Dijon

Old Town

Dijon has a completely pedestrianised city centre in store for visitors : Romanesque and Gothic churches, 17th- and 18th-century palaces majestically highlight the medieval streets of the former capital of the Dukes of Burgundy. The ancient alleyways are lined with beautiful, superbly preserved 15th century half-timbered houses that bear witness to the city’s medieval past, as in rue de la Verrerie or rue des Forges.

A splendid example is the Maison Millière, the oldest and best known of Dijon’s medieval houses, famous for its appearance in the film Cyrano de Bergerac by Jean-Paul Rappeeau with Gérard Depardieu and Anne Brochet. Located at 10 rue de la Chouette, the famous building now houses a restaurant and tea room, perfect for a gourmet break.

The Owl Path

To savour all the old-world charm of Dijon, we recommend you follow an enchanting route through the old town in 22 stages, following the city’s mascot, the owl. It all stems from a small bas-relief representing an owl, carved into one of the pillars of the side façade of the Notre-Dame Church, in rue de la Chouette. Popular tradition has it that stroking the little owl, now almost unrecognisable, brings good luck.

Starting from this custom, the Dijon Tourist Office has created an itinerary that has the little bird of prey as its mascot: just start from the original bas-relief and follow the owls embedded in the pavement of the old town, which will accompany you to discover the various monuments and emblematic places of the city.

Remember to pick up your circuit booklet at an information point or download the Parcours de le Chouette app on your smartphone to follow the bronze arrows dotting the route.

The Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy

Located in the heart of the city, the Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy remains Dijon’s most emblematic monument. It was erected in the 14th century in the Gothic style. Later, when Burgundy was annexed to France, the building was transformed into the residence of the governors and kings of France passing through the region. Under Louis XIV, the palace evolved and classical architectural elements were added, including the elegant Place Royale.

In the centre, it houses the town hall surmounted by the Philippe le Bon tower while the Museum of Fine Arts has occupied the eastern wing of the palace since 1799.

Philippe le Bon Tower

At the centre of the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, the 15th-century trapezoidal watchtower offers a 46-metre panoramic view of the city from a hundred steeples. To ascend, you will have to walk up a spiral staircase with 316 steps, which houses a rich sculptural decoration of plant ornaments, high reliefs depicting the builders of the tower and flints that are the emblems of Philippe le Bon.

Before enjoying the view from the top, you can take a break by strolling through the different floors, which house the rooms of the former ducal residence.

When you reach the top, you can admire a 360-degree view of Old Dijon, the slate roofs and the stained glass windows of the private villas: an ideal vantage point from which to contemplate the city’s elegant spires.

Museum of Fine Arts

Located in the eastern part of the ducal palace, the Museum of Fine Arts dates back to the 18th century and is one of the oldest in France. Recently renovated, you can admire works ranging from ancient Egypt to the Middle Ages, via the Renaissance and contemporary times. There are about 1500 works distributed in 50 rooms.

Within the tour you can also see the tomb of the Dukes of Burgundy (Philippe le Bold and Jean sans Peur).

Place de la Liberation

Right in front of the Palace of the Dukes is the city’s most beautiful square, a large circular space that is the beating heart of Dijon.

Around the square you will find restaurants and bars packed with tourists and patrons especially on warm summer evenings, cooled by the numerous fountains. It is a charming place, loved by the locals.

Les Halles

Built in the 19th century in an industrial style reminiscent of the works of the Eiffel period, Dijon’s covered market is an architectural marvel, soaring with metal arches and embellished with sculpted details.

The 4400 m2 metal construction houses no less than 246 shops where you can taste or buy the best of Dijon gastronomy: mustard, crème de cassis, fine wines, snails, not to mention the unmissable beef bourguignon. A riot of colours and flavours that you can enjoy on site in the small bistros inside the building, especially on Sundays for brunch.

Hotel de Vogüé

Impossible not to notice the glazed tiled roof of the Hotel de Vogüé. Built in the early 17th century for a city parliamentarian, it is one of the most beautiful buildings to visit in Dijon. Its architecture mixes the French classical style with the Italian Renaissance and is richly decorated both inside and out.

Well of the Prophets

With the fury of the French Revolution, the Charterhouse of Champmol, founded in the 14th century by Duke Philippe le Hardi for his burial place, was literally dismantled. Today, only the Well of the Prophets (also called the Well of Moses) remains.

The well is the vestige of a Calvary built in the centre of the large cloister and sculpted by a Dutch artist named Claus Sluter. It is by admiring the beauty of the various biblical characters that one understands why the artistic sophistication of the Burgundian court was so renowned. This seven-metre high hexagonal plinth, symbolically placed above a spring, is a true work of art, a marvel of precision and realism, composed of six full-length statues of Old Testament prophets. The Flemish master also created the monumental cenotaph of Philip the Bold preserved today in the Museum of Fine Arts.

Church of Notre-Dame

Religious buildings are very numerous in Dijon. If you have to choose just one to visit, we recommend the Church of Notre-Dame, famous for its owl carved on one of the side buttresses. According to tradition, to obtain good luck, one must touch the small bas-relief and make a wish.

It is the oldest of the churches in Dijon, whose construction was started in 1230 and completed in 1250. It has a magnificent façade with a triple row of false gargoyles framing the arches. The façade is also made unique by a long row of 51 gargoyles symbolising monsters, animals and humans.

Above, a Jacquemart clock has been administering time since 1383: the automaton and its intricate mechanism were brought back from the Courtrai bell tower as a war prize by Philippe le Hardi.

Henri Darcy Gardens

The Darcy garden was the first public garden created in Dijon. On this site, Henri Darcy, an engineer from Dijon, had designed a reservoir to provide the city with drinking water in 1838. To crown this work, the architect Emile Sagot created a monument in the Neo-Renaissance style, a work that still stands in the park.

After 1880, a garden was created around the basin by architect Félix Vionnois according to the tastes of the time. Today, it is a haven of silence and relaxation that is very popular with the inhabitants of Dijon.

Le Consortium

The city of Dijon wanted to leave its mark on the contemporary cultural scene through this contemporary art centre whose reputation is international.

For architecture enthusiasts, the building alone is worth a visit, with its 4000 m² designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. It is a space for exhibitions, artistic meetings, cultural mediation and audiovisual projections, with a rich annual programme.