Are you planning a trip to France by car and wondering if you should include Dijon in your itinerary? I will tell you about our quick visit to the city and what is possible to visit in half a day.
We woke up early at “Le Precieuses Suites” in Avignon, packed up and left for some breakfast before picking up the car, which was quite a distance away in a car park. We needed to get a free bus to get there. Read my post “Discovering the best of Camargue and Arles – Day 2”, where I explain the shenanigans with the car park.
We were travelling independently in France with a car as we are confident travellers and speak a bit of the language. However, if you prefer to be part of a tour and to have everything organised for you, I advise you to book a complete tour with Tourradar.
Tourradar has different kinds of tours that will fit your time and budget. If you book it via my links you can get a discount by using this code: RoseG50.
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After a quick breakfast in a café in the centre, we went to the bus stop and caught the bus to take us to the car park. It took us about fifteen minutes to get there, but the car park was free, and we didn’t need to pay a penny since our arrival two nights before.
Once we collected the car, we drove to the flat to collect our luggage and left Avignon at around 9 am, taking the A7 and heading north to Dijon. The journey was about 4 hours, and we just stopped for petrol and the toilets halfway there.
Below is a map showing the places we visited in Dijon:
Before telling you what we did in Dijon, let’s learn a little bit about it.
A LITTLE BIT ABOUT DIJON
Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, is a city that blends history, gastronomy, and culture. Known for its mustard, it was also the seat of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, who ruled a near-independent state in the late Middle Ages. Their wealth turned Dijon into a centre of art and architecture, evident in landmarks like the “Palais des Ducs” and the Gothic “Notre-Dame de Dijon”.
The city is also a gateway to some of the world’s finest wines. The nearby “Côte d’Or” produces Grand Cru vintages that define Burgundy’s reputation. Dijon itself is rich in culinary heritage, boasting coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon, and, of course, its famous mustard, which historically gained prominence due to strict medieval trade regulations favouring local production.
The old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a maze of medieval and Renaissance buildings, with timber-framed houses and elegant hotels. The “Musée des Beaux-Arts” in the former ducal palace holds one of France’s oldest and most impressive art collections.
Though Dijon has a storied past, it remains dynamic. The University of Burgundy ensures a youthful presence, while the city’s strategic location, on the Paris-Lyon railway, makes it an economic and cultural hub. It’s a city where deep history meets modern vibrancy, making it one of France’s most compelling regional capitals.
VISITING DIJON
We arrived in Dijon at about 1 pm and went straight to “Hotel des Halles” where we booked a night stay. Check-in time was 3 pm, but they allowed us access to the room earlier as the room was already available. We parked the car on the street in front of the hotel to unload but afterwards parked in a car park nearby.
After leaving the luggage in the room, we left to explore Dijon. We wouldn’t have time to see much in Dijon, just the afternoon. So, decided only to explore the centre of town to get a gist of the city’s atmosphere.
We were close to “Les Halles de Dijon” (Dijon’s Market and a top Dijon attraction), and the plan was to have a quick look at it (we can’t resist a food market!). However, it closes at 1 pm, and we missed the market because it was already 2 pm. The cast-iron building was built in the 1800s by Gustave Eiffel, the same architect of the Eiffel Tower, of course!
We walked to the centre and saw a crêperie on Rue Musette called “Les Moulins Bleus” that sells craft beers and pancakes, a typical dish in Dijon. We were hungry, so decided to try the pancakes. Our choice was bacon and cheese pancakes that arrived accompanied by a salad. The dish was OK, but the pancakes were too big and a bit too much. Although we were hungry, neither of us could finish the whole dish.
After lunch, we had a look inside “Église Notre-Dame de Dijon” (Church Notre-Dame of Dijon), just in front of Rue Musette and a masterpiece of 13th century Gothic architecture. It is a beautiful church with colourful stained glass rose window and lancet windows.
The façade has very interesting details with gargoyles, and on the north side of the church, you can see the famous Dijon owl that will bring luck to anyone who touches it. The church also has a clock tower with a Jacquemart automation on the top indicating the time.
One of the best ways to see Dijon quickly is to follow the “Parcours de la Chouette” (The Own’s trail). We didn’t follow it because we didn’t know about it (I didn’t research Dijon very well before going!), and we didn’t stop at the tourist office to find out. However, I noticed little bronze owl plaques on the floor in many places we passed and was wondering if this was a tourist route.
Only later did I have confirmation that it is a tourist route with 22 stops that will take you to the highlights of the city. So, make a stop at the Tourist Office to pick up a tour booklet or download the application that will also guide you through the points.
You can have a walking tour with a local that will last 60 minutes but will take you to the most important landmarks in Dijon. You can book this tour HERE.
When we finished looking at Notre-Dame Church, we continued to Rue des Forges where there are some interesting buildings to appreciate. Buildings such as “Maison Milsand”, “Hôtel Aubriot” and “Hôtel Morel Sauvegrain”. We walked down Rue des Forges, admiring the beautiful details of the old buildings.
The “Maison Milsand”, also called “Maison Maillard”, is a mansion built in 1561 for Jean Maillard, the mayor of Dijon from 1560 to 1561. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1889. The façade is stunning, richly sculpted in a Renaissance style.
To access the courtyard, you enter through a door (if open) and into a corridor next to the shop and find yourself in a secluded courtyard where a beautiful timber staircase gives access to the second floor (no access).
In this courtyard, you can also find “The Atlanteans”, statues of men acting as columns supporting the building. It is said that they are a copy of “Grotte de Pin” at the Royal Château of Fontainebleau.
