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Dordogne castles in 3 days from Sarlat

3 days · 7 châteaux · 179 km

Beynac, Castelnaud, Les Milandes, Biron, Monbazillac, Bourdeilles and Hautefort, from the river valley to the road north.

Written for visitors flying into Bergerac or driving down from the Channel ports, with Sarlat as the base: the three castles of the first day are within 6 km of each other on the river below the town. The rhythm changes over the three days. Day one is short on driving and long on stairs. Day two heads west to the Bergerac side and then north, and is the only day with real distance in it. Day three is a single castle, Hautefort, placed on the road out. Booking is rarely required here; each fiche says whether it is. What fills up early is accommodation around Sarlat in July and August, and the car parks at Beynac and Castelnaud by late morning in the same months.

Day 1

6 km on the road

Three castles within 6 km on the river: Beynac first, with its steep climb from the village, then Castelnaud on the opposite bank, and Les Milandes, Joséphine Baker’s house, to finish.

  1. château de Beynac (Beynac Castle)

    Beynac-et-Cazenac · Dordogne

    60 min12e siècle

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  2. château de Castelnaud (Castelnaud Castle)

    Castelnaud-la-Chapelle · Dordogne

    3 km from the previous stop90 min13e siècle

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  3. château des Milandes (Milandes Castle)

    Castelnaud-la-Chapelle · Dordogne

    3 km from the previous stop4e quart 15e siècle

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The rest of the route

The stops on the following days. The full plan, with distances, goes out by email.

Day 2

A longer day heading west then north: Biron in the morning, Monbazillac at midday among the vines south of Bergerac, then 59 km to Bourdeilles on the Dronne.

Day 3

Hautefort alone, a two-hour visit with its gardens, about 40 km east of Périgueux and close to the A89: it sits on the road north, so make it the last stop before leaving.

Before you go

Opening seasons vary from one castle to the next, and several close for part of the year. Check each castle’s fiche before you fix your dates: it carries the hours and prices as they were verified, with the date of verification.

The order of stops is chained nearest-first from the starting town, and distances are as the crow flies: allow a third more by road. Only châteaux whose opening to the public we know are included.