The castle was built from the 12th century by the barons of Beynac
(one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley. The sheer
cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side,
the defenses were built up on the plateau: double crenellated walls,
double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican.

At the time of the Hundred Years' War, the fortress at Beynac was in French hands.
The Dordogne was the border between France and England. Not far away, on the
opposite bank of the river, the Château de Castelnau was held by the English.
The Dordogne region was the theatre of numerous struggles for influence,
rivalries and occasionally battles between the English and French supporters.
However, the castles fell more often through ruse and intrigue rather than
by direct assault, because the armies needed to take these castles were
extremely costly: only the richest nobles and kings could procure them.

The castle was bought in 1962 by Lucien Grosso who has lovingly restored it.

from: Wikipedia