IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; ALICE COLAS; MAMA SHELTER DIJON; FRANCIS AMIAND
INSIDE GUIDE DIJON
BURGUNDY’S WINE-SOAKED MEDIEVAL CAPITAL HAS LONG BEEN A CRADLE OF INVENTION, ART AND GASTRONOMY
There are many reasons to visit the capital of France’s Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region — not least its setting amid the Burgundy vineyards, its gastronomic legacy and its wealth of history and art. Once part of the Roman Empire and capital of the Duchy of Burgundy from the 10th to 15th century, Dijon has a pedestrianised, UNESCO- listed historic heart with many medieval townhouses, Renaissance-style mansions and romanesque and gothic landmarks. Several of its museums have started off ering free entry in recent years, while contemporary art has been integrated into outdoor public areas. In 2022, the opening of Dijon’s Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin — a wine education, retail and leisure complex — also brought new energy to the city. Several centuries of the city’s past are represented
across the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy complex. Climb the 316 ancient stone steps to the top of its 150ft-high Tour Philippe le Bon for panoramic views over the city. Afterwards, explore the palace’s Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon, whose walls are covered with medieval masterpieces and contemporary art. Founded in 1787, it reopened in 2019 after a 10-year renovation.
beaux-arts.dijon.fr From here, stroll to the 13th-century Church of Notre-
Dame of Dijon to marvel at the automaton clock atop its south tower and search for the famous owl — a small medieval carving that’s regarded as a good luck charm and symbol of the city. Join the locals and tourists who gather here to make a wish while rubbing it with their left hand. Rue de la Chouette (Owl Street) is on the north side of
the church and it’s here you’ll fi nd boutique-atelier La Moutarderie Fallot, which makes its legendary Dijon mustard using a grindstone. Tastings of the original are off ered alongside newer creations that introduce fl avours such as blackcurrant. Further along the street is Maison Millière, a 1483 former merchant house that’s now a
restaurant, wine bar and tea room. It served as a backdrop for the 1990 Gérard Depardieu fi lm Cyrano de Bergerac.
fallot.com
maison-milliere.fr To sample more of Dijon’s celebrated products, head to
the Les Clos Vivants wine shop. It hosts daily tastings of Burgundy wines along with another French favourite, the blackcurrant liqueur crème de cassis, which originates from Dijon. Also don’t miss Les Halles Market, where local producers sell cheeses, snails and all manner of baked goods in a cavernous wrought-iron structure designed by Dijon- born engineer Gustave Eiff el.
lesclosvivants.fr Walk down the main shopping street Rue de la Liberte,
lined with 15th-century buildings and home to a satellite branch of Paris’s high-end Galeries Lafayette department store. The thoroughfare leads to Dijon’s fi rst public garden, the 19th-century Jardin Darcy, a verdant pocket of ponds and waterfalls that’s worth a stroll. You can get park snacks from nearby Mulot & Petitjean, a heritage store specialising in gingerbread that’s made according to a traditional recipe — Dijon’s cake-like gingerbread is famed across France.
galerieslafayette.com
mulotpetitjean.com It’s a 20-minute walk south to Dijon’s newest cultural
and gastronomic hub, Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin. Ten years in the making and partially housed in a grand former hospital, it off ers interactive exhibits on French gastronomy and wine, tasting experiences and workshops plus a wealth of shops, restaurants and bars to hop between.
tdb-cdn.com
citedelagastronomie-dijon.fr For a place to stay, try Mama Shelter on the edge of the
historic centre, which opened its Dijon branch in 2023. Stylish rooms and an in-house cinema and bar-restaurant are complemented by painted ceiling murals that take inspiration from local attractions such as Burgundy’s vineyards.
mamashelter.com/dijon LAUREN JADE HILL
LIKE A LOCAL Adrien Tirelli’s guide to Dijon for wine lovers
Adrien is maître caviste (wine merchant) of Les Clos Vivants wine shop in Dijon
CAVEAU DE SAULX This wine bar near Place de la République hosts blind tastings and also pairs wines with food, all in an atmospheric 16th-century cellar. Old vintages are the bar’s speciality.
lecaveaudesaulx.fr
BRUNO Bruno has one of the best and most eclectic cellars in the city. It has a very French, local ambience — to meet owner Bruno Crouzat-Reynes is to meet one of Dijon’s true characters.
zelift.com/bruno
LA CAVE SE REBIFFE This tiny wine bar has bottles from Burgundy and beyond and serves small bites such as charcuterie and cheese, along with cocktails.
instagram.com/ lacaveserebiffe21
30
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180
