Tom's Guide to Around Bergerac

Wines

Firstly the area just south of Bergerac produces some of the finest sweet white wines in the world. You'll probably know Sauternes which is about 20 miles away, but equally good, nearer to Bergerac and more honestly priced is Monbazillac. I suggest you take a day with no evening plans and go forth and drink!

First stop:

The name is given to the few producers of this lovely drink (best served cold with FoieGras and figs or outright as a desert wine) but there is a "Chateau de Monbazillac". It is a lovely place to go and look around and there is a very good restaurant there. Go there, do a small tasting and have lunch, then, to taste in depth and buy go to a smaller producer called domaine Haut Montlong in the village of Pomport. There you will be given a great and very in depth tasting. To buy the 1990 is incredible, if they're out of that go for the 2005. Both well priced compared to equivalents but you'll be very well looked after there.

Food

You're also near Périgueux, home of the best food in all of France. Make sure you eat plenty of Duck: Confit, Maigrait, Foe gras, all delicious variations of Canard. The Oysters served locally are good to as they come straight from Arcachon daily and generally the fish in the area is good, though if I was you I’d just stick to eating duck and pork. The steaks are not the best so better to avoid rather than risk a bad meal.

If you're having a BBQ then buy sausages called Meurguez. Spicy, thin and delicious (a bit like Chorizo) but cook them outside as they can be a bit rich smelling!

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Tom's Guide to Around Bergerac A colleague of mine, whose parents live nearby, has produced a guide to places around Bergerac.
Wines Firstly the area just south of Bergerac produces some of the finest sweet white wines in the world. You'll probably know Sauternes which is about 20 miles away, but equally good, nearer to Bergerac and more honestly priced is Monbazillac. I suggest you take a day with no evening plans and go forth and drink!
	First stop: The name is given to the few producers of this lovely drink (best served cold with FoieGras and figs or outright as a desert wine) but there is a "Chateau de Monbazillac". It is a lovely place to go and look around and there is a very good restaurant there. Go there, do a small tasting and have lunch, then, to taste in depth and buy go to a smaller producer called domaine Haut Montlong in the village of Pomport. There you will be given a great and very in depth tasting. To buy the 1990 is incredible, if they're out of that go for the 2005. Both well priced compared to equivalents but you'll be very well looked after there.
If you've got some Foie gras in the house take a bottle or two of todays purchases, chill it, make a massive round of toast, spread it all with the duck liver, serve with figgs and apricots and have a great evening! It's very good stuff with only a minimal hangover after excessive consumtion! So that's one day! The day out around Monbazillac should have whetted your whistles pretty well and you'll probably be after some reds. People always say that Bergerac wines are not as good as Bordeaux but I disagree. Probably the best red wine of the Bergerac area is produced by the tiny "appellation" (or AOC, name that only certain producers who meet strict production control methods and geography are allowed to use) is Pecharment. This appellation covers the area just north of Bergerac and they really make some lovely wines. The best to visit is probably "Le Domaine de Grand Jaure" about 10 minutes north of Bergerac See map. Here they not only make a really good red but they also produce a tiny "appellation" white wine called "Rosette". This is a white wine quite unlike anything Alex and I had ever tasted and is absolutely delicious. So by going here you get to try two very nice wines. The beauty about most of the producers in the area is that so long as you can find them, you can just turn up and ask for a tasting. Some of the larger Chateaux would expect a phone call first, but 90% you really can just bowl up at. So, while I can recommend the Grand Jaure I'd also suggest you have a look at the Pecharment link and try and get to at least one other place in the day. Could even do Pecharment one day, then Montravel the next. Although Alex and I found that three days of wine tasting on the trot can get a bit "samey". Terrible thing to say I know!. On the wine trail here's a quote from the web about the area with some suggested places to visit / wines to try. Don't know the writer or particularly like their writing style but all the info seems spot on. http://www.helensavage.com/tastings/bergerac.html
Food You're also near Périgueux, home of the best food in all of France. Make sure you eat plenty of Duck: Confit, Maigrait, Foe gras, all delicious variations of Canard. The Oysters served locally are good to as they come straight from Arcachon daily and generally the fish in the area is good, though if I was you I’d just stick to eating duck and pork. The steaks are not the best so better to avoid rather than risk a bad meal. If you're having a BBQ then buy sausages called Meurguez. Spicy, thin and delicious (a bit like Chorizo) but cook them outside as they can be a bit rich smelling!
Other Stuff When you go to the markets, go early and leave early. Go canoeing above Tremolat on the Dordogne, not below. Go to Beynac Castle. Go to the caves at les Eyzies and Domme, described as one of the most beautiful towns in France.