Dijon

We left Dijon a week ago – long enough to forget our would-be bike thief (except when I sit on the damaged and therefore even more uncomfortable seat) and recall a few of the many good things about the city.

 During the 14^th and 15^th centuries Dijon was the capital of Burgundy, then a huge and rich Dukedom extending as far north as Flanders and east to Switzerland. Today Bourgogne may be much smaller but the city is expanding into the countryside. Should you travel out to the termini of the tram routes (which we did just because we had an inexpensive day pass and we could) you will quickly find yourself amongst block after block of new, low rise apartments and eventually a huge shopping mall ‘in progress’. As yet, the old city still has a vibrant shopping centre. Let’s hope it survives.

Most of Dijon’s tourist attractions are within the ‘Quartier Ancien’ – the medieval centre.

Typical decorative tiled roof

Dijon's most famous product

No, not beer pumps. Delicious fresh mustard!

 

The Well of Moses, dating from the middle ages, is a little more difficult to find being situated in the grounds of the psychiatric hospital.

Dijon has a TGV (fast train) station and so is one of those places people tend either to whizz straight through or walk from one platform to another to change trains. Next time consider a stop. It won’t disappoint.

Being welcomed to Dijon by the local primary school kids.