The charming city of Bergerac in France's Dordogne region is surrounded by vineyards, vast sunflower fields, and rolling countryside. But it has an allure all its own. And it can be the perfect base from which to explore this picturesque area of France. Here's our guide for the top Things to Do in Bergerac.
Bergerac is often synonymous with a certain large-nosed literary character of the same name (more on that below). But this quintessentially French city can be the ideal getaway if you're looking to explore parts of France that are more off-the-beaten path.
Marlynn and We recently spent a month traveling through southern France, including stops in Bordeaux, Montpellier, and Nice. Sandwiched in between, we spent a week in Bergerac.
From exploring the beautiful city center and sprawling market to tasting unique local wines and marveling at millennia-old cave drawings, we truly enjoyed some of the wonderful experiences this area has to offer.
Here are a few of our must-see attractions in and around Bergerac.
1. Bergerac outdoor market
French cities and towns are known for their vast outdoor markets. And Bergerac is no different. Each Saturday and Wednesday, you can explore several large outdoor markets here.
One of the biggest is near the city's Place de la République and alongside the large Notre-Dame church. It features a wide variety of vendors, selling everything from fresh fruits and vegetables to cheeses, meats, and warm meals.
These markets are a great way to stock up on fresh and tasty essentials if you're in town for a few days. And it's fun to get lost in the crowds and spend an hour or two simply exploring everything the market has to offer.
Throughout the week, there are separate smaller markets. And if you're in Bergerac during the winter, you can visit the truffle market. It's held every Saturday morning from December to February.
👉🏼 Insider tips:
- If you'd like to sample something, ask the vendor, "Puis-je goûter?" It means, "can We taste?"
- Also, don't touch the produce. If you want to buy some, ask the vendor or simply point to what you'd like, and they'll select it for you.
- Bring a reusable shopping bag to the market, since not all stalls offer disposable bags.
Bergerac outdoor market hours (around the church of Notre-Dame): Wednesday and Saturday from 7 am – 1:00 pm
2. See the Cyrano de Bergerac statues
You may be familiar with the name Cyrano de Bergerac from the famous French play, featuring a prominently-nosed poet and swordsman who grappled with unrequited love. But the lead character is actually based on the real Hercule Savinien de Cyrano, a 17th-century soldier and writer.
Though from Paris, Savinien de Cyrano's ancestors helped drive the English from the actual town of Bergerac some three centuries earlier, linking the town to the family name.
In 1897, writer Edmond Rostand leaned on Savinien de Cyrano's life experiences as a basis for his play "Cyrano de Bergerac," making the town famous in the process.
These days, if you wander around, you may simply stumble upon both statues erected in Cyrano's honor. The bronze one pictured above — in all of its noseworthy glory — was created in 2005.
Location: Pl. Pelissière, 24100 Bergerac, France
3. Explore Bergerac's charming streets and squares
Located on the banks of the snaking Dordogne River, Bergerac is an ideal city for simply walking around and soaking up the French charm.
Start by taking a stroll along the quay, which features the photogenic city sign, as well as a park where you can relax and lazily watch the river go by.
Then take the short walk into the city center and admire its quaint, cobblestone streets and honey-colored stone architecture.
During our stay, we happened upon a town square where a piano had been set up and a musician was simply starting to play. So we ordered a couple of coffees from a nearby cafe, took a seat at one of the tables, and simply chilled.
It was one of our favorite Bergerac memories as it felt like such a natural thing to do there, but something we'd never do back home in the States. And that sense of discovery is part of what traveling is all about for us.
4. Go wine tasting at nearby Château de Monbazillac
We drove to Bergerac from Bordeaux with our rental car, so we wanted to take advantage of some nearby day trips while we were there. Located simply a few minutes' drive south of Bergerac is the little town of Monbazillac, and its château of the same name.
The Château de Monbazillac is famous for producing local wines, especially sweet whites, mostly from a blend of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes.
The site features a wine museum depicting the history of wine growing in the region. Visitors also get access to the castle itself, where you can wander through rooms adorned as they may have been hundreds of years ago.
And you can also take in sweeping views of the French countryside and lush vineyards.
Once you're done with the tour, you can taste some of the wines the area is known for, via a pair of tasting options. The Monbazill'Art option includes one tasting ($12). The Monba'licieux selection ($19) is a guided tasting that includes 3 samples. We opted for that one.
The wines increase in sweetness with each tasting. So if you typically like dry whites, this can be a fun way to try something new. But fair warning, a couple of these wines aren't simply off-dry; they're quite sweet.
👉🏼 Insider tip: The guided Monba'licieux tasting occurs four times a day, but only one is conducted in English. It occurs at 3:30 pm and lasts about 45 minutes. If you want to get a real flavor for the local Monbazillac wines, and your French is a bit rusty, this is an excellent way to go.
Location: 4 Route du Château, 24240 Monbazillac
Website: chateau-monbazillac.com/en/
5. Discover lovely French villages and countryside
Bergerac is surrounded by smaller villages. And visiting them is a great way to experience small-town French life. We stopped at a couple of these villages to explore and have lunch.
