Dijon, small but special

Dijon is the city I choose for studies. A small, beautiful city; typically French. It is famous for Dijon mustard; however the capital of the province of Burgundy has lots more to offer than just mustard.

From the early 11th century AD until the late 1400s, the province was home to the Dukes of Burgundy. Burgundy was a place of tremendous wealth and power and was one of the great European centers of art, learning and science. The Dukes of Burgundy left behind a legacy of architectural splendour which you will see in the historic city centre of Dijon. Furthermore, during the 17th – 18th centuries wealthy parliamentarians also built elegant ‘hotel particuliers’ or private mansions in town, adding to the town’s grand architecture.

Dijon today remains culturally rich and has a famous university. It also has a reputation for food fairs and its annual International Gastronomic Fair attracts lots of visitors to town. Dijon and generally Burgundy is famous for its wines. Kilometers of vineyards spread around the city. Keep in mind that there are many excursions to vineyards where you can taste the famous wines.

There is a lot to see and do in Dijon and it’s easy to find your own way around town. Just follow the Owl’s Trail or “Le Parcours de la Chouette“. The trail is named after the stone owl at the Notre-Dame church. Look for the tiny owl on the facade of the church and don’t forget to stroke it for good luck and to ensure you will return! You can do the walk in an hour, but that doesn’t leave you time to hang around to admire the sights, so it’s best not to rush. Kids will enjoy finding the owls as well.

Dijon Cote de Nuits Pass

If you’re going to be in Dijon for a couple of days, it’s worthwhile purchasing a Dijon Cote de Nuits Pass which will give you free admission to more than 30 top attractions as well as unlimited transportation on Dijon’s public network for the duration of your pass. This also gives you information on the Owl’s trail and an audio-guided tour of the town. The pass also entitles you to a variety of discounts and added value offers at a selection of over 60 shops and wine cellars. There is a choice of a 24, 48 or 72-hour Pass.

Dijon is connected to Paris by the TGV high-speed train and is approximately one hour and 40 minutes southeast of Paris.