The Château de Beynac with kids
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 availabilityThe castle half
Children under ten are admitted free by the castle and a games booklet is available for the visit, which gives a child something to do through the hour while the adults listen to the commentary. The rooms that land are the thirteenth-century kitchen, with its bread oven and the hooks that kept food away from the rats, the keep, and the spur terrace where five castles are in sight at once. What does not work is wheels: the floors are original and uneven, the stairs are many, and a spiral stair is part of the route. Dogs on a lead are welcome. Room by room.
The river half
The canoe rental from Vitrac is three hours on the Dordogne past La Roque-Gageac and Castelnaud and under the cliff of Beynac, with the shuttle back to base included and dogs allowed on board. Paddlers must be at least five and able to swim twenty-five metres, and shoes are required rather than sandals. The shorter fifteen-kilometre route takes about two and a half hours. Across the river, Castelnaud is the castle with the full-scale siege engines, which is the other thing children ask for. Which of the two suits your group.
Book the canoe from Vitrac
Three hours on the Dordogne, canoe or kayak, life jackets, the shuttle back and dogs welcome on board, passing under the cliff of Beynac. From around twenty-nine euros, free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Château de Beynac good for kids?
For children who can walk and climb, yes: under-tens are free, there is a games booklet at the desk, and the kitchen, the keep and the five-castle terrace hold their attention for the hour it takes.
Can you take a pushchair into the Château de Beynac?
The castle states it is not suitable for visitors with reduced mobility, for the same reasons a pushchair will struggle: many steps, uneven original floors and a spiral stair, and the lane up from the river is cobbled.
What age can children go canoeing on the Dordogne?
From five, and every paddler must be able to swim twenty-five metres. Shoes are required on board, not sandals. Both routes explained.