As well as being the region’s capital, Dijon is the heart of Burgundy and a fascinating city. Have you been there yet? Then start planning.
Everyone’s heard about Dijon mustard. No surprise there. Did you realise, though, that the fields of yellow that surround the town are not mustard crops? These days, in fact, most Dijon mustard comes from Canada.
Sorry if that disappoints you, but relax… You won’t find anything else about the Burgundian capital that lets you down. Dijon has restaurants, cafes, museums and galleries enough to keep you busy exploring for quite some time.
Museums, museums
The town was once the home of the Dukes of Burgundy, and the Palais des Ducs de Bourgogne dominates the Place de la Libération in the town centre. The Palais houses the enchanting Musée des Beaux Arts (The Fine Arts Museum), where you will find a large collection of paintings and sculptures, plenty of interesting stories about the lives and deaths of the Dukes, and their beautiful, ornate tombs.
The Musée d’Art Sacré (Museum of Religious Art) holds a permanent collection of various church-related art objects and also hosts frequent temporary exhibitions. The building, recognisable by its green dome, was once a Bernardine Church.
Right next door is, in our opinion, the ‘top pick’ of Dijon’s museums: the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne (The Museum of Burgundy Life). It is devoted to everyday life in the region, from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Its superb and engaging presentation style makes it accessible to everyone.
You’ll see life-sized figures, in period costume, involved in work, family life, weddings and other celebrations – depicting rural and urban life in Burgundy in the late 19th century.
On the floor above is an arcade of a dozen or so reconstructed shops and businesses, typical of those that would have prospered in Dijon between the French Revolution (1789) and WWII (1939-45). There’s a pharmacy, a beauty parlour, a watch maker and a model of the real-life Pernot Biscuit factory.
All of the exhibits pay careful attention to detail, giving visitors a sense of how the businesses functioned. Some are supplemented with video footage that helps explain their operation.
Not surprisingly, mustard and wine feature strongly in the museum. There’s a fine array of old mustard pots, wine paraphernalia and manufacturing equipment.
La Chouette
Many visitors to Dijon will seek out the town’s famous owl (la chouette). It’s a small stone statue, carved into the wall of the Église Notre-Dame. You can see it on – you guessed it – rue de la Chouette. Touch it for good luck. It’s obvious that many people have, over the years; its little face is almost entirely rubbed away
The Owl’s Trail, the Parcours de la Chouette, is a walking trail that guides you to all of Dijon’s points of interest. The various stops are indicated by brass, owl-decorated arrows set in the footpath. The route will take you past many of Dijon’s grandest buildings, historical sites and interesting landmarks. It’s a great way to explore the city.
Further afield
Whenever we visit Dijon, we always enjoy a stroll around Lake Kir, which is just outside the town centre. It is an artificial lake, surrounded by beautiful parklands, with birdlife and flowering shrubs. You can follow the paths for a walk that lasts about an hour and takes you right around the lake. Close to the entrance is a good cafe that serves coffee and snacks and has indoor and outdoor seating.
The lake was named after a former Mayor of Dijon, Félix Kir. He was a WWII freedom fighter, priest and politician. He was also an enthusiastic promoter of the area’s wine and cassis, a blackcurrant-based liqueur. The blend of the two eventually became known as Kir, also named in his honour.
If Dijon is the heart of Burgundy, it’s also an excellent centre from which to explore the region’s wine country and beyond. The Route des Grands Cru will take you through some of the Côte D’Or‘s finest appellations en route to Beaune, which is just 46 km away.
Information
LOCATION: Côte d’Or, Burgundy
DISTANCE FROM PARIS: 315 km (193 miles) to the SE
POPULATION: 156,000+
NEAREST AIRPORT: Dole (45 km); Geneva (146 km)
NEAREST TRAIN STATION: Gare de Dijon-Ville (TGV)
TOURIST INFORMATION: 11, rue des Forges, Dijon
MARKETS:Les Halles – Tuesday, Friday and Saturday; Thursday (indoor market only)
MUST SEE: The Owl Trail, The Museum of Burgundy Life, The Fine Arts Museum, Lake Kir.
