys is the visit itself — about an hour, at your own pace, with the audio commentary on your own phone — plus the exhibition on Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before the date you pick.
Arriving without a car?Every car park in the village is paid, all year, and the top one fills first in summer. A half-day tour from Sarlat drops you in the village and takes you on to Domme and the river; every option cancels free up to 24 hours before.
Check availabilityWhat 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 in the village
- Guided tour (a supplement paid at the castle)
Three lines in and three out, and the first line in is what separates this listing from the other four: entry to the castle. The exhibition is the second, and it is the one place on the site where the Richard the Lionheart connection is set out by the castle itself; the honest version of that story is that Richard never built Beynac and no source has him living in it, which the page on Richard goes through in full. On the exclusions: parking in the village is yours to pay, every day of the year, and a guided tour is a supplement settled at the castle rather than online. The audio commentary downloads to your own phone at the entrance in several languages, so a flat battery means no commentary and there is no device to hire instead. The castle’s own 2026 rates, beside the products.
The route the ticket covers
Place du château, Beynac-et-Cazenac -> barbican and courtyard -> hall of the guards -> Salle des États du Périgord -> oratory with its 15th-century frescoes -> 17th-century apartments and kitchens -> the keep and the spur terrace over the valley
That is roughly an hour at an unhurried pace: the barbican and the courtyard, the hall of the guards, the Salle des États du Périgord where the four barons of Périgord met in the 15th century, the oratory with its frescoes, the 17th-century apartments with their painted ceilings, the 13th-century kitchen with its bread oven, and the spur terrace, from which you can see five castles at once. Room by room, in order, and how the hour fits a half day.
What reviewers found
The written reviews under this listing are short and consistent: the site, the upkeep, the explanations and the view.
- Matthieu, France — calls it a site to discover for its history, in magnificent surroundings. 28 August 2026
- Laurence, France — found the site exceptional and impeccably kept, and the explanations of how the castle grew over the centuries clear. 7 July 2026
- V., United Kingdom — reports incredible views and a good experience for everyone in the party. 18 July 2026
Matthieu, France wrote the sentence that covers the rest of them: “a site to discover for its history, in magnificent surroundings” The word that recurs is kept rather than restored, which is the useful thing to know before you go: Beynac is not a ruin with a walkway through it. The rooms are furnished, the ceilings are painted and the kitchen is still a kitchen. The other recurring note is the view, and V., United Kingdom puts it as plainly as anyone. Is the hour inside worth it?.
One further rating on this listing, from August 2026, was about pricing rather than the visit. This site answers that the only way it can be answered honestly: by printing the castle’s own 2026 tariff next to the online products on tickets and prices, so the comparison is in front of you rather than in a review.
The castle states it is not suitable for visitors with reduced mobility: many steps, uneven floors and a spiral stair. If the climb rather than the stairs is the question, the lane from the river is 150 metres of ascent and the upper car park is a one to two minute walk from the entrance. The walk up, in detail.
Verdict
Book it if you are driving to Beynac on a date you already know and you want the castle itself rather than a tour of the valley. Booking ahead fixes that date, cancels free up to 24 hours before, and leaves nothing to arrange when you arrive. The rating is 4.4 from 13 ratings, which is a smaller claim than the ones further down this site, and the written reviews are unanimous about the state of the place. If you have no car, the half-day tour from Sarlat solves that but walks the village instead of entering the castle, and the private tour is the one that takes you inside with a guide.
Who it suits
- Drivers with a fixed date who want the castle and nothing else
- Anyone who would rather have the visit settled before the day
- Families: under 10s go free at the castle and there is a games booklet
- Dog owners: dogs on a lead are welcome inside
Who it does not suit
- Visitors with reduced mobility: many steps, uneven floors, a spiral stair
- Anyone without a car: nothing here solves the drive or the paid parking
- Anyone who wants a guide in the rooms: that is the private tour
Other tours to consider
The village, a gabarre and Domme with a guide, without the castle interior, is the half-day tour from Sarlat. A guided hour in the rooms with a private vehicle is the private tour. The cliff from the water is the canoe rental.
Half dayFrom Sarlat: Beynac & Domme Tour & Dordogne Boat Ride
Private guideSarlat: Private Tour to the Dordogne Valley
Most reviewsFrom Vitrac: Dordogne River Canoe Rental
Frequently asked questions
Does this ticket include entry to the Château de Beynac?
Yes, and it is the only listing on this site that does. The inclusion list carries entry to the castle, the exhibition on Richard the Lionheart and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the bookshop. The half-day tour walks the village instead; the private tour includes a guided hour inside with admission paid on the day.
How long does the visit take?
About an hour. The castle’s own account says a good hour at most, and the ticket is valid one day from first use, so there is no slot to hit. Add the walk up from the river and the village itself and you have a half day. How long to allow.
Is the rating of 4.4 from 13 ratings a problem?
It is a small base rather than a bad score, and this page prints the base wherever the average appears. The written reviews are consistent about the state of the castle and the views. What the booking buys is a fixed date and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Is the visit worth it?
How does the audio commentary work?
It is downloaded to your own phone at the entrance, in several languages, and is part of the ticket. There is no device to collect and no deposit, so arrive with a charged battery and headphones if you want to hear it in a busy room. What the commentary covers.