The best sights to see in Dijon, the historical capital of Burgundy (Bourgogne) in France, are the palace of the dukes, several art-rich churches and monastery complexes, a lovely and lively old town, as well as some excellent museums. The Owl’s Trail is a circular route, marked by bronze triangles set in the pavement that lead visitors through the old town past Dijon’s most popular sights. Budget-conscious culture lovers will appreciate the free admission to most of Dijon’s public museums.
The Owl’s Trail Walking Tour of Dijon in Burgundy, France
The Owl’s Trail guides visitors to downtown Dijon along a free walking route through the old town and past the top sights in the historical capital of Burgundy. The trail is marked by bronze triangles set in the pavement. Walking the loop takes around an hour but seeing the sights en route obviously can add significantly to the time required to complete the loop.
The Dijon Tourist Information Office (at the SCNF train station or at the Palais des Ducs) sells a pamphlet (€2.50) with a map and short descriptions of the 22 marked sites of Dijon’s Owl’s Trail. Smaller children may enjoy following the owls and trying to find changes in direction as well as the numbered marked sites. As the walking trail makes a loop, it is of course possible to start following the trail from wherever the first bronze owls are encountered.
The Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne in Dijon
The best historical sights to see in Dijon are centered around the Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne (Palace of the Dukes and the Parliament of Burgundy). Most of this building complex dates from the late-fourteenth and fifteenth centuries when the Duchy of Burgundy was at the peak of its power and challenging the King of France for supremacy in the French-speaking world.
Most of the ducal palace building is used by the Dijon town hall (Hôtel de Ville) and the excellent Museum of Fine Arts (Beaux Arts). (While the museum is being renovated, the fifteenth-century mourners from the tomb of Philip the Bold will tour through the USA from 2010 to 2012.) It is worth scaling the Tour Philippe le Bon – a 46-m tower – for fine views of Dijon.
In front of the palace is the huge, semi-circular Place de la Libération. This seventeenth-century royal square once housed an equestrian statue of the Sun King but now is lined by numerous outdoor cafés and bistros.
Interesting Churches and Monasteries in Dijon, Burgundy
Dijon has numerous interesting churches and former monasteries that are now mostly used for museums and other cultural attractions.
The Église Notre-Dame (Church of Our Lady) is a fine example of thirteenth-century Burgundy Gothic architecture. The western façade and Romanesque portal are original but many of the triple rows of gargoyles are nineteenth-century replacements. Note the fourteenth-century Flemish Jacquemart clock – a spoil of war taken by Philip the Bold from Courtrai. Some of the stained-glass windows in the church are thirteenth-century originals. (The best stained-glass windows in the region and some of the best in France are in Troyes.)
On one of the buttresses of the church, in Rue de la Chouette, is a small statue of a well-rubbed owl – the source of the name Owl’s Trail. Locals rub this little owl (chouette) with the left hand for good luck.
The Cathédral St-Bénigne is a former abbey church in typical Burgundian-Gothic style complete with a colorful tile roof. The church lost most of its art during the French Revolution making the Romanesque portal and crypt, as well as the rare rotunda, the main sights to see here. An archeological museum is housed in the former monastery buildings.
The former Couvent des Bernardines convent is now used for the local history museum (Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne). The adjacent St Anne Church now houses the Museum of Sacred Art (Musée d’Art Sacré).
Lively Squares and Half-Timbered Houses in Dijon
Dijon has several lively squares with outdoor cafés but Place Francois Rude is particularly popular and picturesque with a few half-timbered houses. From here, Rue des Forges pass by several noteworthy town houses with fine facades and interesting courtyards.
Further interesting houses and squares are to the north of the Notre Dame and the ducal palace. Particularly noteworthy are the medieval Maison Millière and the seventeenth-century L’Hôtel de Vogüé – a grand town house with a typical colorful Burgundian tile roof.
