Dijon-a city on the culinary trail of France

Located in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, Dijon is a city of more than 150,000 people. The Suzon and Ouche rivers flow through it. Dijon is the historic capital of Burgundy and a city famous mainly for its mustard and autumn gastronomic fairs. Its history dates back to Neolithic times. At that time it bore the name "Divio," which was supposed to mean holy place or sacred market. Because of the multitude of churches, chapels and turrets on the roofs, it is referred to as the city of a hundred towers or a hundred bells. However, its more famous symbol is... the owl.

What to see in Dijon?

The most interesting sights and attractions of the mustard city are presented below.

The Old Town of Dijon

The city center is completely off limits to traffic. It is worth taking a stroll there along the owl street, or Rue de la Chouette, where every now and then you can see various images of these intelligent birds. Owls are a symbol of Dijon. And one of the most famous can be found on the north wall of the Notre-Dame church.

Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy

This building, also sometimes called the Palace of States, was built in the 15th century as the seat of the Dukes of Burgundy. In subsequent centuries, it was also the seat of the king and later governors. It consists of three wings, and in the central part stands out the 46-meter-high Renaissance tower of Philip the Good - a former astronomical observatory. From it you can look at the panorama of the city and the surrounding area. Particularly noteworthy inside are the Hall of States and the burial chapel. The interiors mostly represent the Baroque style. Since 1787, the palace has served as the city hall, and there is also a Museum of Fine Arts with a rich collection of art from antiquity to modern times.

The Church of Notre-Dame in Dijon

The Church of Notre-Dame in Dijon is a beautiful representation of Burgundian Gothic. It was built between 1231 and 1250 on the site of an earlier small chapel. Inside, the most noteworthy features include a 12th century wooden statue of Our Lady of Good Hope and beautiful 13th century stained glass windows. The church's facade is decorated with more than 50 gargoyles depicting human figures, animals and monsters. In addition, an attraction on the northern exterior wall of the church is the now rather dilapidated statue of an owl, which, according to custom, should be stroked with the left hand for good luck.

Church of Saint-Étienne

This is the oldest temple in the city. Of which the remains of an ancient castrum, or Roman camp from the 3rd century, still survive in the crypt. The interior now houses the city's library and a museum of French sculptor François Rude.

Excursion to the vineyards around Dijon

The Burgundy region is famous for its great wine. Vineyards there cover an area of more than 45,000 hectares and stretch from Dijon to Lyon. Dijon is the historic capital of Burgundy, but the center of Burgundian winemaking is the city of Beaune. The best wines come from the central part of the region, the Côte-d'Or. They are produced mainly from the Pinot Noir varietal. It is worth visiting at least one of the more famous vineyards, such as Clos Vougeot, La Romanée-Conti or Chambertin.

Hospice in Beaune

Beaune is a small town located 45 kilometers south of Dijon. There is an unusual architectural gem there - a hospice dating back to the mid-15th century. It was intended as a facility serving the poor and homeless, but it was also used by wealthy Burgundians. Hospice functions the place served until the second half of the 20th century. On the outside, the building is distinguished by a roof covered with colorful ceramic tiles arranged in geometric patterns and beautiful ornaments, balconies and turrets. The interior, however, with its wooden open galleries, reconstructed patient rooms and preserved hospital chapel, is no less impressive. It's worth knowing that they host annual auctions of Burgundian wines.