If one day you happen to visit France, do not miss the opportunity to visit a very picturesque part of it, located in the heart of the country, at the intersection of all European roads - Burgundy. The capital of Burgundy is the city of Dijon, its historical, cultural and economic center, a place in which the tourist activity of the entire region is concentrated. You can get acquainted with the sights of France and Dijon, as well as see photos with descriptions in this article.
Walk through the city streets
Pursuing the goal of getting to know the history of the city and seeing the sights of Dijon, finding ourselves in the very center, we rush through narrow cobblestone streets past multi-colored windows of cozy shops, past small semi-basements that offer pretty little fairies, funny gnomes and frightening monsters for a considerable price. All these treasures contain the most valuable that can be taken away from a trip to these parts - the imperishable spirit of ancient France, which is felt literally everywhere. He is in the charm of Dijon houses with colorful tiles, drowning in flowering rose bushes, which, by the way, practically do not tend to stand out among others like themselves. This spirit also lives in street musicians and in eccentric performances, organized right on the central city square by some French buffoons, and in the monumental grandeur of architectural monuments of the past, it also lives under the arches of majestic, but gloomy Gothic cathedrals.
In search of a mystical owl
Probably, the main route that is offered to every newly arrived tourist from the very first minutes is following the numerous signs depicting the emblem of the city - an owl. Winding along the old streets, trying not to miss the trail of this symbol of the city, either imprinted with arrows on the walls or engraved on the paved pavement, you finally approach the goal, together with everyone to touch the city “shrine”, rub it on happiness and an already almost erased stone, to fall in joyful glee to a pretty image of a wise animal. After that, you can set out in good conscience in search of new exciting discoveries. Ahead - new sights of Dijon!
Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy
Dijon is the ancient capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, and everything here reminds of this glorious and not very historical period in the life of the city. Dijon unanimously recognized as one of the most beautiful historical centers of France. The city of history and art, the city of one hundred bell towers. This name he received is not accidental. It is explained by a large number of churches and cathedrals - monuments of Catholicism.
Acquaintance with the history of Dijon can be started right from here, from the central city square, where one of the first attractions is located - the palace of the Dukes and estates of Burgundy. Behind the beautiful classic facade of the building is a centuries-old eventful history. The former home of the dukes, rebuilt in the 15th century by Philip the Good and becoming the royal residence. Currently, the palace includes a city hall, an art museum, municipal archives and even a tourist office. The tower of Philip the Good, towering in the center of this architectural ensemble, embodies a symbol of power over the city.
Museum of Art
One of the oldest museums in France, located on the territory of the palace of the Dukes and estates, contains the historical and cultural heritage of the entire region. The collections of the art museum are recognized as one of the richest in France. The most famous historical monument is, of course, the tomb of the Burgundian dukes.
In the museum itself, by the way, you can make unforgettable photos of Dijon's sights. After a mandatory visit to the museum, which is also completely free, you can relax a bit and have a cup of coffee here on the terrace.
Little gastronomic journey
Since ancient times, the inhabitants of Burgundy, and especially the Dijonians, had a well-deserved reputation for refined gourmets. A country of vineyards, fertile lands, endless pastures, Burgundy, it seemed, was intended to open up new varieties of wine and cheese to the world. The most famous local product, known to all mankind, is, of course, Dijon mustard. This dish is a variety of sauce, very tender and fragrant, with almost nothing to do with mustard in the traditional sense. The history of Dijon mustard began in the XIV century, when its production was legalized by special ordinance, later numerous mustard productions began to be created. In the XVIII century, the use of juice of unripe grapes brought to perfection the exquisite taste of the famous product. Today, for practical reasons, grape juice has been replaced with wine vinegar. This forest region with calcareous soil, the former land of coal miners, is especially favorable for growing strong and spicy mustard seeds.
Excursion to the city market
In order to fully appreciate the taste of local products, you should definitely visit the city market. The large indoor pavilion, the facades of which are decorated with ornaments with elements of the Dijon roofs, is in itself the center of colors, smells and local color. Inside, wandering in long rows, it is impossible to walk past scattering of cheese heads of all colors and sizes, past well-fed chickens, handsome roosters inviting customers with their bright plumage. All this colorful cycle for a long time does not release the attention of visitors. Interestingly, the roof of the market pavilion was designed by Gustave Eiffel, one of the famous residents of the city. Under this roof there are more than 250 stands, each of which represents its products. Anduletas, snails, truffles, the famous sheep’s cheese and burgundy beef, a variety of home-made sausages, spicy Dijon bread and much more ...
Walk through the parks
Having visited historical sights and visited the local market, we will go a little more and find ourselves in the shade of the emerald green of the parks, in the cool of which it is so good to spend part of a hot summer day! The city impresses with its abundance of green islands and islets. Indeed, in the territory of Dijon there are a large number of gardens and parks, the total area of which exceeds 700 hectares. The most famous of them are the parks of Colombier and Clemenceau. In the park of Colombier, you can find one of the roads of the Roman Way, crossing many cities of modern Gaul, as well as a sundial. Children will appreciate the wildlife park and large play areas. This place is especially good for outdoor activities, where you can comfortably sit right on the grass, in the thickets of hornbeam trees.
Vineyards of Burgundy
No less attractive picture will appear to the gaze of a traveler who has left the capital and found himself in its vicinity. Any tourist can find interesting places and attractions in and around Dijon. Almost throughout Burgundy you can find trails and roads leading to some kind of medieval castle. Indeed, it seems that these historical monuments are everywhere. It is only necessary to stock up on a map or guidebook with photos and descriptions of Dijon's sights, and an exciting pastime will be provided!
Traveling through Burgundy, you never cease to be amazed at the vast expanses of agricultural land, greenery and gold fields, yellow-green grapes overflowing in the sun.
Since ancient times, Burgundy has been associated with viticulture and winemaking. And, being on this fertile land, one cannot fail to follow one of its most famous and interesting routes - the road of vineyards. This journey begins in the vicinity of Dijon and extends almost throughout the territory of the Duchy of Burgundy, bypasses the Bon wine market and ends with a popular tourist route - the ancient castle and winemaking museum Le Château du Clos de Clou de Vougeot.
French Wine Center
The history of this place began in the XII century, when the Cisterian monks built several buildings intended for viticulture in the middle of vineyards. In the XVI century, the architectural ensemble was complemented by the main building, built in the Renaissance style. Located in the heart of the great wine route (La route des Grands Crus), the castle is open all year for everyone to join the history of France, to take colorful photos of Dijon and its environs, as well as for those who are able to appreciate the beauty and grace of architectural monuments of the past. This tourist route is one of the most sought after in the world. And despite the fact that today no more wines of the best varieties are produced here, the castle still remains a symbol of more than a thousand-year history of Burgundy.
Some useful tips ...
And finally, we will give some tips from tourists and Dijonians themselves on how best to travel around the city. In general, there is a very developed public transport network. By bus or tram, which run from 3 to 7 minutes, you can easily get from one point of the city to another. For lovers of cycling in the city there is a popular bicycle network, where you have at your disposal 40 bicycle parking lots and 400 bicycles. Vélodi has a flexible system of discounts and tariffs; travelers are advised to immediately take a weekly subscription worth 1 euro. This is by far the most useful and environmentally friendly way to travel. You can get to Dijon itself in various ways, for example, by a high-speed train, which follows from certain large cities of France and Europe - Paris, Lille, Lyon and Zurich.
Sitting in a comfortable carriage and stroking the colorful yellow-green fields flickering outside the window, you will make a small and unforgettable journey through the picturesque surroundings of the country of vineyards and ancient castles.