Best things to do in Bergerac
Surrounded by vineyards, this sleepy provincial town of cobbled squares and half-timbered façades makes for atmospheric holidays to Bergerac.
Viewpoints and panoramas
The best districts
Museums
Musée du Tabac: This unexpectedly absorbing museum has an impressive collection of pipes, tobacco jars and various tools of the trade garnered from all over the world.
Musée de la Ville: City, Wine and Inland Waterways Museum, whose latter section is the most interesting, with models of the gabares alongside some text on the practicalities of navigating the Dordogne.
Parks and gardens
Historical monuments
Church of Saint Jacques: The patchwork Église St-Jacques has a certain grandeur in its narrow, high nave, topped by a precise rib-vaulted ceiling and lit by stained-glass windows.
Cloître des Récollets: Simple, galleried 17th-century cloister now more interesting for the monks’ vaulted grain and wine cellars which now form an unusual setting for Bergerac’s Espace Vins.
Cyrano de Bergerac: The town harbours two statues of the eponymous fictional hero of Edmond Rostand's most successful play, distinguished by his large, and legendary, protruding nose.
Day trips in the area
Sarlat-la-Canéda: Lose yourself in Sarlat’s intriguing maze of narrow medieval lanes, and try to make your visit coincide with the fantastic Saturday market.
Bastides: The fortified towns of Issigeac, Eymet and Beaumont, with their arcaded central squares, retain a heady medieval atmosphere - you could feasibly do all three in a long day.
Les Eziyes: Prepare to be dazzled by some of the world’s finest prehistoric cave art, most impressively at the Font-de-Gaume and Abri du Cap Blanc caves.
Activities for families in Bergerac
Bergerac is bursting with all kinds of family-friendly possibilities, mostly of the active persuasion, and that’s just the ticket in this beautiful part of the country.
Canoeing: A gentle family paddle along the region’s serpentine rivers gives a unique perspective on the changing scenery.
Caves: What family doesn’t love a good caving expedition? The Grotte de Villars boasts rock formations, wall paintings, a garden of cavemen and lots of children’s activities; and at the Grotte de Rouffignac you can ride a miniature train underground and admire ancient wall art.
Castles: The region’s châteaux are always a winner with kids, and most lay on child-friendly activities in the holidays: at Château de Castelnaud, kids can even have a go at firing a trebuchet siege engine.
River trips: Périgord Gabarres, at Le Quai Salvette, operate replica gabares which depart from the old port for leisurely 50-minute river trips along the Dordogne to a nature reserve that is home to herons, cormorants and kingfishers, among other wildlife.
Free things to do in Bergerac
The town lends itself to taking things slowly, and whether that’s cruising the local markets or strolling the riverbanks, many of these things can be experienced for free on your Bergerac holidays.
Festivals: During July and August there are free concerts by French jazz artists on Wednesday evenings on place de le Myrpe and the Cloître des Récollets.
Visit the markets: Browsing the local markets is the thing to do in the Dordogne and Bergerac is no exception. The main event (Wed & Sat mornings) spreads out from the central halle into the surrounding streets and squares. There’s also a small organic market (Tues morning) in front of the town hall, and a gigantic flea market on place de la Myrpe on the first Sunday of the month.
Walk along the Dordogne River: Not much beats a walk along the banks of the Dordogne whose broad paths are perfect for a leisurely stroll or gentle pedal.
Nature and outdoor activities
The Bergerac region offers a terrific range of sports and outdoor activities, including hiking, cycling, trekking and waterborne diversions such as canoeing and kayaking.
Canoeing: The Dordogne and Lot’s many rivers offer superb water-bound activities, though it’s hard to beat a gentle canoe paddle along the Vézère River, and in particular the stretch between Montignac and Les Eyzies.
Cycling: The region’s minor roads and demarcated cycling routes provide plenty of opportunities for cyclists: one good one is La Voie Verte (“Green Way”), an 18km footpath and cycleway that follows a disused train line from Thiviers into the heart of the Périgord Vert.
Swimming: Several pebbly beaches give access to the water along the Dordogne and Lot rivers, but it’s often too shallow or fast-flowing to be ideal for swimming. An alternative is to head for one of the natural or man-made lakes such as Lac de Pombonne just outside Bergerac.