Dijon, France Tourist Information

26.06.09/June 26, 09: I'm in Dijon! If you are in town, email me. Let's meet for coffee!

Current & Upcoming Events in/around Dijon:

	1st Annual 4-14 Festival. Named for the US and French Independence Days of July 4 and July 14, organized 'because Americans don't know that the French can play music and the French don't think Americans can cook'. Food lovers are welcome July 11th and 12th, 2009 to enjoy the 4-14 Festival of music, food, & fun. Go to Les Halles at 7pm July 11th to see 20 well-known American and French chefs cook up their specialities, plus you can peruse 60 more stands featuring regional products. I'll be there!
	60ème FÊTES DE LA VIGNE et FOLKLORIADES® INTERNATIONALES de DIJON 2009 August 24-30- People from over 22 countries flock to Dijon, France in a celebration of music, culture and dance.
	FOIRE INTERNATIONALE ET GASTRONOMIQUE DE DIJON 2009 October 30 2009 - November 11, 2009 Every year, more than 560 participants and 200,000 visitors visit la foire internationale et gastronomique de Dijon, one of the ten most important fairs in France. Every year, a different country is invited to be a host of honor. So much fun!

As you may know, Dijon is the capital city of Burgundy, France's prestigous wine country. My name is Lisa Hovis, and I am happy to be your virtual guide through this charming medieval city, home to almost 150,000 Dijonnais (almost 250,000 including the greater Dijon area!). Read about the history of Dijon here.

I created this site because I fell in love with Dijon after living there two years, from September 1999-August 2001. I have since returned for two visits: summer 2004, and summer 2009. My goal is to return every summer! Dijon is an amazing city with inescapable charm, history, beauty and great people.

Dijon does an amazing job combining tradition and modernity in one of the best preserved centre villes in France. Dijon is ranked the second most desirable town in France in terms of quality of life. And in 2008, Dijon was awarded a 'Ville d'Art et d'Histoire' label. The Ministry of Wandering through the streets of Dijon is like a stroll through centuries of history. From the 12th century to the end of the 15th century, the Dukes of Burgundy bequeathed artistic and architectural treasures to the town. The centre ville of Dijon, France's third largest historical area of national heritage, covers an area of over 250 acres of churches built between medieval times and present days, town houses dating from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, and medieval half-timbered houses.

When I arrived in Dijon in the Fall of 1999, I didn't speak any French, and the only person I knew was my husband, Jeff. We were in Dijon so he could do research in the Dijon archives for his dissertation at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. This meant I was left to my own devices. I enrolled in classes through CIEF to learn French. And since my legs worked OK, I walked. And walked. And discovered. Dijon is so inspiring! Coming from a fairly new and sprawling city like Atlanta, I was in awe of France and the life the French are able to lead with their customs, their transportation system, their joie de vivre, their food. Dijon also fed my carnivorous imagination. I found myself drawing again, writing a 200 page journal, learning French to an intermediate level, and picking up my camera again and again. After two years of taking photos, I still found something new every single day. Now that's a city! It was this passion that led me to learn how to create a website to feature this city that came to mean so much to me. Thanks to J.P. Rhea, another Fulbright scholar in Dijon (my husband was the other---not me!), I learned the basics of website creation. And the rest is history!

We met the most amazing people in Dijon. Invited into homes to dine and drink fine Burgundy wine, we learned how warm and inviting the Dijonnais are. French culture is completely different from American culture. As it should be. That is what traveling is for: to expand your horizons. Be a gracious tourist, try to learn some French. Learn to slow your pace. Click here & read this. Revel in the joy of long meals surrounded by friends. Relax. When we were preparing to return to the U.S. in 2001, I wrote a letter to the Dijonnais that the Bien Public published. Click here if you'd like to read it.

Feel free to email me! I enjoy getting your mail. If you have something you'd like added to my site, or if you have an update, your emails are always welcome.

The Petit Fute Dijon edition is terrific for information on absolutely everything in Dijon. Even if you don't read French, you can figure out much of the info regarding museums, restaurants, etc. Pick it up for 7€ at any "libraire" (that's bookstore to you and me). Especially handy if you are staying in Dijon for an extended period of time.

Place Darcy 21000 DIJON
Phone +33 3 80 44 11 44
Fax.+33 3 80 42 18 83
Website - www.ot-dijon.fr

34, rue des Forges 21000 DIJON Phone +33 3 80 4411 44
Fax +33 3 80 30 90 02

At either tourist office, you'll find a wealth of information including free maps and brochures. The knowledgeable staff also speaks English. The rue des Forges office is located in a particularly beautiful courtyard and the office is stunning as well.