Dijon Any Info

Rick Steve’s Guides are not comprehensive like Fodors, Frommers or Cadogan guides. He chooses places that are representative.
Dijon is a wonderful, small city. Make sure you do the Owl’s Trail Walking Tour. (Brass owl figures are embedded in the sidewalks.) Do at least a day trip tp Beaune too.

Rick’s France guidebook is at least twice the size it was 20 years ago, and he’s added bits and pieces, and towns, with each new edition. Our trip 3 years ago to Brittany, the northwestern part of France, was barely covered in Rick’s guidebook, and we used the Lonely Planet guidebook and other resources for planning and taking that trip.

I agree with Suki, a wonderful small city, capital of Burgundy but not as known as Beaune (capital of burgundy wine) so less touristy. Pedestrian streets in the historic centre around the Dukes Palace, a newly renovated beautiful Fine Arts museum, a great food hall and many restaurants (a few starred Michelin). Check the TO video https://youtu.be/zih7Xss12XE and their website https://www.destinationdijon.com/

My guests usually call it little Paris, one of them said "Dijon and Coco are a favorite stop for us in France, a lovely Dijon Centre Ville walk to everything beautiful spot to visit. Dijon the former capital of Burgundy before France was France - is at the top of the Bourgogne wine region with world class culture, cuisine, wine. What is not to love? Dijon is like a small Paris perhaps. More welcoming and certainly more affordable." Bon voyage!

Rick's guidebooks have good coverage of his recommendations but virtually nothing about anywhere else. I noticed it first in Italy and haven't relied on Rick's books alone since.

I've used Michelin Green Guide as my second guide book because they are fairly exhaustive and compact.

I like Dijon - especially the center - much more than Beaune. Rick used to use Dijon as his base in the area. Back then there would be a lot of information on Dijon and nearly none on Beaune. Later he changed to Beaune, probably because the town is smaller than Dijon.

Rick doesn't like it?

Personally I really enjoyed it!

Try this place. Several posters here have raved about it.
http://www.myhomeindijon.com/

hey hey lorie
you have also posted in the reviews section.
myhomeindijon.com mentioned here a few times like other poster mentioned or check bedandbreakfast.eu
aloha

I've responded to your other note about lodging, but if you're looking for information, Lonely Planet and Fodor's have some coverage. I would especially recommend the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée Archéologique. The first is in the former Palace of the Dukes of Bourgogne (and has recently re-opened after being remodeled) and the second is in a former Benedictine Abbey, which (among other things, of course) has a room full of stunning ribbed vaults. A stroll down rue de la Liberté will take you to the semi-circular Place de la Libération, which is quite nice and looks as if it had been plucked from Paris and dropped into Dijon. Since you have only two days before continuing on, I wouldn't recommend bothering with Beaune. There's far more than enough to do in Dijon while you would be there -- leave Beaune for another visit; perhaps especially if you could capitalize on Beaune's Saturday morning market you might enjoy it even more.

Coco - it is so good to hear from you. I was thinking of you just the other day, and thinking we hadn't heard much from you recently. yay!

I'm delighted to read such nice comments about Dijon as there are many Beaune lovers on the forum.

Bets and princess pupule thanks very much for your support. Nigel I'd love to participate more often if there were more topics about my beloved town! Happy travels to you all. :)

It’s only normal, Coco. Dijon is the present and historical capital of the region and has the most to see, from Celtic treasures, to early Christian crypt, to art museum and grand buildings, as mentioned above. Beaune is a bit overrated on this forum, while Dijon is neglected. We’re in Beaune every couple of years to see friends born ‘n raised in Beaune who we visit. The sights can be thoroughly visited in just a couple of hours on a day trip. Aside from the Hospice and the van der Weyden painting, it’s not a particularly charming town. Isn’t it recommended for riding bikes out to grape vineyards? It’s good as a place to relax on an otherwise hectic trip, but Dijon has the history and collections.

You are a great ambassador Bets thank you. I'd love to meet you some day.

To all my responders regarding Dijon....

I have made the decision to stay in Dijon arriving by train from Paris.
Next is finding accommodations and researching wine tours. We only have 1 full day so what are the recommendations for a wine tour?

Thank you very much for your much appreciated perspective and knowledge.

Regards,

Lorie

I'm glad you chose Dijon but with one full day on a wine tour you'll barely scratch the surface! I strongly recommend Authentica Tours, Nicolas and his team always get rave reviews. Welcome to Dijon!

I am currently planning my (first) France trip in 2020 and have been torn between staying in Dijon or Beaune. This is such a help!