Château de Commarque

Seminars, private hire, team building, incentive days and candlelit dinners for groups of 20 to 55 can be organised at the Château de Commarque, a medieval site built against a cliff at Les Eyzies, in the Périgord Noir area of the Dordogne. The château also hosts private receptions and film shoots.

Seminars and company events

The site offers seminars, private hire of the grounds, team building and incentive days for staff. Programmes are built to measure: they can draw on the history of the place, use playful or educational formats, or follow a theme inspired by science fiction. Sports challenges can be held in the grounds. The château has also been used as a location for films, advertisements, music videos and series, and Ridley Scott shot part of his first film, The Duellists, here. Groups book by email, and quotations are given on request.

Weddings and receptions

Private receptions are accepted. The best documented format is the candlelit dinner held inside the troglodyte cavities of the château, lit only by candles. When the weather allows, guests can step out onto the collapsed terrace for a view over the valley. Menus and themes are agreed with the organiser, with ideas such as pagan festivals, the solstice or legends of love. The dinner is reserved for private and professional groups of 20 to 55 people, starts from 19:00 and runs in May, June, September and October. It must be booked at least one month ahead through the contact form.

Rooms and capacities

The château does not publish capacities for its seminar spaces. The figure it does state is 20 to 55 guests for the candlelit dinner in the cave rooms. Larger events, or day programmes spread across the grounds, should be discussed directly with the team.

Catering

The candlelit dinner is built around local produce with food and wine pairings, but the website does not say who cooks it. Food trucks run on site during the Easter and summer holidays and at evening events. Ask the château how meals are handled for a seminar.

History and setting

Commarque is a historic and archaeological monument set against a cliff. It brings together a medieval castle, a troglodyte fortress cut into the rock, a prehistoric cave at the foot of the cliff and a Romanesque chapel, whose stone roof is being restored. The château describes itself as a castle rescued from oblivion: the family's story begins in the 11th century and picks up again in 1962. The site holds three stars in the Michelin Green Guide. It closes to day visitors for the winter months, so check the season with the team when choosing dates.

Getting there

The château is reached by the Route du Château de Commarque at Les Eyzies, in the Périgord Noir. The valley is accessible to people with reduced mobility. The nearest station is Les Eyzies, on the regional line between Périgueux and Agen, and Sarlat is a short drive to the east.