Bergerac: the imaginary homeland of Cyrano

In the heart of wine country Dordogne, Bergerac lent its name to the famous literary character Cyrano, though it never actually hosted his life.

The center, imaginary homeland of Cyrano de Bergerac, is comfortably explored on foot.

The Statue of Cyrano de Bergerac, in the historic center, celebrates the literary character made famous by playwright Edmond Rostand, though inspired by a man who actually lived in Paris.

A few steps away, the Tobacco Museum, housed in a timber-frame house from the fourteenth century, traces the history of tobacco cultivation in the region.

Walking along the Dordogne one strolls through the historic river port, once a departure point for wine trade toward Bordeaux and England.

As evening falls, local cellars offer tastings of the sweet wines of Monbazillac, produced in the hills surrounding the city.

The real Cyrano de Bergerac, a Seventeenth-century writer and swordsman, had no direct ties to the city of Bergerac, yet playwright Edmond Rostand nonetheless chose this surname for his celebrated theatrical character in 1897.

Monbazillac wine, produced on the hills surrounding Bergerac from grapes affected by noble rot, remains one of France's most renowned dessert wines alongside the more celebrated Sauternes of Bordeaux.