February 18th, 2010 | 
Author: Passenger numbers at Bergerac airport in the Dordogne have risen twenty times over in the last six years, according to an article in The Connextion.
The rise in visitors to the region has been attributed in part to the airport’s director, Olivier Gribelin, who has planned a 3.4m Euros extension to the old arrivals and departures lounges. A new ultra-modern glass and metal structure is to be built and will be better equipped to cope with the 300,000 visitors that the region receives each year.
Mr Gribelin commented on the development, saying: ”I’d like to think I’m like many of my British passengers – pragmatic… In 2002, we had 16,000 passengers; in 2008, we had 292,000 so we really needed to update our facilities.”
”I want a modern airport but I’m keen to maintain an atmosphere of tranquillity – busy airports can be stressful.”
The airport has been renamed to Aeroport Bergerac Dordogne Perigord to reflect its importance to the region, with the building work expected to be completed before the Summer’s peak season.
Once a German military base during the second world war, the airport is currently served by low cost airlines such as FlyBe and Ryanair who transport passengers to and from the UK, as well as to destinations like Charleroi in Belgium.
Most of the passengers through the airport are British, with many of the passengers permanent residents in the Dordogne region, according to chamber of commerce figures. Prior to the popularity of the airport, most residents were over 50 retirees, buying and renovating local property. However, with rapid investment in the region, the profiles of those ex-pats living in the Dordogne have changed.
Alexandra Thevenet, project manager for Périgord Développement commented on this changing demographic, saying: ”Britons who couldn’t afford the property they wanted in the UK or were fed up of long working hours decided to relocate. Suddenly, we saw lots of Brits in their thirties coming over, many wanting to start a business.”
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