Things to do in  Bergerac

Don’t miss Bergerac—there are few towns in France as picturesque. The Dordogne has half-timber houses and châteaux, and Bergerac has some of the prettiest, along with the Dordogne river slicing through the middle. The gastro scene includes vineyards, sturgeon caviar farms, and forests full of truffles.

Bergerac’s old town is on the northern side of the Dordogne River. It’s known as the medieval quarter and is a cat’s cradle of tangled, winding little streets. Don’t miss the Tobacco Museum in a 17th-century building in the old town. It offers insight into the history of the plant.

Bergerac straddles the Dordogne river, with roughly two-thirds of the town to the north and a third to the south. The Dordogne is a hot spot for canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife watching. Twitchers (traveling birdwatchers) flock here to see an abundance of owl species.

Bergerac has been around for a long time. Its first appearance in recorded history is in the 11th century. Between 1152 and 1450, it belonged to the English at various intervals. Perhaps it’s this legacy that has cemented its enduring popularity with English expats today.

Bergerac sits on the Dordogne, a 300-mile (480-kilometer) river that starts in the Auvergne and meets the river in the Gironde, just north of Bordeaux. It offers plenty of drama, with its plunging gorges, abundance of verdant green foliage, and good peppering of medieval châteaux.

Bergerac is a town, with a population of a little more than 27,000. It’s compact enough to be explored on foot or bike (mind the cobbles). Even though it’s a small place, it has an airport with direct flights to several cities in the UK.