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Dijon, France
Dijon in France with e-travelguide.info
Welcome To the e-travelguide to Hotels, guest houses and attractions in Dijon.
Make the most of your time in Dijon, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links above to plan your visit.
The first images that come to mind when thinking about Dijon are those of the famous mustard brand. Despite this, there is so much more to the city, capital of the eastern Burgundy region of France, not least its reputation for great food and even better wine. It also has a wealth of striking buildings which help to foster a certain elegance and a definite sense of character.
While mustard is undoubtedly produced in the region it is fair to say that it wouldn’t be impossible to produce it elsewhere. Indeed some 90 per cent of the mustard seeds used in Dijon are imported from the likes of Canada. Mustard is just one of the ingredients used to help make Dijon into a first class restaurant destination, with plenty of fine French cuisine on offer throughout. Intriguingly, if not slightly bizarrely, there is even a museum in the city which is dedicated specifically to mustard and steak!
Between the 12th and 15th centuries, Dijon was home to the Dukes of Burgundy and it was during this time that the ducal palace was built to meet their needs. The palace (pictured) is home to the museum of fine art as well as some kitchens which date back to the mid-1400s and a series of European paintings. Throughout the rest of the city other architectural styles remain in tact and it is this that serves to add a sense of charm to the area. Around the central parts of Dijon there are half-timbered houses which stem from the 12th to 15th centuries, many of which are still lived in. There are also swathes of churches and cathedrals and, in fact, Dijon was once given the nickname ‘the town of a hundred church towers’ due to its mass of spires, turrets and steeples.
Burgundian roofs are also a familiar sight in the city, offering a further unique cultural aspect. The patterned roofs are made of tiles glazed in terracotta, yellow, black and green colours. In the city centre, meanwhile, visitors may stumble upon a seemingly out-of-place sight – the Arc de Triomphe. However, though similar to the one in Paris, this one is called Porte Guillaume and is in fact different to its more famous sister monument.
Set in one of the most famous wine-making regions in the world, Dijon is just 20 minutes from vineyards which produce popular wines. Creme de cassis is an alternative type of drink meanwhile and comes in the form of a blackcurrant liqueur. Food is also much celebrated, no more so than during the International and Gastronomic Fair which takes place each year and welcomes some 200,000 visitors. Other festivals and celebrations include the three-yearly international flower show called Florissimo and the summer music festival which sees various music bands playing on the city’s street corners.