Périgord

Monbazillac: vineyards

Périgord, historical and cultural region encompassing the Dordogne and part of Lot-et-Garonne départements, Aquitaine région, southern France. It is roughly coextensive with the former county of Périgord.

The area was originally inhabited by the Gallic tribe of the Petrocorii, or Petragorici, whose capital became Périgueux. The counts of Périgord later played a part in the troubled affairs of Aquitaine, and, beginning in 1259, control of Périgord was disputed by the French and the English. In 1470 the area was transferred to the House of Albret and subsequently was inherited by the crown of Navarre, whereupon Henry IV united it with the French crown (1607). Under the ancien régime, Périgord was included in the province of Guyenne and the intendance, or généralité, of Bordeaux.

Physiographically Périgord is an upland region on the southwestern flanks of the Massif Central, drained westward by the Lot, Dordogne, and other tributaries of the Garonne. The traditional farmstead has two stories linked by an outdoor stairway; houses are often flanked by towers. Architectural features include balconies on the ground floor, oversize portals, carved lintels, and stone arcades.

The rural population of Périgord was depleted by emigration, but there are numerous immigrants from the Alsace and Brittany régions. Repatriates from Algeria settled in Périgord between 1962 and 1964. Roman Catholicism predominates, although there is a sizable Protestant enclave in Bergerac. Three dialects of Occitan are widely spoken in the countryside.

Regional cuisine features truffles, which are unearthed among oak trees by trained pigs and dogs between November and March, and fine pâtés de foie gras. Geese are penned in November and force-fed corn (maize) cooked with fat and salt; geese and ducks are slaughtered by Christmas for foie gras. The wings and thighs are seasoned and canned. Wild boars are occasionally raised for pâté. Much of the area is forested, and mixed farming is common. Traditional industries include food processing and the manufacture of textiles, wood, and leather products. The area around Bergerac, particularly Monbazillac, specializes in wine production. Tourism has developed in many parts of the region.