Transportation to Dijon is easy with excellent rail and road links to the rest of France. Local public transportation is also well developed making Dijon a fine base when touring the lovely Côte-d’Or département in the Burgundy region. Popular attractions of Burgundy include the wine lands, lovely nature, medieval villages, monasteries, and chateaux.
Author John Muroto
The Owl’s Trail Walking Tour of Dijon in Burgundy, France
The Owl’s Trail guides visitors to downtown Dijon along a free walking route through the old town and past the top sights in the historical capital of Burgundy. The trail is marked by bronze triangles set in the pavement. Walking the loop takes around an hour but seeing the sights en route obviously can add significantly to the time required to complete the loop.
The Dijon Tourist Information Office (at the SCNF train station or at the Palais des Ducs) sells a pamphlet (€2.50) with a map and short descriptions of the 22 marked sites of Dijon’s Owl’s Trail. Smaller children may enjoy following the owls and trying to find changes in direction as well as the numbered marked sites. As the walking trail makes a loop, it is of course possible to start following the trail from wherever the first bronze owls are encountered.
The Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne in Dijon
The best historical sights to see in Dijon are centered around the Palais des Ducs et des Etats de Bourgogne (Palace of the Dukes and the Parliament of Burgundy). Most of this building complex dates from the late-fourteenth and fifteenth centuries when the Duchy of Burgundy was at the peak of its power and challenging the King of France for supremacy in the French-speaking world.
Most of the ducal palace building is used by the Dijon town hall (Hôtel de Ville) and the excellent Museum of Fine Arts (Beaux Arts). (While the museum is being renovated, the fifteenth-century mourners from the tomb of Philip the Bold will tour through the USA from 2010 to 2012.) It is worth scaling the Tour Philippe le Bon – a 46-m tower – for fine views of Dijon.
In front of the palace is the huge, semi-circular Place de la Libération. This seventeenth-century royal square once housed an equestrian statue of the Sun King but now is lined by numerous outdoor cafés and bistros.
Interesting Churches and Monasteries in Dijon, Burgundy
Dijon has numerous interesting churches and former monasteries that are now mostly used for museums and other cultural attractions.
The Église Notre-Dame (Church of Our Lady) is a fine example of thirteenth-century Burgundy Gothic architecture. The western façade and Romanesque portal are original but many of the triple rows of gargoyles are nineteenth-century replacements. Note the fourteenth-century Flemish Jacquemart clock – a spoil of war taken by Philip the Bold from Courtrai. Some of the stained-glass windows in the church are thirteenth-century originals. (The best stained-glass windows in the region and some of the best in France are in Troyes.)
On one of the buttresses of the church, in Rue de la Chouette, is a small statue of a well-rubbed owl – the source of the name Owl’s Trail. Locals rub this little owl (chouette) with the left hand for good luck.
The Cathédral St-Bénigne is a former abbey church in typical Burgundian-Gothic style complete with a colorful tile roof. The church lost most of its art during the French Revolution making the Romanesque portal and crypt, as well as the rare rotunda, the main sights to see here. An archeological museum is housed in the former monastery buildings.
The former Couvent des Bernardines convent is now used for the local history museum (Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne). The adjacent St Anne Church now houses the Museum of Sacred Art (Musée d’Art Sacré).
Lively Squares and Half-Timbered Houses in Dijon
Dijon has several lively squares with outdoor cafés but Place Francois Rude is particularly popular and picturesque with a few half-timbered houses. From here, Rue des Forges pass by several noteworthy town houses with fine facades and interesting courtyards.
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Further interesting houses and squares are to the north of the Notre Dame and the ducal palace. Particularly noteworthy are the medieval Maison Millière and the seventeenth-century L’Hôtel de Vogüé – a grand town house with a typical colorful Burgundian tile roof.
Transportation to Dijon is easy with excellent rail and road links to the rest of France. Local public transportation is also well developed making Dijon a fine base when touring the lovely Côte-d’Or département in the Burgundy region. Popular attractions of Burgundy include the wine lands, lovely nature, medieval villages, monasteries, and chateaux.
Author John Muroto
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