The 12th century monastery of «Sancti Medardi Abbatiae» - «and such was the name of our commune as it appeared for the first time in a document dating from 1122» - took the name of St Médard, Bishop of Noyon, around 560. Over the centuries the name was transformed from Saint Méard de l’Abbaye to Saint Méard de l’Abbatial and Saint Médard de l’ Abbaye before finally becoming the St Méard de Gurçon of today with its population of 798. (There are three St Méard in France, two in the Dordogne and one in Haute Vienne.)

It has a surface area of 2837 hectares and is situated at equal distance between the Dordogne and Isle valleys, it’s highest point stands at 111m above sea level and it has a beautiful hillside position. St Méard de Gurçon is a delightful little village well worth the visit.
The intersection of the departmental roads D32 and D708 (an important road linking the north of the Dordogne département with the Garonne valley) means that by spring 2001 the A89 motorway will be accessible less than 10km away.

An old market hall, a wash-house and an imposing Gothic church with a square belfry, the old houses and wide, flower-lined roads combine to make St Méard an extremely attractive town.
No fewer than five rivers and streams run through the commune : the Lidoire, the Estrop, the Tord stream, the Léchou and the Gargouille.
The presence of numerous public services - town hall, school, post office, customs and excise office - as well as a variety of shops, trades, farms, restaurants, farm-hostelries, a chemist’s, various branches of the health service, a lawyer and many associations, make St Méard a lively, attractive commune and a good place to live.

The highly favourable exposition of hillsides planted with AOC Bergerac and AOC Montravel vines, mean that Merlot, Cabernet and Sauvignon grapes can ripen - while the Sémillon turn golden - in the sunshine so indispensable to their well-being and to the production of high-quality wines.
A number of silver and gold medals regularly recompense the skills and hard work of St Méard’s wine producers.



Text translated by Pays du Grand Bergeracois (professional translator).