Two days in Dijon, the new French capital of gastronomy

Like the polychrome glazed roofs of its mansions, Dijon, the regional capital of 160,000 inhabitants, shines in this beautiful month of May.

The day after the inauguration of its International City of Gastronomy, the city of art and history posted at the gates of prestigious vineyards is once again feeling its wings growing.

Capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, seat of power of a dynasty that reigned from 1363 to 1477 over a territory extending as far as the North Sea, Dijon now intends to reign over the gastronomic heritage of France.

The American channel CNN made no mistake about it, ranking Dijon sixth in its top 10 destinations to see in the world in 2022!

Because this city, regrettably qualified as “average”, has much more to offer than its famous mustard or its crème de cassis.

To discover

• Stays in France: weekends, hotels and tailor-made stays from our partners

The arrival

GETTING AROUND AND VISITING

Without hesitation, we will prefer the train if we arrive from the capital.

The ducal city not only benefits from an excellent rail service, placing it 1h37 from Paris by TGV (15 journeys per day, 2h30 on average per journey) and 1h24 from Lyon (14 journeys per day, 2h03 on average per journey), but its station is a 15-minute walk from the historic pedestrian center and one tram stop from the Cité de la Gastronomie (line T2, Monge Cité de la Gastronomie stop).

Finally, from Monday to Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., a free electric shuttle crisscrosses the hypercentre.

Transport accessible free of charge thanks to the

, a sesame which also gives access for 24 hours, 48 ​​hours or 72 hours depending on the formula chosen, to a selection of tourist sites and activities in Dijon and its surroundings, including the Cité de la Gastronomie (€25/€39/€49).

MORE INFORMATIONS

Dijon Tourist Office:

destinationdijon.com

Burgundy Tourist Office:

bourgogne-tourisme.com

What to do right now?

THE EXHIBITION TO SEE

Fashionable.

The art of appearing in the 18th century

The route of the exhibition unfolds in four distinct universes, like so many facets that explore the link between painters and the making of fashion.

Dijon Museum of Fine Arts

For the first time, the Dijon Museum of Fine Arts is presenting an exhibition of 140 costumes and pieces from major French textile museums, in a contextualised, innovative and dynamic scenography.

The opportunity also to discover this museum, restored in 2019, which is with the Louvre, one of the only ones to be installed in a medieval princely "palace" occupied in its time by Philippe le Hardi, Jean sans Peur, Philippe le Bon then Charles the Bold.

It houses 13,000 works including the tombs of the dukes and their alabaster mourners.

From 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed on Tuesday.

Free admission.

Museum of Fine Arts, Place de la Sainte Chapelle, 21000 Dijon.

Until August 22, 2022. Tel.

: 03 80 74 52 09.

THE GOOD TABLE

Origin by Tomofumi Uchimura

Here is a restaurant crowned with a star in the Michelin guide after only two years of opening!

A veritable bucolic stroll through local flavours, the chef of Japanese origin revisits Burgundian cuisine, bringing it a touch of lightness seasoned with an all-Japanese rigor.

Ransom of an announced success: it is mandatory to book to be sure to dine.

Menus: €39 (lunch), €49 (vegetarian), then €75/€100/€125.

Origin, by Tomofumi Uchimura, 10, place Wilson, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 67 74 64.

THE HOTEL IN VIEW

Grand Hotel La Cloche

The only 5-star hotel in the former capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, this monument to the French hotel industry underwent a complete restoration in 2019. Grand hôtel la cloche / Press photo

While waiting for the openings of the four-star Curio by Hilton at the Cité de la Gastronomie and the Mama Shelter, rue du Docteur-Maret, both announced for 2023, Dijon's sure bet remains

, erected in 1884, Darcy square.

This five-star hotel (the only one in Dijon) with its imposing Haussmann architecture, whose facades and roofs are listed as Historic Monuments, has the good taste to have a lovely garden in the city center and to offer the traveler exhausted with everything it needs: 83 rooms and 5 suites, a bar, a restaurant labeled "Maître Restaurateur" and a vaulted spa with the most beautiful effect.

From €182 per night.

Grand Hotel La Cloche Dijon MGallery Collection, 14, place Darcy, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 30 12 32.

