Can I get Some Dijon?

After a great day in Paris and staying out relatively late to make the most of it, we tried our best to get a good night’s sleep ahead of an early train out of Paris. The quick turnaround was not originally planned: just a few weeks before our trip, we were expecting to spend a few days in Paris, visit Mont Saint-Michel on a day trip, and then explore much of eastern and southern France over the course of a week. That had to change due to work schedules and flight changes from American Airlines, so we cut our Paris trip to a day, but wanted to still explore another city in France.

Days of researching various towns throughout eastern France, and we nailed it down to one: Dijon. In the Burgundy region, Dijon is known for its history, wine, and food, and of course, the mustard. It was originally the capital of Burgundy from the 11th to 15th century, which means it has a history of incredible architecture, some of which still stand today.

Fast forward to the morning of our train to Dijon, and we were a bit sleepy due to our time enjoying the Eiffel Tower. However, we made it on time for our train’s departure, and that’s all that mattered! After buying some espresso and a pastry, we boarded our train from central Paris. The journey took roughly an hour and half, which was very efficient, and meant we’d have plenty of time throughout the day to explore the city.

The train departed the station, and very quickly, the landscape outside of the train began to change. Rolling hills and small towns led our way to Dijon, the sleepy looking villages dotting the countryside with small backyard pastures.

The ride was quick- we arrived in Dijon before 9am. While we were excited to get into Dijon, I wouldn’t have minded a longer train ride. We upgraded to first class, and though it didn’t come with much extras, the seats were comfy, the car was quiet, and the views were peaceful. However, sadly, our station was announced over the train intercom, and we departed the train, arriving at a much smaller train station than the one we had originated from. Once we had all of our belongings, we headed outside towards the taxi stand. We waited a bit with another woman, who then realized taxis were not operating yet and we told us we should grab an Uber or call for a cab. We were thankful she was so nice to help translate that for us. We ordered an Uber, which promptly arrived in only a few minutes.

From there, it was less than ten minutes to our hotel. The ride was interesting. There were shared trams with the roads, and there were a handful of moments it felt like our driver was about to ram us into one. Filing away that memory so that if we visit again, we enter the city via a tram for a slightly more enjoyable ride.

The hotel we stayed at was near William’s Gate. The origins of the gate go back to when the city was enclosed by stone walls; but alas, this is what remains. The hotel was centrally located in the city, which we planned for considering the short time we had there. I’m glad we picked the location we did. While the city is small, there was still a lot to cover in 24 hours. When we arrived at our hotel, we asked if they had a room available yet, but they did not. We left our luggage with the front desk and decided to venture out for some early sightseeing.

Since we were still a little tired, we stopped by the market and found a kiosk with coffee and snacks. The espresso was very tasty and hit the spot. It also came with little cookies, which I happily ate. We sat for a bit to people watch. The market was filled with locals shopping for flowers, meats, and produce.

While many markets in larger European cities are full of tourists and tour groups, this one was not. We were one of the few tourists in the market and stuck out a bit. While the shoppers differed from many other Europe markets, the market itself was visually very similar. Colorful kiosks offered fresh cut flowers, potted plants, an endless array of fresh fruit and vegetables, and some rather pungent seafood and meats. The space was large, with high wooden ceilings, glass skylights, and robin’s egg blue metal beams.

After a walk through the market, it was time for our first historic stop. After a very quick walk (Dijon is a small city), we arrived at the Church of Notre-Dame of Dijon. The church is stunning. Built in the 13th century, it was restored to its current appearance. Previously in the 12th century, it was a much simpler cathedral.

One of the popular sights on the church is an owl, whose original origins and meanings are unknown. However, over time, it was said that if you rubbed the owl, you experienced good luck. As a result, the owl is worn down after centuries of rubbing.

We made a few other quick tourists stops, and then decided to visit the Dijon Museum of Fine Arts. The museum is located in a former palace, which created a beautiful backdrop for the artwork. While there were some art pieces from other areas, it tended to focus on area from the Burgundy area, which made for a unique experience.

We decided to stop for lunch and made some other stops throughout the city, including the Place de la Liberation, which is a large square that was full of people enjoying a sunny afternoon. It seemed like a great place to stop during the workday for some sun and fresh air. I wish we had more spaces like this in American cities.

One thing I loved about Dijon was the architecture. All of the buildings felt very old world, like I was stepping into a fairy tale like Beauty and the Beast.

Rest was needed, so we stopped back at the hotel and got some coffee nearby. After recharging, it was time for more walking! We made our way through the narrow streets, stopping in at different shops and some other churches. Since Dijon is known for…well…Dijon mustard…we picked up some samples for ourselves and our family. Dijon is also (more locally) known for gingerbread. We tried some, but it was a little different than the gingerbread we are used to. It was more of a loaf, which was actually pretty good, just a little unexpected.

Before we knew it, it was time for dinner. We had made a reservation at a nice restaurant further out of town, called L’evidence. It was an amazing experience. The service was incredible. The food was delicious. What made it even better was being situated in a quiet back room away from crowds. It was honestly an unforgettable experience, and I would highly recommend stopping by if you ever find yourself ourself in Dijon.