Enjoy the last video clip about Bergerac !
A quick jaunt around the town...
Bergerac has been proudly sporting its “Town and Region of Art and History” label for a number of years now.
And for good reason... It entices with its labyrinth of ever-so charming streets and little squares.
Look upwards and admire the half-timbered houses, the ogival windows, the finely-worked doors. Make sure you don’t miss even the tiniest detail of the great historical anecdotes: “when Catherine of Medicis visited the town, the fountains in Rue des Fontaines were spurting wine to arouse Catholics’ passions!”
Moving on to Place Pélissière, you’ll be greeted by the statue of Cyrano – ah, at long last, here he is –, then on to the boatmen’s houses at Place de la Mirpe for a burst of photo shooting and, last but not least, a visit to the Tobacco Museum where you’ll be awed by the machine that series sculpts pipe bowls, situated at the top of the building.
The Tourist Office provides its english speaking visitors a helpfull city map. Please come and pick it up. It' is free!
Here, before sitting down to eat, you’d better whet your appetite!
And, of course, when it’s time for an aperitif, why not take a stroll along the quays! Oh, and by the way, we haven’t mentioned Bergerac wines.
Ah, the wines! A visit to the Maison des Vins de Bergerac is a must to find out all about our wines. The building itself is worth a visit: a 17th-century mansion, built around a timber and brick cloisters (the Récollets Monks Cloister). Here, you will learn all about the 13 appellations that make up this vineyard through films, a sensory space where you can have fun guessing the wine flavours and, of course, the ‘vinothèque’, the wine discovery area. A wine-tasting session will definitely enhance your knowledge! And, to put smiles on your faces, it’s absolutely free!
Take your seats... food’s ready!
Here, before sitting down to eat, you’d better whet your appetite!
First of all, a stroll through the markets is called for to... let your mouth water at the stalls of free-range chicken, fattened duck, … Oh, and the just-picked strawberries, melons, chestnuts, walnuts … And truffles, of course, as soon as winter comes around.
Next, find yourself a delightful table in the shade of a terrace or next to an open fireplace and …
At last, enjoy ever-so simple, yet priceless pleasures, like tasting goose foie gras on a slice of golden-grilled country bread, accompanied by a glass of Monbazillac
Bergerac, its Must-Not-Misses!
- The highly-successful Tobacco Museum relates 3,000 years’ history of this plant from its Amerindian origins up to the present day as well as its applications, some of which will definitely surprise you!
- The historic centre: The Tourist Office also proposes leaflet allowing the visitors to visit the town by themselves; take your time and stroll between alleyways and little squares for a trip back in time that will take you to the Middle Ages.
- The Maison des Vins: a magnificent mansion, sporting exquisite architecture, in front of Bergerac harbour. An amazing place that houses the Récollets Cloister and proposes a great selection of events. If you wish to find out all about Bergerac and Duras wines then a visit is a must.
- Special mention goes to Wednesdays and Saturdays, the days when the traditional market is held around Notre Dame Church and outside the covered market.
- For a trip along the riverbanks, just take the towpath from the harbour and follow the tracks of ‘gabarre’ deckhands from days gone by.
Cyrano de Bergerac
Although Savinien Cyrano, the real character and inspiration behind Edmond Rostand’s hero, a priori never showed his face in this Périgord town, he has nevertheless become the most famous figure of Bergerac. The town, which owes him much of its reputation, and its inhabitants pay tribute to him in a variety of ways.