The Old Bridge

From here, you have a lovely view of the city’s bridge. Bergerac’s first true bridge was built in the 1200s. It was a wooden structure with arches, repaired many times after being damaged by major floods, but it lasted a remarkable six centuries! Completely swept away by the historic flood of 1783, Bergerac found itself without a bridge for about forty years. During that time, a ferry crossing system was put in place. Though the residents repeatedly petitioned for a new bridge, construction didn’t begin until 1822. To help fund it, they built a toll bridge, and this toll remained in place until it was abolished in 1847. The old bridge, as it’s affectionately called by locals, survived an attempted explosion in 1940 and the bombings of 1944, and still connects the two banks of the river today. Time to head over to the other side and explore some more.