Périgord | |
|---|---|
 Dordogne in Périgord, nearCastelnaud-la-Chapelle | |
 The four regions of Périgord | |
  Périgord | |
| Coordinates:45°11′N0°43′E / 45.183°N 0.717°E /45.183; 0.717 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Nouvelle-Aquitaine |
| Department | Dordogne |
| Elevation | 130 m (430 ft) |
Périgord (UK:/ˈpɛrɪɡɔːr/PERR-ig-or,US:/ˌpɛrɪˈɡɔːr/-OR;[1][2]French:[peʁiɡɔʁ]ⓘ;Occitan:Peiregòrd[pejɾeˈɣɔɾ(t)] orPerigòrd[peɾiˈɣɔɾ(t)]) is anatural region andformer province ofFrance, which corresponds roughly to the currentDordognedepartment, now forming the northern part of theadministrative region ofNouvelle-Aquitaine. It is divided into four areas called the Périgord Noir (Black), named so for the truffles that can be found there, the Périgord Blanc (White), for chalk cliffs and quarries, the Périgord Vert (Green), for forests and forestry and the Périgord Pourpre (Purple), for wine and viticulture. The geography and natural resources of Périgord make it a region rich in history and wildlife,[3] and the newly created Parc Naturel Régional Périgord-Limousin aims to conserve it as such.[4]
Périgord is noted for itscuisine, especially itsduck andgoose products, such asconfit de canard andfoie gras.[5] It is known as a centre fortruffles in France.[6] Périgourdine wines includeBergerac (red and white) andMonbazillac.
There areRoman ruins in Périgueux which have been restored and the whole area is known as the 'cradle of mankind' due to its wealth ofprehistoric sites, of which the most famous prehistoric site is the painted cave ofLascaux, whose depictions ofaurochs,horses,deer and other animals (but not of humans) date back some 17,000 years. The centre of prehistoric studies is the small town ofles Eyzies, home to the newly rebuilt Museum of Pre-History, where 19th century archaeological investigations established the valley of theVézère as an unusually rich array of pre-historic sites dating back some 40,000 years. One ofUNESCO's World Heritage locations, the valley contains 147prehistoric sites dating from thePalaeolithic era and 25 decorated caves.
During theRomanconquest ofGaul, the area was organized as the territory of thePetrocorii (civitas Petrocoriorum) with its capital near modernPérigueux.[7] This was known as Vesunna,[7] apparently after a localGaulishfertility goddess of the same name. Under theRoman Empire, it formed part ofGallia Aquitania and then, after theDiocletianicReforms,Aquitania Secunda.[7] The area was known in the early Middle Ages as the Petragoric lands (pagus Petragoricus) and then, after the 8th century, as thecounty of Périgord.[7] Thecounts werevassals of thedukes ofAquitaine, making them part of theEnglishAngevin Empire during the 13th century.[7] The area was one of the main battlegrounds of theHundred Years' War over the next two centuries. It passed into the hands of thedukes ofOrleans in the 15th century, thed'Albrets in the 16th, and then finally crown land of theKingdom of France upon the accession ofHenri IV.[7]
Owing to its contentious history, Périgord has numerous medieval castles andRenaissancechateaux, includingPuymartin,Losse,Hautefort, andBeynac,Jumilhac-le-Grand,Fénelon,Biron,Bourdeilles,Castelnaud,Puyguilhem, andRouffiac.
Périgord surrounds and is named after thepréfecture (capital) of the Dordogne,Périgueux, and also includes Bergerac in the south and Sarlat in the east.
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A visit to the province inspired the English novelistJulia Stuart to write her novelThe Matchmaker of Périgord.[8]Michael Crichton's novelTimeline is partially set in 1357 Périgord.[9]Claude Chabrol filmed his classic thrillerLe Boucher here in 1970, with references to Bergerac and the cinema at Sarlat. TheMartin Walker crime novels featuring Bruno Courreges, chief of police, are set in the fictional town of St. Denis on the Vézère river.[10] InChristian Vincent's 2012 filmHaute Cuisine (French title:Les Saveurs du Palais), the protagonist Hortense Laborie is a chef from Périgord.[11] The 2013 documentary filmAfter Winter, Spring follows the lives of family farmers in Périgord, including their struggles in the face of real estate development, government agriculture policy, and largeagribusiness.[12]
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