The
list is exhaustive. There are SO many things to do in Dijon. Look
at it this way: I lived in France for two years, and after taking
walks around centre ville nearly every day, I could still
find something new. Even if it's something small, like a dragon
head carved into the corner of a wooden door. Start with a visit
to one of the tourist offices and get a free map. For a small
fee, you can also purchase brochures with Dijon walking tours.
Their newest walking tour brochure is titled "Dijon le Parcours
de la Chouette". The "chouette" they are referring
to is the owl carved on Notre Dame, which you see in one of the
little photos on the top of this page. Don't forget to rub the
owl with your left hand to bring luck to you and your loved ones!
- Shop! Dijon
has something for everyone on your list. There are hundreds of
quaint & innovative shops. See my 'favorites'
page for my top picks!
- Antiquing
- many antique stores are in the quarter around rue Verrerie behind
Notre Dame. And on the 3rd Sunday of every month, from 9am - 7
pm, the antique district stores are all open, with vendors in
the streets as well.
- Visit the canal
- the Burgundy canal was constructed at the end of the 18th century.
See the obelisk and a monument to Gustave Eiffel, who was born
here in 1832. Take a ride down the canal on a tour boat.
- Just walk,
walk, walk! Use the suggested walking routes by the city, or just
walk where your legs take you. As long as you stay within the
"center village" area, you'll always have something
beautiful and different to admire.
- Sit in one
of the many charming parks and enjoy the scenery. Or lay in the
grass, close your eyes, and dream.
- Summer? Check out Lake Kir and
the beach! There’s real sand, changing rooms, showers, and
beach chairs available. There’s also a beach volley ball
area!
- Rent a bike at
Lac Kir! 06 32 35 22 16. There is a store at 7, avenue du 8 Septembre
called 'Bourgogne Randonnees' that rents bikes. They also have
info on self-guided tours you can take.
-
Borrow
a new Velodi
bike! Purchase your abonnement 'formule liberte' on-line for
1 Euro, and for 7 days you can ride as you'd like for 0,50 Euros/1/2
hour up to 2 hours. Great for quick bike riding around centre
ville with 40 pick-up and drop-off stations!
- Shop at Les Halles
- Dijon's historic market. Gustave Eiffel, born in Dijon, designed
les Halles! Find everything you desire (to eat) on Tuesday, Friday,
and Saturday mornings from 9-1. You'll also find antique vendors,
clothes & jewelry vendors...tapestries...you name it.
- Enjoy a speciality of Dijon: Kir,
a delicious mixture of white wine (aligote) and cassis liquor,
was invented by one of Dijon's former mayors, Canon Kir. Also
--- try escargots burguignon (snails in garlic parsley butter),
coq au vin (chicken in wine sauce), boeuf bourguignon ( beef in
wine sauce), jambon persille (ham cooked in a terrine with fresh
parsley and served cold), pain d'epices (spiced bread), anis bonbons
(candies made in the Flavigny abbey), Bresse chicken (poultry
from the Bresse region and the only animal produce permitted to
use the Appellation d'Origine Controlee designation in France)...the
list goes on.
- Take one of the bus lines to the
end of the run! Who knows where you might end up. Stay for a few
minutes...stay for a day! And check out the new Diviaciti
line, a free bus line that has a route around centre ville
M-Sat from 7am-8pm.
Palais
- The Palais des
Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne - topped with the tour Philippe
le Bon, a witness to the original ducal residence. The palais
was embellished in the 17th and 18th centuries, first by Jules
Hardouin Mansart (architect of Versailles), then by Jacques V
Gabriel. In the ancient Tour de Bar, Rene d'Anjou, the Comte de
Provence was imprisioned. Near the Tour de Bar you can admire
the 15th century ducal kitchens and in the cour de Bar, enjoy
the 20th century statue of Claus Sluter by Henri Bouchard. The
east wing of the the palace houses the Musee des Beaux Arts. Across
the Place de la Liberation, stroll by the shops enclosed in the
semi-circular seventeenth-century classical style facades.
- la Tour Philippe
le Bon - La Tour was built between 1450 and 1460. Open: Summer
(from Easter to the third Sunday in November) open everyday from
9am to 530pm. In winter, open Wednesdays from 130pm to 330pm and
on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 330pm. Reduced tarif for
groups and students. Information call 03 80 74 52 71. Buy your
tickets at the Welcome Center in the Cour d'honneur de l'Hotel
de Ville. Groups taken up every 1/4 hour by a guide. If you can
climb the 316 steps to the top, you will be rewarded with a magnificent
360-degree view of Dijon. The tower reopened May 12, 2001 after
being closed for five years. Don't miss this opportunity!
Parks - there are
smaller parks in Dijon, but these are the two 'major' parks:
- Parc de la Colombiere
- This awesome park is almost 82 acres, featuring 6,000 trees!
Created in 1672 by Antoine de Maerle, a student of Le Notre, and
the designer of the gardens of Versailles, connected to the center
of Dijon by an avenue named les Allées du Parc-, "la
plus belle allée de mon royaume", said Louis XIV of
the 1 1/2 km-long avenue. Today, the wider and paved street is
named Cours du Parc. The pack is a popular Sunday destination;
kids love the animals on site. And you can rent a bike for two!
- Le jardin Darcy
- Named after inventor Darcy, the garden was created in 1880.
There is a beautiful stone fountain, and lots of green space to
put a blanket down. There is a playground here for your children
to enjoy.
Museums - most are
free!
