Bergerac France:
Gateway to the Périgord
Bergerac France is the capital of the Purple Perigord -
a region known for its full bodied reds and sweet white wines.
View of the countryside
Bergerac provides a good entry point for exploring the
Perigord.
There are direct
flights
to Bergerac from the UK; Bergerac airport is about 15 minutes taxi ride away from the centre of town. The
train
trip from Paris takes about 4 hours (you need to change at Libourne);
driving
takes longer - allow around 6 hours. There are plenty of
car hire
outlets around Bergerac, near the station and airport.
Bergerac France: Wine
Bergerac has been producing wines since the 12th century. The most famous is Monbazillac, a sweet white wine made from mostly semillon grapes, with a bit of muscadelle and sauvignon as well. It has a lovely golden colour, with intense floral and melony flavours. Delicious with foie gras. The Château de Monbazillac is about a 20 minute drive from Bergerac. The vineyards around the château were originally planted by monks in the middle ages.
Monbazillac
The château itself has hardly changed since it was built in the 16th century. You can walk through the grounds and lower floors of the castle... and the best bit (of course) is at the end, where you can enjoy a complimentary glass of one of their wines (in the visitor centre). Interested in Bergerac Wine?You can pick up the leaflet "Route des Vins" at the Bergerac tourist office (97 Rue Neuve-d'Argenson), which provides a list of the producers in the area which are open for visiting.
Beyond Bergerac
There are plenty of fantastic places to visit that are within easy driving distance of Bergerac...such as:
Monpazier, about an hours drive from Bergerac, is one of the most beautifully preserved bastides
(medieval fortified towns) in the area.
Monpazier
Monpazier was founded in the late 1200s - and still has its medieval gates and perfect market square, place des Cornières.
You can stock up on foie gras and gifts in the little shops, wander and admire the
ancient stone houses, or soak up the sun in one of the outdoor cafés.
If you can, go to the Le Privilège du Périgord restaurant for dinner - fantastic food (try the duck...).
Monpazier is also near a wonderful castle, probably one of the largest and impressive in the whole of Perigord -
the Château de Biron.
On the way to Monpazier from Bergerac, you could stop off in Issigeac,
another picturesque town, with quaint medieval half-timbered buildings.
Issigeac
What Else?
There are lots of other things you could see and do near or around Bergerac France...such as: exploring
the lovely region of Perigord , visiting
castles and fortresses, marvelling at
prehistoric cave paintings; as well as the relatively 'undiscovered'
Lot Valley.
Moving west from Bergerac, you're heading towards Bordeaux
and the pretty medieval town of Saint-Émilion.
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