A tour of the city…
A few years ago, Bergerac was awarded the label of City of Art and History, of which it is very proud! And rightly so… A maze of streets and squares, each one more charming than the last. Look up and admire the half-timbered houses, the pointed arch windows, the carved doors. And don’t miss any of the historical anecdotes: “On the occasion of Catherine de Medici’s visit, wine spurted from the fountains of rue des Fontaines in the hope of appeasing the Catholics! “A bit further on, place Pélissière, we get to know Cyrano’s statue – ah, so at last -; the cameras go into burst mode in front of the bargee’s houses, place de la Mirpe, and we stand open-mouthed at the machine that makes pipe bowls on a conveyor belt at the very top of the Tobacco Museum.
The tourist office has various formulas for visiting the historic city centre: so follow the guide!
And of course, you can have a drink on the quays! Speaking of which, what about the Wines of Bergerac?
Oh yes! Well, for that you have to go to the Maison des Vins de Bergerac. The location in itself is worth it: a building from the 17th century, built around a monastery of wood and bricks (Convent of Les Récollets). Here you will learn all about the 13 appellations that make up this vineyard, there is a film, a sensory room to guess wine smells and of course a vinotheque. There you can apply your wine knowledge during a tasting. And the nice thing is, it’s free!
Get to the table!
Warm up the taste buds before sitting down to dinner!
First, a tour of the markets to get into the mood with stalls selling farm chicken, fattened duck … Ah, and those strawberries, melons, chestnuts, and freshly picked nuts … And the truffle, of course, as soon as winter returns.
And then we find a table in the shade on a terrace or in front of the fireplace and … finally enjoy these simple but irreplaceable pleasures, such as a delicious piece of foie gras on toasted country bread, accompanied by a glass of Monbazillac.
Cyrano de Bergerac
Savinien Cyrano may have really existed, and inspired the hero of Edmond Rostand’s book, but as far as is known he never showed his long nose in Bergerac. Nevertheless, he became the most famous Bergeracois! He put the city on the map; the inhabitants honour him in many ways.
