Château de Commarque, Medieval castle in Les Eyzies, France

Château de Commarque is a medieval fortress that rises from a rocky outcrop in the Beune valley with towers, dungeons, and defensive walls built over several centuries. Beneath and around the structure lie prehistoric caves and carved stone dwellings that show this location has been home to people for thousands of years.

Founded in the 12th century or earlier at the request of the abbots of Sarlat, the castle began as a wooden tower guarding the crossing of the Périgueux–Cahors and Brive–Bergerac roads. After the Beynac family took control, the tower was replaced by a stone keep, heightened in 1380 and crowned with machicolations. The English held it from 1406 during the Hundred Years' War, and Catholics took it in 1569 during the Wars of Religion. Abandoned in the 18th century, it was bought by Hubert de Commarque in 1968 and has been under restoration since 1994.

The name Commarque probably comes from the Latin comarchus, a town mayor, with the root marca, a border fief. The site was a castrum: within one enclosure stood the Beynac keep, a chapel and tower-houses held by minor noble lineages such as the Cendrieux, Gondrix and La Chapelle, each with its own enclosure, access and ditches.

The site is best explored on foot, with narrow paths and stairs connecting different levels throughout the grounds, so sturdy shoes are recommended. Visitors should allow plenty of time as there is much to see, and exploring the surrounding area with nearby caves and rock shelters adds to the experience.

The decorated cave beneath the keep was found in August 1915 by abbé Henri Breuil at the foot of the cliff. It holds 150 engravings made about 15,000 years ago in the Magdalenian period, and was listed as a monument historique in 1924.