Many of the caves in this area limit the number of daily visitors they admit; you can call ahead for reservations up to a year in advance. We recommend that you do so, especially if you plan to visit in the summer.
If you want to pedal around the countryside, you can rent bicycles at the tourist office. Prices begin at 8€ ($12) per half-day, 14€ ($20) per full day. A 20€ ($29) deposit is required; no credit cards are accepted.
Whether you're biking or driving, the loveliest villages include Beynac-et-Cazenac, 15km (9 1/3 miles) southeast of Les Eyzies, and Sarlat-la-Canéda, 7km (4 1/3 miles) northeast of Beynac. Smaller villages, including Castelnaud, La Roque-Gageac, Domme, and Montfort, lie beside the road that meanders through the Dordogne Valley. Throughout the region, routes are country roads marked only with signs leading to the above-mentioned destinations.
Make a special effort to relax within the shadow of the foreboding Château de Beynac, Beynac 24220 (tel. 05-53-29-50-40), a 13th-century curiosity that opened its doors to visitors in 1961. The Grosso family has been renovating the monument for almost 40 years. Once it was the gathering place for the aristocracy of Périgord; today, the view over the valley and sense of history make a visit here worthwhile. It's open March through September daily 10am to 6:30pm, and October through February daily 11am to sundown. One-hour guided tours (in French and English) begin once or twice an hour. There are no guided tours from December to February. Admission, with or without the tour, costs 7€ ($10); or 3€ ($4.40) ages 5 to 11. There's a worthy restaurant in the nearby Hôtel Bonnet (tel. 05-53-29-50-01), which occupies the site of a converted forge and blacksmith's shop in the center of Beynac.
The Scoop on Cave Tickets -- To prevent deterioration of the art, a limited number of visitors are allowed into the caves of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac each day (specifically Font-de-Gaume and Combarelles). Tickets are available up to 3 months in advance, and we advise you to reserve that far ahead if possible.
