Bergerac tourist information
Bergerac is found on the northern bank of the Dordogne River, in the western part of the Dordogne department.It is among the largest towns in the region .
The highlight of a trip to Bergerac is the old town - the area immediately north of the river, signposted 'vieille ville'. This part of the town has some lovely streets and squares to explore, and a variety of boutique type shops.
There are also several restaurants in 'old-town' Bergerac among the attractive medieval half-timbered streets, and some open-air cafes where you can pass a very pleasant hour just watching people going about their business.
The National Tobacco Museum is based here in Bergerac, and is apparently very interesting. (Tobacco is still an important crop in the region, that you will probably see growing in the fields.)
Up from the old town, there is a newer, more modern part to Bergerac, with more conventional streets and a larger range of 'modern' shops.
The market, held on a Saturday, is at the higher end of the town.
After exploring Bergerac you can take an organised boat trip (bagarre) up the river (start from the car-park at the bottom end of the old-town) to see the town and the nearby countryside from a different perspective. (But be warned - several people we know have done this and said it was a waste of time because the boat didn't go far enough - I recommend you wait, and take a boat trip from one of the bases further upstream).
Note: Any statues of Cyrano de Bergerac can be ignored - he had nothing to do with the town, and quite possibly never even visited!
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Bergerac old town, Dordogne
Return to Dordogne Towns page
Holidays near Bergerac: See our Dordogne Gites pages to find Bergerac gites also Car Hire in Bergerac