- Jardin de L'Arquebuse
Ave Albert 1er, is Dijon's celebrated botanical gardens
- Musee de la Moutarde, 48 quai Nicolas
Rolin
- The Musée des Beaux-Arts,
one of France's oldest and richest museums. Boasts exceptional
sculpture and a collection of 14th - 19th century European paintings.
The tomb of Philippe the Bold is here, made between 1385 and 1411
and is considered the best in France.
- The Musée Magnin,
4 rue des bons enfants, with its beautiful seventeenth-century
architecture and its large collection of paintings accumulated
by the Magnin family over the years.
- The Musée Archéologique,
5 rue du docteur Maret. The archaeological museum has some interesting
finds, including Celtic jewelery.
- The Musée de la
Vie Bourguignonne, celebrating folkloric costumes, farm implements,
and even some storefront facades removed from Dijon's center in
the 18th and 19th centuries. Located in the old Bernandine Convent
on rue Saint Anne.
- The Musée d'Art
Sacré, with its collection of church treasures, is housed in the
Bernandine Convent chapel.
Churches and Cathedrals
- St-Bénigne church,
Dijon's own gothic Cathedral, is a masterpiece of Romanesque art
in Burgundy. Saint Bénigne is Dijon's patron saint, and
the cathedral of Saint-Benigne de Dijon has an interesting crypt
to visit that is dated from 1007! The crypt includes a small rectangular
chapel in which the relics of Saint-Benigne were venerated. The
crypt is believed to be one of the oldest Christian sanctuaries
still visitable in France.
- Notre-Dame, an
impressive thirteenth-century Gothic church housing a 12th century
statue of the Black Virgin, one of the oldest in France. Plus
see the original 13th century stained glass windows. Don't forget
to rub the owl on the outside of the church with your left hand
for good luck. A 700 year old tradition! Notice the Jacquemart
clock perched on top of the church. Dating from 1383, it was taken
from the belfry of Courtai and brought to Dijon by Philippe le
Hardi.
- Saint Michel -
lower facade an excellent example of Renaissance architecture.
The 16th century building has a triple portal common to 13th century
French cathedrals.
Renaissance houses
- The Rue des Forges,
and its sixteenth-century Hôtels particuliers
- The Hôtel
Chambellan - nowadays the tourist office on rue des Forges. Stunning
gothic courtyard. Get a look at the former vaulted kitchen where
the office is located.
- The homes located
behind the palais' circular section are among the oldest in Dijon.
You'll see awesome representations of ancient architechture.
Dijon Mustard
- Amora mustard museum
- Reserve your spot at the Dijon Tourist office. Ask about English
tours. When I went only French was spoken. Space is limited. Museum
is located in the manufacturing plant at 48 Quai Nicolas Rolin.
There are tours everyday except Sunday at 3pm.
- Boutique
Maille mustard store at 32 rue de la Liberte. This 18th century
company is a Dijon institution you must see! You can buy mustard
here that isn't available anywhere else in the world!
Craftspeople
- Artisan
Tapissier - restores fabric as well as reupholsters furniture.
Le Lambrequin, 18, rue Fevret, 03 80 65 41 75
- Painter
- Berthine Marceau's store called "Les apres-midi de Berthine"
at 18, rue Charrue 06 82 71 55 72. Open Tues-Saturday 3-6:45.
Charming paintings of local scenes, plus lots of other things
she has created!
- Restorers
- Ateliers DEILLER-DUCATEL at 17 rue Bieriot 03 80 74 01 27. These
artisans restore and save all kinds of objects - paintings on
canvas, paper objects, statues, vases..
- Wine barrels, presses,
and lots of other wood objects, plus ceramic art -
Art et Tonneaux 5, rue du Havre 03 80 55 54 75
- Jewelry
Designer - Fabrice Lecanu - 2eme etage 3 rue Quentin 03 80
30 21 25
- Make your own jewelry
- Creations
Nature et Perles - Centre Dauphine (by the Monoprix entrance)
03 80 30 18 62. Lots of neat supplies to make really innovative
items.
- Etat
d'Espirit - 1 bis rue Verrerie 03 80 50 18 27 - really neat
objects, silk collars, illuminated sculpture, interesting vases....
- Framer - L'Encadruer
Christian Tiercin, 30 rue Charrue, Tues-Sat 9-1215 and 2-715.
03 80 30 76 56. This is a man who is passionate about framing.
Creating the perfect frame for your piece of art is an artform
to itself. As a former framer, I relate!
- Artisan
Bottier - Atelier Duval makes classic shoes, personalized
boots, 18th, 19th, & 20th century style shoes, clown shoes,
medieval shoes! 39-41 rue Parmentier 03 80 74 19 74 duval.bottier@wanadoo.fr
- Atelier
de sculpture Regine Caudwell -
15, impasse Prosper Mignard 06 12 33 23 71 - Amazing bronze work!
Nightlife
- Le Prive
Club- 20, ave Garibaldi
- Le Blue Note
- 13, ave Marechal Foch, 03 80 53 19 53
- Le
Chat Noir - 20, ave Giribaldi 03 80 73 39 57
- 974 Discoteque
- 131 ave Gustave Eiffel, 03 80 45 26 42
- Le
Colors, rue Bossuet, Centre Commercial Dauphine, 03 80 54
21 97
- Sunset Dancefloor,
9 ave Foch, 03 80 42 96 00
- Atmosphere
Internationale, 7 rue Audra, 03 80 30 52 03 - International
students get free entry
- Caveau du Tempo
- 1 bis rue Charles Poisot, 03 80 41 72 58
- Le
Carre - 19 rue Marguerite Yourcenar - three halls with rock,
disco, & retro dancing, 03 80 30 52 03
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