View from an old bridge in Bergerac by Lionel Allorge (creative commons)

Bergerac is a popular region of southern west France, also known locally as Purple Perigord (Perigord being the ancient name of the area and ‘purple’ referring to the local grown wines!) It was once a trading port and is situated alongside a river, with easy access to wine making areas and beautiful countryside – it is surrounded in fact by over 120 wind producers, making it a great location for wine lovers and only 90 minutes’ drive away from the famous wine-producing region of Bordeaux. Bergarac and the Dordogne region have both grown quickly in recent years, thanks predominantly to an influx of British holidaymakers and a rising number of affordable flights from various UK airports, including Birmingham, Edinburgh and Southampton flights. Bergerac’s popularity shows no sign of waning and many of its visitors return year after year, staying in cosy guesthouses or traditional French gites – or even camping in the beautiful countryside.

Getting there

As mentioned above, many UK airports fly to Bergerac and the town’s Airport is just 5 km south of the centre – with a five minute taxi transfer. Some visitors also choose to take advantage of Eurostar or the Channel Tunnel and drive across the France (click here for Eurostar discounts), taking in various sights and regions as they go. There are also good high speed rail links to other areas of France.

Bergerac Weather

A good time of year to go is in early Spring and early Summer, when the terraces and town squares come alive for al-fresco dining and drinks and the temperature is balmy. Harvest time in October is great for wine lovers – the region has a real air of anticipation and buzz – and Christmas in France generally is a lovely, family focused and traditional affair.

Bergerac Attractions

Bergerac is a lively and buzzing town that nevertheless is sometimes overlooked by visitors who head to the Dordogne’s traditional villages and castles. Even for day-trippers it affords a good day’s exploring, with a delicious local lunch thrown in and a trip to one or two of the town’s museums or other attractions. The old town runs up in a section from the river and it has a wide number of impressive and culturally important medieval buildings and open squares to relax in. There are several restaurants and cafes to take advantage of, offering everything from a la carte gourmet food, to simple pizzas and pommes frites so is definitely a different option than the more traditional trip to Paris.

Bergerac

Other highlights of Bergerac include the Maison des Vins cloistors, the Wine Museum… or find out more about the region’s important tradition of tobacco cropping at the Tobacco Museum. Art lovers may also enjoy the Costi Museum with many lovely sculptures.

The great thing about Bergerac however is that there are many quirky highlights hidden around corners and it’s well worth finding a nice pub or cafe and speaking to the locals to find out their recommendations. The locals are very proud of their town and are generally happy to point out its best spots! Also make sure to ask your travel agent about the best areas to go to when travelling as they will usually have a whole list of information to provide you.