8 Best Sights in The Dordogne, France

Stop in Biron to see its massive hilltop castle, the highlights of which include a keep, square tower, and chapel, dating from the Renaissance, and monumental staircases. In addition to the period apartments and the kitchen, with its huge stone-slab floor, there's a gigantic dungeon, complete with a collection of scarifying torture instruments. The classical buildings were completed in 1760. The Gontaut-Biron family—whose ancestors invented great typefaces centuries ago—has lived here for 14 generations. The château has been undergoing renovations on a room-by-room basis since 2013, but these interfere only minimally with the viewing. It's well worth renting an audio guide (€3) to get a detailed history, plus specifics about the architecture and decor.

There are more grandiose castles in France, but few can offer a more intimate a look at how 16th-century nobles lived than the Château de Losse. Built in 1576 on the site of the family's original 11th-century stronghold, the graceful Renaissance-style structure retains the furnishings, artwork, and other authentic trappings of daily life during the Wars of Religion. The beautiful wooded grounds and extraordinary gardens—winner of the Institute de France's Art of the Garden award—overlooking the Vézère River make for a lovely stroll, and a charming café with a grassy terrace is the perfect place for a gourmet lunch. Although tours of the interior are offered only in French, a detailed text and audio guide in English is provided.

Perched above a sheer cliff face beside an abrupt bend in the Dordogne River, the muscular 13th-century Château de Beynac has unforgettable views from its battlements. Thanks to its camera-ready qualities, it frequently doubles as a film set. During the Hundred Years' War, this castle often faced off with forces massed directly across the way at the fort of Castelnaud.

Having survived the 14th-century Hundred Years' War, this turreted white-stone castle was rebuilt in the 15th century and served as a Catholic stronghold during the Wars of Religion. Now called "the castle of 100 games," the fairy-tale-worthy château was entirely restored in 2011 and is just as famous for its lovely period interiors as its program of fun activities for adults and kids, both indoors and out, including calligraphy, crossbow, archery, chess, grass skis, and more. Various paths take you through a superb labyrinth (open July and August only), across lovely woods and streams to troglodyte caves and picturesque ruins. There's also a program of events such as medieval jousts. The château is located about 4 km (2½ miles) from Montbazzillac and 12 km (7½ miles) from Bergerac. The castle also offers audio guides and guided tours in English.

With a fabulous mountaintop setting, the now-ruined castle of Castelnaud, containing a large collection of medieval arms, is just upstream from Beynac across the Dordogne. Make sure to give yourself at least an hour to visit. In summer the castle comes to life with demonstrations, reenactments, and opportunities to try out some of the medieval weapons yourself.

The silhouette of the Château de Hautefort bristles with high roofs, domes, chimneys, and cupolas. The square-line Renaissance left wing clashes with the muscular, round towers of the right wing, and the only surviving section of the original medieval castle—the gateway and drawbridge—plays referee in the middle. Adorning the inside are 17th-century furniture and tapestries.

The storybook corner towers of the beautifully proportioned, 16th-century, gray-stone château pay tribute to the fortress tradition of the late Middle Ages, but the large windows and sloping roofs reveal the emerging Renaissance influence. The spiffed-up 17th-century interiors are a pleasure to peruse. The château also serves as the regional wine cooperative to introduce vintages produced in the area, including the sweet Monbazillac. To that end, an exhibition space features immersive audiovisual displays and a unique setup that takes you through three "universes": a history of Protestantism in the area and its impact on the wine trade; a space for contemporary art exhibitions; and an area for kids ages 6–12 on the theme of viticulture (you're in France, after all). The château also hosts thematic wine tastings, some featuring meet-and-greets with the winemakers, where you can learn about wine-making techniques or just relax and enjoy the fruits of their labors. Afterward, you can buy a tempting range of wines at the cellar boutique.

Five kilometers (3 miles) from Castelnaud, the turreted Château des Milandes was built around 1489 in Renaissance style, and has lovely terraces and gardens. It was once owned by the American-born cabaret star of Roaring '20s Paris, Josephine Baker, and it was here that she housed her "rainbow family"—a large group of adopted children from many countries. An on-site museum is devoted to her memory. Falconry displays (April–October) are another attraction. From here D53 (via Belvès) leads southwest to Monpazier.