A little history of Beynac castle
And also
The tops
Whoa, this very strategical stronghold watched the river and the valley... really useful!
Beynac was mentioned for the first time in 1115, when Mainard de Beynac gave lands to Robert d'Arbrissel (he founded Fontevraud abbey), to raise Cadouin abbey.
At that time, a first stony stronghold was built, surrounded by a wall.
Were lords of Beynac Cathars? We don't know, but Simon de Montfort, who led the crusade against Cathars, besieged the castle and destroyed all the wall's upper part.
He met here "a very bad, naughty, cruel and violent lord, churches' oppressor"!
Then Beynac was extended. The English never besieged Beynac's lords, yet they were loyal to the king of France during the Hundred Years War! Contrary to their neighbours in Castelnaud...
Lords were Protestants, in Beynac, during wars of Religion. When the last member of the family died out in 1753, the castle fell to the Beaumont, who abandoned it.