ESCAPADE IN BLACK PERIGORD
Today, Laurent should go get a trailer for his canoes in Dordogne. We take this opportunity to make discover to Samantha and Johann a new French region : the Perigord.
Departure from Mauvières to 5am. We arrive in the small medieval village of Beynac at 8:45 to eat breakfast on the terrace on the bank of Dordogne River.
10:00: we embark on a "gabarre" for a ride on the Dordogne River.
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| "Our" Gabarre |
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| Dordogne River |
On board
Laurent Johann bohemond
Samantha and Cyprille
Beynac seen of the Dordogne River
The fortress of Beynac
The castle was originally constructed in the 12th century by the Barons of Beynac to defend this strategically important location. Facing across the river the cliff, more than 150 metres in height, provided sufficient natural defence. The rear of the chateau had defences constructed to match, based around a double wall of fortifications and a natural gully. hence the chateau was virtually impregnable.
After the successive invasions by the barbarians and the Normans, the feudality was introduced as of the 10th Century, and Hélie de Beynac, the first known and recorded lord, installed the first fortified presence (Castrum) in 1050.
As a direct consequence of the marriage between Alienor d'Aquitaine and the future king of England, Henri Plantagenêt, Beynac, as did all of Aquitaine, became english, controlled by the Count of Toulouse, a vassal of the king of France. However, the new king of England, Richard the 1st (the "LionHeart") seized the castle (1197) as he could not accept the link with the Count of Toulouse. His army found shelter in the central tower of the castle, but wasting no time the family of Beynac retook the citadel at the same moment when Richard found his death, (1199),at the foot of the ramparts of Chalus in the High Vienne.
During the Hundred Years War and the many battles between the English and the French, Beynac remained in French hands while just a few hundred yards to the south Castelnaud was under English control. Inevitably this led to a large number of skirmishes during the period. In 1214 the castle was taken by Simon de Montfort, but soon fell back in the hands of the Beynac family. A few decades later the part of France containing Beynac was ceded to the English.
But the tide turned, of course, and after numerous treaties and agreements made and broken Beynac was definitely rewon by France, as was Castelnaud soon after, shortly before the end of the Hundred Years War.
As the years passed, and Beynac changed hands, it slowly fell into decline and disrepair. It was after 1961 that significant efforts were made to renovate this important chateau, by the incredible efforts of its current proprietor - efforts that continue to the present.
The dovecote of the castle.
In the Middle Ages, Lords were enjoyed to eat pigeons. But pigeons were also used to communicate with other fortresses. They were faster and more reliable than couriers at horses that could fall into ambushes ...
dovecote
in the background we see the Chateau de Marqueysac
Château de Fayrac is located on the south bank of the Dordogne River.
It was an English forward position in the Hundred Years War, built to watch over Beynac, on the opposite bank, where the French were holed up. The castle was remodeled int the 15th century and during the following centuries. Today, it belong to an Texan family.
we come back to Beynac
We cross the other gabarre, "La Gratusse"
We climb the steep and twistings alleys of Beynac to get to the walls of castle.
A beautiful roof made in "lauze" (sort of slate), architectural peculiarity of Périgord
In the Middle Ages, the vernacular of Périgord was the "oc language"
The streets still bear the memory
The Fortress
After visiting the medieval village, we descend on the bank of Dordogne River where we savor, in a small brewery, a delicious Croque Monsieur before taking the direction of Limeuil, a small village at the confluence of the Dordogne and Vézère (the other important river of Périgord)
In summer, the Dordogne is very popular with tourists and the river becomes as busy as the Champs-Elysées!
After taking delivery of the canoe trailer, we take the road of Berry.
We make a stop on the side of Limoges for show to Samantha and Johann the local specialty: the porcelain.
