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Apart from the well-known "Bergerac" wine, the region makes a range
of wines including Montravel and Montbazillac. Most of the vineyards lie
on the flood plain of the River Dordogne, and on the slopes of the low
rolling hills bounding the plain to the north and south.
La Citadelle stands in the Montravel sub-region to the west and north or Bergerac. |
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Its excellent harbour on the great River Dordogne helps to explain
Bergerac's importance. From here the "gabarres" or river barges carried
the wine downstream to the seaport of Bordeaux.
Today the gabarres carry tourists up and down the beautiful river. |
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Bergerac is a very important town, with huge industrial and
commercial centres on its periphery, and it also stands on the main
east-west road along the river. For this reason the traffic in and out of
the town can be fierce at most times of day.
It is worth the effort of defying the signs which try to whisk you past the town, in order to visit its bustling commercial centre and mediaeval heart. There is good parking in the Place de la Republique, and a lot of free parking on the edge of the river in the "old town". |
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The commercial centre of Bergerac is packed with shops, really
rather like a busy country town in England twenty or thirty years ago,
before the chains took over.
As well as supplying
the necessities of French provincial life, there are many galleries,
restaurants, and museums, as befits an important tourist
centre. |
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The "old town" lies between the main shopping streets and the
river. It is very compact, and is packed with mediaeval buildings. You can
walk along by the river here or take a river trip.
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