Beynac-et-Cazenac

Beynac-et-Cazenac takes 1 day to see: the medieval castle on a 150-meter cliff overlooking the Dordogne valley, and a canoe trip on the river at the foot of the village, on the same day. May-September is best for pairing it with the river. It's mid-priced by French standards. It was a key French stronghold during the Hundred Years' War, facing off across the river against the English castle of Castelnaud, and it's now one of the «most beautiful villages of France», an official label given to the country's best-preserved towns.