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Dijon

With its compact and pedestrian-friendly centre, lively street scene and aesthetically pleasing ensemble of half-timbered houses and polychrome tile roofs, Dijon is one of France's most appealing cities. Filled with elegant medieval and Renaissance buildings that hark back to the city's 14th- and 15th-century heyday as the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, the historic centre is wonderful for strolling, especially if you like to leaven your cultural enrichment with excellent food, fine wine and shopping.

Explore Dijon

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Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Dijon.

  • Museum

    Musée des Beaux-Arts

    Nearing the end of a nine-year renovation, these sprawling galleries in Dijon's monumental Palais des Ducs are works of art in themselves and constitute…

  • Church

    Église Notre Dame

    A block north of the Palais des Ducs, this church was built between 1220 and 1240. Its extraordinary façade's three tiers are lined with leering gargoyles…

  • Street

    Rue de la Chouette

    Around the north side of Église Notre Dame, this street is named after the small stone owl (chouette) carved into the exterior corner of the chapel…

  • Tower

    Tour Philippe le Bon

    Adjacent to the ducal palace, this 46m-high, mid-15th-century tower affords fantastic views over the city. On a clear day you can see all the way to Mont…

  • Factory

    La Fabrique de Pain d'Épices

    Around the time of the French Revolution, Mulot & Petitjean founded one of several bakeries making Dijon's famous pain d'épices (gingerbread). Nine…

  • Museum

    Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne

    Housed in a 17th-century Cistercian convent, this museum explores village and town life in Burgundy in centuries past with evocative tableaux illustrating…

  • Museum

    Musée Archéologique

    Truly surprising Celtic, Gallo-Roman and Merovingian artefacts are displayed here, including a particularly fine 1st-century AD bronze of the Celtic river…

  • Gallery

    Musée Magnin

    In 1938, art collectors Jeanne and Maurice Magnin turned their historic townhouse over to the state to display, in perpetuity, the excellent collection…

  • Historic Building

    Maison des Cariatides

    Its Renaissance-style façade bursting with stone caryatids, soldiers and vines, Maison des Cariatides is one of Dijon's finest buildings. Dating to the…

  • Historic Building

    Hôtel de Vogüé

    Behind Église Notre Dame, the 17th-century Hôtel de Vogüé is renowned for the ornate carvings around the arches of its exquisitely proportioned…

  • Gardens

    Jardin de l'Arquebuse

    A delightful place for a Sunday stroll, this 5-hectare park south of the train station encompasses the colourful flower beds and rose trellises of Dijon's…

  • Historic Building

    Maison Maillard

    Originally built in the mid-16th century for Jean Maillard, mayor of Dijon, this Renaissance-style gem sports a façade richly ornamented with garlands,…

  • Historic Building

    Maison Millière

    Figures of an owl and a cat perch high atop the roof of the 15th-century Maison Millière, which was a setting in the 1990 film Cyrano de Bergerac with…

  • Historic Building

    Hôtel Aubriot

    Originally built in the 13th-century, the Hôtel Aubriot's elegant façade owes some of its current splendour to restoration work completed in the early…

  • Park

    Jardin Darcy

    Dijon has plenty of green spaces that are perfect for picnics, including this inviting park between the train station and the historic centre.

  • Sculpture

    Puits de Moïse

    This famous grouping of six Old Testament figures, carved from 1395 to 1405 by court sculptor Claus Sluter and his nephew Claus de Werve, is on the…

  • Church

    Église St-Michel

    Originally Gothic, this church subsequently underwent a façade-lift operation in which it was given a richly ornamented Renaissance west front. Its two…

  • Historic Building

    Hôtel Chambellan

    The 17th-century Hôtel Chambellan is one of many noble buildings along rue des Forges. Alas, its most interesting feature, a courtyard with a splendid…

Top experiences

Whether it’s a guided tour of a historic landmark, private tasting of local delicacies, or an off-road adventure — explore the best experiences in Dijon.

  • Activities