Bergerac, in south-West France and on the northern bank of the river of Dordogne, is the largest town in “Purple Perigord”, an area renowned for its vineyards. Famous products to come from the area include wine and tobacco, with two museums dedicated to these trades. A visit to the Old Town is highly recommended, and very easy to reach to enjoy the variety of boutique outlets. If you want a change from the traditional French town, then further up from the Old Town are more modern supermarkets and restaurants. Shops in the area include Kookai, Casa, Etam Lingerie and Micromania.
The Musée du Tabac, which costs 3 Euros to enter, is an old, turreted building, and showcases a variety of pipes and other paraphernalia, while talking you through the history of the city’s association with the tobacco trade. The National Wine and River Navigation Museum contains information regarding the other industry Bergerac is famous for, and includes boats that journeyed in Dordogne, as well as winemaking tools.
Wine tasting can also be enjoyed in Bergerac, at the Maison des Vins de Bergerac, where you can visit the cellars while sampling wine to come from the region.
The architecture in Bergerac follows the French medieval theme, and there is a 13th Century gothic church that is an example of this. Also similar to other cities in the region, Saturday is the dedicated market day.

Fishing can be enjoyed in this area, with Bergerac being ideal due to its location on the River Dordogne. The area is generally good for pike and carp fishing. Please be advised that fishing permits are required, and it is also worth checking fishing seasons if you are looking to catch a particular fish. Fishing permits can be obtained at a cost of 30 Euros, and once purchased, you can enjoy fishing in any area in Dordogne. Other activities the area has to offer are: walking, cycling, canoe-kayaking, horse-riding, tennis and lots more. There is also a boat trip ride that allows further exploration of parts of the city that may not be accessible.
The town is also associated with Cyrano de Bergerac, a French playwright who was the subject of the play by Edmund Rostand, which was loosely based on his life, although heavily embellished. A statue honoring Cyrano is located in the Old Town.
Bergerac is ideally located with an airport very close to the town, costing about 10 Euros to get there each way. Flybe airlines offer cheap flights to and from the area.
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