Read alsoGrand Hôtel La Cloche in Dijon, the expert opinion of

DAY 1: EAT!

Morning

The International City of Gastronomy and Wine is easily identifiable by its “canon of light and which houses the new Ferrandi campus.

V Arbelet / International city of gastronomy and wine / Press photo

We rush without delay to discover this famous International City of Gastronomy and Wine which has already caused a lot of ink to flow.

Easily identifiable by its "canon of light" clad in Corten steel "

" - and which houses the new Ferrandi campus -, the place is inviting, on 3.5 hectares and a half, to celebrate the good products and the wines that go, the art of putting the small dishes in the big ones but also the conviviality and the rituals attached to the French meal.

To whet your appetite, we will gladly start with

, one of the four exhibitions on offer, which recounts the genesis of everything that makes up the flavor of French gastronomy.

Then we will peck at the other exhibitions according to our tastes:

, which explores the local wine and gastronomic heritage,

which is interested in the senses activated when we cook or even

, a temporary exhibition sponsored by Pierre Hermé.

If you have a little time left and provided you have made a reservation, don't miss the immersive tasting workshops imagined by the Burgundy Wine School.

Thanks to videos projected on the walls, the participants travel to the heart of the vineyards, in the cellars of a winegrower or in the middle of the aromas discovering the fundamentals of tasting, the notion of terroir, the associations to favor with Burgundy wines. or the impact of vintages.

Lunch break

The beating heart of the place, the

brings together around ten themed stalls offering the best products from France.

Fisrtgen / Photo press

You can opt for the

for its market cuisine served on the large counter or on the forecourt of Unesco or peck in snacking mode while enjoying the standing meals of the

.

The beating heart of the city, this space brings together a dozen themed stalls offering the best French products from all regions: PDO meats, farmhouse cheeses, seafood, bread, pastries made by MOFs, artisan products from the College cuisine from France, French caviar but also tableware and gourmet bookshops…

Afternoon

Less than 20 minutes from the city center of Dijon, Marsannay, a typical village of the Côte with its bell tower emerging from the vines.

Adobe Stock

We embark for the nearby vineyard!

From June 3, the City of Gastronomy offers to take visitors by minibus (10 people) on the route of the great wines, a sort of "Champs-Élysées of Burgundy".

A circuit that will take you to Marsannay, a typical village on the coast with its bell tower emerging from the vines, its narrow streets and its castle where a tasting is organised.

Course offered every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Departure at 3 p.m., return at 6 p.m.

Aperitif and dinner

Located within the International City of Gastronomy and Wine, the 1204 enjoys a privileged position to offer a unique experience.

Francois Weckerle / Press Photo

Back in the Cité, don't miss the lovely

founded in 1459 and

, Dijon Architecture and Heritage Interpretation Center which tells you about the history from the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, the perfect introduction to the next day.

In the meantime, meet at the

, housed in the former mess of the Dijon Hospices boarding school.

There, on 3 levels and 600 m2, under a 17th century framework, 250 wines are offered by the glass among, soon, 3000 references - including 1000 from Burgundy - making up an exceptional wine library.

In the basement, the

, accessible only accompanied by a sommelier, contains the most prestigious Burgundy nectars that a handful of connoisseurs can taste, by appointment.

At the foot of the Grande Chapelle,

is defined as a

offering a menu made from French and local products.

Aymeric Laloux / Press Photo

Last stage of this discovery of the City, the

, drawn up two steps from there.

Led by Éric Pras, three-starred chef from the Maison Lameloise in Chagny, the address promises a unique experience since here it is the dish that adapts to the wine you have chosen from among fifty wines.

Divided into three rooms, with a terrace, around forty seats and an open kitchen, the gastronomic address is run by

, a promising young chef.

DAY 2: STILL AT THE TABLE!

Morning

The Halles

de Dijon are listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments, whose Eiffel-style metal structure rises 13 meters from the ground.

Adobe Stock

Head to Darcy Park.

In neo-Renaissance style, this public garden, the first in Dijon, is also the first stop on the

.

In 22 stages and a good hour's walk, this stroll through the history of the city by following the signage on the ground, allows you to discover independently, all that makes the charm of the Burgundian capital.

