Visit Bergerac – secret Dordogne

Even if you can’t pinpoint it on a map, the town of Bergerac will almost certainly sound familiar. Standing amongst the vineyards of south-west France, this bustling community of around 27,000 people is the second largest town in the department of Dordogne after Perigueux. But Bergerac’s biggest claim to fame is through a man with only a distant connection to the town.

Cyrano de Bergerac

Parisian by birth, 17^th century novelist and playwright Hercule Savinien de Cyrano grew up on a family estate outside Paris, given to its original owner by King Charles VI for his contribution in capturing Bergerac from the English. So, when young Hercule joined the Gascon Musketeers, he bracketed ‘de Bergerac’ to his family name as something of a personal statement. After a brief military career, Cyrano de Bergerac led a short but colourful life as part of the libertine movement of literature, dying in an accident in Paris in 1655 aged just 36.

And there the story might have ended, had it not been for a play written nearly 250 years later. In 1897, Edmond Rostand created a work of fiction loosely based on Cyrano, but portraying him as a gifted Gascon poet with a very large nose, who secretly loves his cousin Roxane but believes he is unattractive to women. The story of how Cyrano woos her with his poetry on behalf of a friend has been acted out on stage, television and cinema screens ever since. And today you can admire his facial physique in two statues that grace the Art & History town that shares his name.

The best of Bergerac and around

Bergerac’s historic quarter is a pleasant place to while away a few hours with its ancient streets and bustling marketplace. Or maybe take a boat trip in a traditional Dordogne barge or gabarre. First-time visitors are also surprised to find France’s only Tobacco Museum, a discovery centre for a plant once widely grown in the area.

But the surrounding area is packed with interest too, from heritage towns to lush countryside, riverside walks to some of France’s Most Beautiful Villages. And if you have even a passing interest in wine, you can soak up the vineyard atmosphere first hand with a stay at Chateau Masburel, west of Bergerac near the village of Fougueyrolles.

Bergerac lies in the area known as Purple Périgord, a land of vineyards that morphs into the Bordeaux region. Successive owners at Chateau Masburel have produced wine here since 1740 when both chateau and vineyard were planted by a Consul to King Louis XV. Over the centuries, the vineyard became established within the Montravel appellation, whose chief function is to produce the top Bergerac wines grand crus. Exclusively producing both sweet and dry white wines until 200l, Montravel also now includes excellent red vintages.

Today the vines at Chateau Masburel are in the capable hands of Chris Walker and Irma Lazickiene who also welcome guests to their four themed bedrooms, each with en-suite and vineyard views, as well as to the Tapestry Gîte, separate from the main chateau with two luxury bedrooms. Stay on site and you can tour the 19 hectares of vineyards, taste the vintages and buy from the vineyard shop at your leisure.

Whether you love wine, history, or just the irresistible pull of ancient stones, Chateau Masburel makes a great base for a holiday in the Dordogne and surrounding area. Take a 40-minute drive west to Saint-Emilion, another iconic name known across the wine-drinking world. This enchanting town tumbles down a steep hillside in a maze of historic streets. Don’t miss the monolithic church hewn out of the rock in the 12^th century, the Romanesque keep, or the Cordeliers cloister. And don’t leave without tasting the town’s signature macaroons made with ground almonds. Oh, and the famous red wine of course!

Pretty villages near Bergerac

If you can’t resist a historic village, there are three within 90 minutes of Masburel that are classified amongst Les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Closest is Monpazier, just over an hour to the south. Founded in 1284 by King Edward I of England, this medieval fortified town still retains its arcaded central square and original grid street pattern.

Nearby Belvès dominates the verdant valley of the Nauze river and offers panoramic views over the Périgord Noir region. Besieged seven times by English soldiers during the Hundred Years War and by Protestant forces in the Wars of religion, Belvès still boasts troglodyte cave dwellings and fine buildings from the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Also listed amongst Les Plus Beaux Villages is Limeuil at the junction of the Dordogne and Vézère rivers, once a trading centre that bustled with the comings and goings of barges and boatmen. Walk up to the panoramic themed gardens of the castle park and don’t miss the frescoes at Chapelle Saint-Martin, one of the most beautiful Romanesque chapels in the Périgord.

Périgueux

Chief town of the Dordogne department and capital of the White Périgord, Périgueux is around an hour’s drive north of the Masburel domaine and a definite must-do. Dominating the town is the UNESCO-listed cathedral of St Front, embellished with domes and minarets, and restored in the 19^th century by Paul Abadie who later used it as a model for the Sacré Coeur in Montmartre. Today Saint-Front is still an important stopping point on the pilgrims’ route to Santiago de Compostela.

The town retains many timber-framed houses and fortified properties from the Middle Ages and the historic centre includes a cobbled artisan district that is home to bookbinders, blacksmiths and many other traditional trades. But visitors can step back even further in time at Vesunna, the remains of a large Gallo-Roman villa right in the heart of town, that are now protected by a glass building designed by architect Jean-Nouvel.

And if Périgueux whets your appetite for an urban fix, head off in the other direction to Bordeaux, a journey of less than 90 minutes whether you drive or take the train. Highlights include a vast water mirror reflecting elegant facades and changing skies; Cité du Vin, an interactive centre showcasing wines from across the world; and a wealth of restaurants, boutiques and museums.

But the lure of the vineyards and valleys, the water and woodland of Dordogne will eventually pull you back out to the countryside. And what better way to end a day of discovery than with a glass of Bergerac wine and a view of the vineyards? Santé!

Find more info at: Chateau-masburel.com; pays-bergerac-tourisme.com/en

By Gillian Thornton, one of the UK’s leading travel writers and a regular writer for The Good Life France Magazine and website.