The “Hôtel Aubriot” is another mansion at 40 Rue de Forges, next to Maison Maillard”. Built in the 13th century, it showcases the beautiful glazed tiled roof typical of Burgundy. Hughes Aubriot became the owner of the building from 1320 to 1382, and the building carries his name to this day. It is also listed as a historical monument of Dijon.
Hôtel Morel Sauvegrain was built in the 15th century by Pierre Morel. He was the son of Jean Morel and Simone Sauvegrain, who nursed the infant Charles the Bold in 1433. It is also a historical monument and worth having a look at 54 Rue de Forges.
We continued to Place François Rude, an atmospheric square with a beautiful, red, timber building.
From there, we turned on Rue de la Liberté and walked down to “Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne” (Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy).
The palace was built in the 14th and 15th centuries in a Gothic style. Other parts of the palace were built in the 17th and 18th centuries in a neoclassical style.
Today, the palace houses the city’s “Hôtel de Ville” (City Hall) and the “Musée des Beaux-Arts” (Museum of Fine Arts). It has also been a historic monument since 1926.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the museum, so we just looked at the buildings from the outside and continued with our tour of Dijon. We went down Rue de la Liberté on the other side, which is full of shops, including “Galeries Lafayette” and “Moutarde Maille”.
We stopped at “Moutarde Maille” and stocked up with some different flavours of mustard for us and to bring as presents for some friends and family.
We walked all the way down this road up to “Porte Guillaume”, which is an old door built in an arch from the 12th century.
From there, we turned on Rue de Maret and on Rue Michelet to visit the “Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon” (Dijon Cathedral). The Gothic building was built between 1280 and 1325 and is also a listed monument.
If you have more time than we did in Dijon you can take this other walking tour that lasts two hours and include besides the main landmarks, “Les Halles Market” as well. Book this tour HERE.
The cathedral is simple yet interesting and beautiful, so it is well worth a visit. After entering the cathedral and looking all around, we came out and noticed an Irish pub just in front of it. It was time for a deserved break, and we didn’t hesitate to stop at the pub for a drink. We ordered some Guinness and larger to kill our thirst!
With the drinks over, we walked back to our hotel via the centre again, admiring all the interesting buildings on the way.
That evening, we had a reservation for dinner at a restaurant called “L’Essentiel”. It was very close to our hotel and had very good reviews on-line.
The restaurant is beautiful, and it was very busy when we arrived. Good, I managed to book for this one in advance. The food was delicious, and we had a lovely dinner there.
Once dinner was over, we just walked to our hotel, looking forward to a good night’s sleep as the day was busy and we were quite tired.
If you enjoy food and wine there is a very interesting tour that will take you to taste 5 different Burgundy wines paired with regional tasting dishes. Book this tour HERE.
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The next day, we would continue with our trip up north, and the next stop would be Fontainebleau to visit the château and then to Paris afterwards. Hang on and read the next post about Fontainebleau coming up soon.
I hope this post will give you some idea of what can be done in half a day in Dijon and will help you plan your own visit there.
HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TRIP TO DIJON
Below you will find a list of what to visit, where to stay and where to eat in Dijon. I classified each place as follows:
BOLD – Visited, tried and recommended
NOT BOLD – Not visited or tried, but planning to visit or try and heard very good reviews
RED – Visited and tried but do not recommend, avoid or be cautious
*** – Excellent
** – Good
* – OK
£££ – Expensive
££ – Fair and affordable
£ – Cheap
PLEASE NOTE: Every hotel, restaurants and attractions I mention on my blogs are not sponsored reviews and we always paid the full price when visiting. We give our own opinion of the place and detail our experience, good or bad.
THINGS TO DO
ATTRACTIONS IN DIJON
2 – Notre-Dame de Dijon Church – ***
3 – The Owl’s Trail
4 – Maison Milsand – ***
5 – Hôtel Aubriot – ***
6 – Hôtel Morel Sauvegrain – ***
7 – Place François Rude – ***
8 – Palais des Ducs – ***
9 – Town centre and shops – ***
10 – Porte Guillaume – ***
11 – Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon – ***
WHERE TO STAY
ACCOMMODATION IN DIJON
1 – Hôtel des Halles – 3* – ££ – *** (We stayed here)
2 – Hôtel des Ducs – 3* – ££
3 – Aloft Hotel Dijon – 4* – £££
4 – Mama Shelter Dijon – 4* – £££
5 – Grand Hotel La Coche Dijon – 5* – £££
6 – Suite Montrachet – 5* – £££
If you prefer to look for your own accommodation, search and book via the below widget:
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BEST PLACES TO EAT IN DIJON
RESTAURANTS IN DIJON
1 – L’Essentiel – £££ – *** (We had dinner here)
2 – Restaurant Dijon L’Evidence – £££
3 – L’un des sens – £££
4 – La Table des Climats – £££
5 – L’Alsacien – ££
6 – L’Abenfant – ££
If you tried any of my recommendations above, please send me a message and tell me about your experience good or bad, so I can update the list accordingly. Thanks!
If you enjoyed reading this post you might also like to read:
On this trip to France:
1 – Lyon – Day 1
2 – Lyon – Day 2
6 – Saint-Tropez/Port Grimaud/Grimaud
7 – Monaco
8 – Cannes
10 – Camargue and Arles
11 – Avignon
12 – Dijon
13 – Fontainebleau – Coming Soon
14 – Paris – Day 1 – Coming Soon
15 – Paris – Day 2 – Coming Soon
16 – Paris – Day 3 – Coming Soon
USEFUL SITES
1 – Dijon Tourisme
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