An unspoilt river, delicious wines and a melancholy man with a big nose. Discover Bergerac, a land of heritage, history – and wine in the heart of Dordogne-Périgord.
Things to do in and around Bergerac
Step aboard a gabarre in Bergerac and it is easy to envisage an age when the quay beside the Dordogne was lined with flat-bottomed boats. Around 100,000 barrels of wine passed through here every year until rail transport took over from water, and as we cruise away from the quay, I can imagine the noise of men loading wine, raw materials, and fresh produce onto boats, bound for Bordeaux for export to England and the Netherlands.
An excursion by replica gabarre is a must-do for any visitor to this fascinating town, famous across the world for its quality wines and for the fictitious character Cyrano de Bergerac. Created by 19th century author Edmond Rostand, Cyrano is a soldier-poet who thinks he will never find love because of his big nose.
I have flown into Bergerac’s bijou international airport for a welcome return to Dordogne-Périgord, a region divided into four colour-coded areas. In the north, the Green Périgord takes its name from the lush farmland; White Périgord around Périgueux from the chalk and limestone; the Purple Périgord surrounding Bergerac recalls the vine leaves in autumn; and Black Périgord around Sarlat, the dark foliage of holm oaks.
Men have passed through the area since ancient times but Bergerac really began to take shape in the 11th century and in 1254, English king Henry III, Duke of Aquitaine, granted the town trading privileges that launched the wine trade with England. Demolished in the mid-19th century, Bergerac’s riverside castle allowed room for the quay we see today. To find out more, visit Dordonha, an excellent free heritage centre that takes its name from the Occitan name for the river.
One of Dordonha’s two permanent exhibition areas covers the development of Bergerac, the other is an exhibition of delightful bronze figures bequeathed in 2004 by the late Italian sculptor Costi who fell in love with the town. And how could you not?
Bergerac’s historic centre is a delight, compact and foot-friendly with buildings of white stone jostling for space beside brick and timber ‘colombage’ facades. Head towards the river and you find not one but two statues of Cyrano. A painted one gazes longingly up at an effigy of his secret love Roxanne in the church window, whilst in nearby Place de la Myrpe, the poet’s likeness is fashioned in stone, but frequently devoid of his nose!
Not surprisingly, Bergerac’s Tourist Office and quayside both take their name from Rostand’s play. One of the most impressive tourist offices you will find anywhere, the Quai Cyrano building overlooks the historic quayside and combines a large visitor information centre and an upstairs Espace Vin offering free tastings of wines from around 150 local winemakers.
Buy by the glass or bottle at vineyard prices and if hunger beckons, order a platter of charcuterie and cheese to enjoy inside, on the first-floor riverside terrace, or in the ancient cloister at the rear which also stages a programme of free concerts. For a few euros more, you can tour the interactive Cyrano exhibition for the story of the play and the real man who inspired it.
Gabarre cruises leave from the quay across the road, a gentle pootle accompanied by a bilingual commentary that reveals not just the development and activity of the port, but also the flora and fauna of the river. The Dordogne is the last river to welcome all eight European species of migratory fish, and bird life too is abundant. I’m thrilled to spot a kingfisher, nesting geese, and black kites on the wing.
Situated in the south of the Dordogne department, Bergerac is surrounded by vineyards, so I take the opportunity to indulge in a little vineyard tourism. En route though, I stop first to explore Château de Bridoire in Ribagnac, just south of Bergerac. Known locally as the ‘Castle of Games’, this picturesque property lay abandoned for more than 30 years, its once-fine interiors ruined and pillaged before it was bought in 2011 by the parents of current owner Alice Guyot, who lives here with her young family.
Walk through more than 15 rooms, right up to the attic beneath massive roof timbers, to appreciate the ongoing restoration. Along the way, you can play a variety of indoor games before heading outside for giant outdoor play equipment and a summer maze, plus a wealth of cute farm animals.
This is wine country
Bridoire lies in the heart of the vineyards and if you talk to any local about wine, it won’t be long before you hear about Les Cinq Couleurs de Bergerac – Red, White, Rosé, Medium Sweet (Moelleux), and Dessert wines (Vins Liquoreux). The Vineyards of Bergerac and neighbouring Duras together produce 17 wines awarded Appellation d’Origine Protégée status, across seven Grands Terroirs. Think vintages like Bergerac, Pécharmant, Rosette and Monbazillac.
Not far from Bridoire in the hamlet of St- Julien-d’Eymet, at the Domaine Albert de Conti I chat to Guillaume de Conti, a third-generation vineyard owner and prime example of young winemakers promoting local wine tourism. Alongside his bestselling organic wines such as the white AOP Bergerac Sec, Cuvée des Contés, Guillaume is also trying new vintages such as Mondeuse. A bright spacious building on two floors adjacent to Guillaume’s wine-making facilities is open for individual tastings and sales.
Next I head to Chateau Monbazillac, which stands on a ridge overlooking the Dordogne valley, just 10 minutes from Bergerac. The world’s largest producer of dessert wines, the late-16th century castle combines two architectural styles with a Medieval dry moat and corner towers, but with the large windows and interior layout of the Renaissance period. Explore the visitor centre, castle rooms and grounds at your own pace with a comprehensive leaflet in English, starting with a multi-media exhibition on the history and characteristics of the wine.
Around 40 winegrowers run Château de Monbazillac as a co-operative, all charged with preserving and maintaining the domaine and its strict methods of production. Early morning humidity from the river followed by afternoon sunshine encourages the growth of a mushroom that sucks moisture from the grapes, thus increasing the sugar content. Grapes are harvested entirely by hand at intervals to ensure that each one is picked in peak condition.
Visits finish with a tasting of one to three wines – it’s a fascinating opportunity to compare how different climatic conditions affect the colour, taste and degree of alcohol year on year. After something exceptional for your next dinner party? Look out for Monbazillac 2015 or 2025.
Dessert wines can be drunk at any time I am reliably informed, so after a small glass as my aperitif, I head off for lunch with a view at the nearby Bistrot de Malfourat. My balcony table looks out over the vineyards to the rooftops of Bergerac and the distant airport runway. The perfect spot to relax before I continue my adventures in Dordogne-Périgord.
Tourist information: Dordogne-Périgord Tourism
For a fabulous B&B or gîte vineyard stay at wine-making Château Masburel in the heart of the Bergerac vineyards in Fougueyrolles, a 30 minute drive from Bergerac town.
By Gillian Thornton, one of the UK’s leading travel writers and a regular writer for The Good Life France Magazine and website.
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