Dordogne châteaux (2)

A mile or so north of the Château de Castelnaud and also on the Dordogne river, is the Château de Beynac, also built in the 12th century. The owners of Beynac and the owners of Castelnau were at war with each other for centuries, during the Hundred Years' War between England and France in the 1300s and 1400s.

Below is a close-up of the main tower at Beynac.

Some châteaux in the Dordogne

This was one of our first stops as we rode into the Dorgogne province 20 years ago. It's called Castelnau (meaning "New Castle"). A first castle was built on this site in the 12th century, but it was torn down a century later. Then, for several  centuries, Castelnau was often more of a construction site or ruin than it was a functioning château, from what I've read.

It was re-built a few more times over the centuries and has looked as it does now for more than century. In the first photo here, you can see how a village has grown up around the base of the castle.

Headed south

This is not a photo I took in the Loire Valley but in the Dordogne in southwestern France. I was there 20 years ago with Walt and our friend Sue, who lives in northern California. I think I might publish a few other pictures from that trip over the next few days.

Grape leaves and dandelion flowers...

..it's the season.