Like

listed in the Inventory of Historic Monuments, whose Eiffel-style metal structure rises 13 meters from the ground but in reality owes nothing to the child of the country, which welcomes Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. a colorful and flavorful market.

Note: the

open on market days from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to taste real Burgundy snails washed down with a little Chablis!

Then it is the encounter with the famous

, emblem of Dijon nestled in one of the buttresses of the Notre-Dame church, which has become a lucky charm for many passers-by who do not hesitate to make a wish by placing their left hand on the statuette.

The route also shows a number of private mansions, including that of

, between courtyard and garden, remarkable for its typical glazed roof, its renaissance porch even more beautiful seen from the courtyard and the use of pink Burgundy limestone.

Or

with its impressive facade and whose interior courtyard is inspired by the Place Royale, but also

designed in a semicircle and the view it offers of the palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy and

with its 93-meter-high bell tower, the terminus of the route.

Lunch break

The choice is difficult as the destination has so many tasty tables.

If you want a real break, focus on

, a sparkling fresh address whose seasonal, local and homemade cuisine was awarded a Michelin BIB Gourmand in 2021. Another option: Sundays , from June 5 to September 10, opt for

orchestrated by partner chefs.

To be enjoyed on the spot within the limit of available places or to take away for a picnic in all simplicity in

, in the immediate vicinity of the Saint-Bénigne cathedral.

Or push to

, to the west of the city (5 min by bus, 30 min on foot along the Ouche), named after its creator, Canon Félix Kir, who was Deputy Mayor of Dijon from 1945 to 1968. And, says -on, the inventor of the famous aperitif made up of one-third crème de cassis and two-thirds Aligoté white wine exclusively, the use of any other white wine, transforming the kir into a white cassis.

Afternoon

Last gourmet stroll to discover local specialities.

Among the essentials,

, the only one to offer mustard 100% made in Burgundy and to grind its grains with a stone grinder.

Twice a month, on site, 40 to 50 kg of mustard are made and sold in attractive stoneware pots.

At

founded in 1796 and labeled "Living Heritage Company", you will find gingerbread, at

, blackcurrant cream and at

de l'Époisse AOP cheese dairy, Soumaintrin IGP or even a Petit Gaugry Chambertin's friend.

End of the day

To stay in the theme of this gourmet weekend of history, climb 46 meters above sea level to the top of the Philippe le Bon tower, for an aperitif with a fabulous view of the city.

A symbol of the prestige and power of the Dukes of Burgundy, these "

" are organized every Friday and Saturday evening from June 4 to October 30 inclusive (6:30 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. or 8 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.).

Address Book

GOOD DINING

The Spica, 48 rue de la Prefecture, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 06 26 85 87 17.

The Evidence, 53 rue Jeannin, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 67 69 37.

The Thinking Cat, 18 rue Monge, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 06 80 84 79 62.

The Gardens by la Cloche, 14 place Darcy, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 30 12 32.

The Umbrella, 74 rue Monge, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 28 79 94.

La Menuiserie, 28 rue des Godrans, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 30 46 07.

Le Malto, 4 bd Georges Clemenceau, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 10 11 58.

GO OUT, HAVE A DRINK

The Absintherie, 68 rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 19 95 45.

Bar le 19, 19 rue Berbisey, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 30 73 52.

Le15.45, 48 rue Monge, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 45 42 80 58.

Jayuna, 16 rue Boilermaking, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 09 82 37 13 53.

A Monkey in Winter, 3 rue François Robert, 21000 Dijon.

OR SLEEP

The Hotel du Palais, 23 rue du Palais, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 58 58 19.

Hotel des Halles, 8 rue Montigny, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 30 96 86.

Hotel Wilson, 1, rue de Longvic, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 66 82 50.

SHOPPING

Edmond Fallot mustard factory, 16 rue de la Chouette, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 09 54 04 12 62.

Boutique Vedrenne, 1 rue Bossuet, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 49 98 52.

Boutique l'Or des Valois, 5 rue de la Chaudronnerie, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 37 23 70.

Mulot and Petitjean factory, 6 bd de l'Ouest, 21000 Dijon.

Such.

: 03 80 66 30 80.

Gourmet village, International City of Gastronomy and Wine, UNESCO Square.

ON VIDEO - Dijon inaugurates its City of Gastronomy and Wine