Читать книгу Walking in the Dordogne. 35 walking routes in the Dordogne - Sarlat, Bergerac, Lalinde and Souillac онлайн

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AROUND BERGERAC

Monbazillac château and vineyards (Walk 2)

Bergerac is situated on the banks of the Dordogne, near the end of its journey westwards to the sea. Founded in the 12th century, it was the first town to have a bridge, and it prospered when the only means of transporting goods from the hinterland to the Atlantic port of Bordeaux was along the river. Its port was the scene of bustling activity, and it soon became an important commercial centre for the entire area. The wine trade was particularly lucrative, especially after the tax exemptions granted by Henry III of England, and wealthy merchants built large houses, many of which have been lovingly restored. In the 18th century it became the largest tobacco producing area of France, its history illustrated in the town’s Musée de Tabac.

Statue of Cyrano de Bergerac (walk 1): photo Richard Saynor

Now the main town of Périgord Pourpre, Bergerac still retains its original old quarter, with winding cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and the church of St-Jacques, on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. In the central square is the famous statue of Cyrano de Bergerac, the intrepid knight with the long nose immortalised in theatre and film − despite the fact that there is no evidence that he ever set foot in the town!