Bergerac, the second-largest town in the Dordogne with
30,000 inhabitants, is the capital of south-west Périgord. a district which opens out on to the Bordeaux
region which might be termed the land of the vineyard or Purple Périgord. Bergerac is an
active industrial center with, in particular, the national powder factory, one of the largest firms in the Périgord.
It is also the site of the large research center the "Institut National des Tabacs" (Institute of tobacco)
of which the Dordogne is a major producer.
Here, vines dominate the economy as much as the landscape.
The 100,000 acres of vineyards produce 75 % of Dordogne's production. The cellar of every "wine cooperative"
offers its precious beverage for tasting, particularly the Bergerac and Monbazillac cellars which are open to visitors.
The wines of Bergerac are, from north-east to north-west, Pécharmant, one of the most highly appreciated
by connoisseurs. the fruity Rosette, the white and red Côtes-de-Bergerac and the mellow white Montravel,
already enjoyed by Montaigne. To the south, we find .Monbazillac, the most well known and, around Sigoulès,
Saussignac, praised by Rabelais.
It should be admitted that the most
famous "son" of Bergerac,the inimitable, Cyrano, never actually experienced "the gentle green of evening,
or heard the Cuckoo's call on the Dordogne". Indeed, the philosopher, essayist and playwright Savinien de
Cyrano (born in Paris in 1619, died in Sannois, Val d'Oisel in 1655, author of La Mort d' Agrippine, Histoires Comiques des États et Empires de la Lune (1657),whose life the story was based upon, was in fact a Parisian through and through. On entering the company of the Cadets of Gascony,
he took the name of Bergerac. He held, in fact, the fief of "Bergerac" which
is now Sous-Forêts, near Dampierre, Yvelines in the Paris region.
It was Edmond Rostand who, in his famous play of 1897, made him a Gascon full of verve, with a legendary nose,
and as skillful a swordsman as he was a poet. In his drama, he used characters who actually existed in the life
of the real Cyrano. Similarly, his strange death seems quite authentic. But let's console ourselves. Even if Cyrano
was not from Périgord, at least he made the name of Bergerac well known throughout the world.
The
history of Bergerac since the Middle Ages can be summed up in three words: the river, the wine and the bridge. Even though the Dordogne was used as a passage by the Barbarians
Arab and Viking invaders to penetrate inland, it was above all a channel for economic development. Bergerac today is a town bustling with life and vitality, especially in the pedestrianised area of
the old quarter. You will be enchanted by the richness and originality of its museums, the variety of produce and
wonderful aromas of its markets, the exquisite flavors of the Pericarditis cuisine and wines, and the wonderful
warmth and generosity of its people.
The
history of
