Real places, fictional heroes

We’ve just returned from a visit to Amsterdam (lovely despite the rain). My one disappointment was that a museum in Alkmaar dedicated to Hans Brinker, which I had read about in an old travel guide, no longer exists. This got me thinking about cities that honor fictional characters. Philadelphia has its Rocky, Brussels has its Tintin, Copenhagen has its Little Mermaid, and London honors Paddington Bear, Peter Pan and Winnie the Pooh.

Locally, I offer two examples of cities embracing literary figures as their own: Condom’s Musketeers and Bergerac’s Cyrano. Can you think of others?

Cyrano de Bergerac

There really was a Cyrano de Bergerac, but the Cyrano we know is a fictionalized version created by the French poet/playwright Edmond Rostand. Visit the city of Bergerac in the Dordogne department, and you’ll find two large statues of Cyrano, a couple of shops and cafés named for him and plenty of Cyrano souvenirs.

Statue of Cyrano de Bergerac in Bergerac

Another statue of Cyrano de Bergerac in Bergerac

Sign honoring Cyrano de Bergerac and his lady love
Roxanne in Bergerac

Cyrano wooden toys in a shop window in Bergerac

The Three Musketeers

Visit Condom in the Gers department and you can’t miss the lifesize statues of D’Artagnan and his three buddies: Athos, Porthos and Aramis, characters created by Alexandre Dumas. The bronze work by sculptor Zurab Tsereteli was installed in 2010. 

Musketeers statue in Condom

Musketeers statue in Condom

The art of the alphabet

“Alphabet” by artist Isabel Gueunet-Salvucci, on display at the
Abécédaire exhibit in Bergerac through Oct. 11, 2014

“W” by painter Catherine Alcaraz-Klein

An invitation from the organization Les Métiers d’Art en Pays de Bergerac entices me to take an afternoon drive to Bergerac to view an exhibition entitled “Abécédaire.”

“V” by sculptor Béatrice Bauchart

“M” by artist Marie-Lise Duédal

“À” by sculptor Kathy Garrigue

The “Abécédaire” project was conceived in 2010 when 45 artists from the Pays du Grand Bergeraçois region interpreted the letters of the alphabet in a variety of artistic mediums. More than 3,000 visitors visited the traveling exhibition in a half dozen Perigord venues in 2010 and 2011.

“Abécédaire” runs through Oct. 11 at la Médiathèque, specifically on the fourth floor inside Bergerac’s impressive public library on Place Bellegarde. Hours are Tuesday and Friday 2-6 p.m.; Wednesday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2-6 p.m.; and Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. For more information visit artisandart-perigord.com.

Exterior of the bibliothéque, located on the top floor of la Médiathèque de Bergerac
on Place Bellegarde

Scenes from a market

I take advantage of my Wednesday French class being cancelled, and head (with the family plus one) to Bergerac for the morning market. We also stroll down to the banks of the Dordogne, passing the city's favorite (fictional) son, Cyrano.

Bergerac has a thriving Wednesday morning market.

Gray skies and a bit windy for July, but the market is bustling.

Bergerac's small covered market is open every day.

I hear this bar has some ambiance.

St. Jacques

Cyrano de Bergerac

Smoke on the water

Lots of bikes are on display in Bergerac: The Tour de France
is coming through (and stopping for the night)
later this month.