Beynac-et-Cazenac

Two “nacs” for the price of one!

I’m not entirely sure what that’s supposed to mean, nor am I entirely sure we actually made it to Cazenac. In any event, it’s yet another picturesque pile on the banks of the Dordogne.

Looking back from the car park at the base of the town, we saw a “gabarre” or flat-bottomed boat. We arrived early to beat the crowds and the heat. Give it a couple of hours and this place will be swarming with tourists.

Town was deserted as well.

Love the doors.

More doors.

I better stop looking at doors. Mark is leaving me behind!

One more! Well, more of a gate.

As you slowly hike up the hill, there’s plenty of time to admire the local architecture. The stacked stone roof or “toiture en lauze” on the right is particularly nice.

We eventually passed through this “porte” into the fortified old town just outside the castle.

It was too early to visit the castle. I think we did that the last time we were in the Dordogne, so we just wandered around.

Looks great in the morning light.

The view is not too shabby either.

Our tour guide.

We headed back down through the old town. Everything was still closed, even the potter.

Just one more door! This is the church door on the castle grounds.

The stone path up to the castle is steeper than it looks. On our way up, we were met by a local man coming down on his mountain bike. That would be fun, but how do you get back up?

If you can’t make it up from the bottom on foot, there is a parking lot up by the castle. I’ll remember that next time!

The hike is worth the effort. Many of the townhouses along the way have pretty courtyards or beautiful little planted boxes. This one couldn’t look any more French.

As a designated historical landmark, they have been careful to remove most evidence of the 21st Century. No satellite dishes, no electrical wires and no modern construction. “Un des plus beaux villages de France,” indeed!