Marché de Bergerac (Wednesday & Saturday Market)
Twice a week the centre of Bergerac erupts into one of the Dordogne's most authentic and well-stocked farmers' markets, drawing producers from across the Périgord Noir and Périgord Pourpre with stalls piled high with foie gras, walnuts, strawberries, goat's cheese and seasonal truffles. Saturday is the big one — arrive before 9 am to beat the locals to the best charcuterie.
What to Buy and Where to Look
The market sprawls across Place du Marché Couvert and spills into the surrounding streets of the old town. Look for the covered halles — the permanent iron-framed market hall — where cheese and charcuterie vendors set up permanent stalls alongside the weekly arrivals. A wedge of Cabécou goat's cheese, a jar of walnut oil and a tin of duck confit make ideal edible souvenirs.
Strawberries from the Dordogne valley — particularly the Gariguette variety in May and June — are famously sweet, and you'll find them in towering punnets for a fraction of supermarket prices. Truffle vendors appear from November through February, selling fresh Tuber melanosporum by the gram with the matter-of-fact air of people who consider it a staple.
Eating at the Market
Several rotisserie stalls set up wood-fired spits loaded with free-range chickens and potatoes roasting in the dripping fat below — buy a half-chicken in a paper bag and eat it on the spot. It is, without question, one of the best fast-food experiences in France.
The café-bars ringing the market square open early and fill with farmers finishing their morning rounds over a glass of Bergerac Sec white wine or a café crème. Pull up a wicker chair, order both, and watch the theatre of commerce unfold around you.
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