Eymet
Our first stop was Eymet, located about 30 minutes southwest of Bergerac. It's known for its picturesque town square, timber-framed architecture, and its history as a "bastide," or medieval fortified town.
In addition, it has a bevy of small, artisan shops that you could easily spend hours checking out.
As it happens, Eymet also has a large British expat community, so don't be surprised if you hear a lot of English (as we did during lunch!)
👉🏼🍽 Where to eat in Eymet: If you want to enjoy a meal right in the town square, we recommend La Maison d'Amour. This popular spot specializes in savory crepes and features plenty of outdoor seating during warmer months. They open for lunch at 12 pm, but get there early. When we arrived shortly before noon, a line had already formed, and the place was full by 12:15.
Location: 37 Pl. Gambetta, 24500 Eymet
Issigeac
Another one of our day trips took about 20 minutes southeast of Bergerac, to the quaint village of Issigeac.
This hamlet is a center for local artists and galleries. As we wandered its cobblestone streets, we happened upon a shop specializing in artisan home goods run by a nice British couple. It also featured an adjoining cafe — the perfect spot for a quick espresso before heading back out again.
Eymet also hosts a large outdoor market every Sunday. At the town center, you'll find its large church, which the market snakes around.
If you truly want a sense of small-village French life, you'll certainly find it here. But you may hear a fair amount of English here as well, since the Dordogne area as a whole is quite popular with British and American expats.
👉🏼🍽 Where to eat in Issigeac: During our visit, we stumbled on a tiny restaurant called Le Lion D'Or. We liked it because it had some outdoor seating and an appealing daily menu. It turned out to be one of our favorite meals of our entire trip. We both ordered the duck breast, which was perfectly cooked with deliciously crispy skin. And each cost simply about $18.
Location: 36 Rue Grand Rue, 24560 Issigeac
6. Marvel at the prehistoric Lascaux Caves
Whether you're an armchair archaeologist or simply want to gaze at some ancient artwork, a trip to the Lascaux Caves is truly awe-inspiring.
Located about 90 minutes northeast of Bergerac, the Lascaux Caves exhibit is a must-see if you're in this part of France. And it was one of our favorite things to do during our trip.
That holds true even though the exhibit itself is an exact replica of the actual caves. More than 50 years ago, visitors were barred from touring and viewing the original cave drawings in order to limit damage to them.
But the reproductions of these 20,000-year-old artworks are no less amazing. Once inside, you can see various drawings as they appear on the actual cave walls.
Once you reach the end of the cave, you can then take a museum tour which goes more in depth into the style of the drawings and the techniques used to make them.
One of France's most important archaeological discoveries, more than 400,000 people visit the Lascaux every year.
👉🏼 Insider tip: Lascaux offers 90-minute guided tours in the morning and afternoon. But if group tours aren't your thing, arrive around noon. That way, you can take one of the lunchtime self-guided tours with free headphones. It's the same incredible experience, but at your own pace.
Location: Avenue de Lascaux, 24290 Montignac
Website: lascaux.fr/en/
Book a visit to Lascaux cavesBergerac food scene
Apart from its natural beauty, the Dordogne is known as one of France's gastronomic centers. It's famous for delicacies such as duck confit, fois gras, and truffles.
We found these dishes and ingredients, or variations of them, on the menu at nearly every restaurant we went to during our trip. And let's simply say, we did some extensive culinary research.
But the food scene in Bergerac can also be much more diverse. And like every French town, it's got its share of fantastic boulangeries and patisseries to satisfy your bread and pastry cravings.
🍲👉🏼 Looking for inspiration on where to eat in Bergerac? Check out our Bergerac Restaurants Guide.
FAQs
When is the best time to visit Bergerac?May through June and September are excellent times to visit Bergerac. These times of the year bookend the high season. So, most shops and restaurants have replaced their reduced winter hours with longer ones, but you don't yet have the same crowds as you'd see in July or August. Plus, the weather is also a bit cooler. Temps usually hover around the mid-70s during these months.
Should We rent a car to go to Bergerac?You don't need a car to get to Bergerac. It has a regular train service to Bordeaux, about 90 minutes away. And it even has its own small airport. But if you want to travel outside of Bergerac and take day trips to places like the Lascaux Caves, then a car is your most convenient option.
Do We need to know how to speak French in Bergerac?Bergerac is a fairly small town, so fewer people speak English here than in larger cities like Paris or Nice. If you travel here, it's a good idea to learn a few common French phrases beforehand, like how to order in a restaurant. That said, a smile, a polite "Bonjour," and a good translation app can go a long way to smoothing out many communication challenges.
Plan your next trip to Bergerac
- Find hotels in Bergerac, France.
- We rented a car through Avis for our travels through the South of France.
- Restaurants we visited: L'Imparfait, La Table du Marché, Quai Salvette, Ohlala.
- Patisseries and food halls we recommend: Boulangerie Celeste, Boulangerie Banette, Halle de Bergerac.
If you visit, please be sure to let them know that you read about it on Felnu! And if you snap some pics, tag us @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook.
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