HYDERABAD: THE town of Dijon has something for everyone – history, gastronomy and the most famous wines of the world. A short distance from Paris, it is the perfect place to start your French sojourn, and a well-coordinated tourism department makes it easy to plan your trip. In July 2015, the historic centre of Dijon was listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Vineyard route
Since Burgundy is renowned for its stunning wines, and is home to some of the most famous labels, a trip to the vineyards is called for. The 65-km-long Route des Grand Cru rolls through vineyards and villages, from Dijon to Beaune, the region’s wine capital. The vineyards along the route from Dijon include 32 of the 33 Grand
Crus from Burgundy (33 is Chablis to the north) and passes through wine regions Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune. Name-spot to find Gevrey-Chambertin (Napoleon’s favourite wine came from here), Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne-Romanée (home to the world’s priciest wine, Romanée Conti), Aloxe-Corton, Puligny-Montrachet among other famous villages. Stop and taste at the wineries or caveaux and visit their cellars. Or book a half-day or full day tour with an English-speaking guide with the tourist office. Hikers can use Grands Crus Long- Distance Footpath (Grande randonnée des Grands Crus), which is popular among cyclists, too.
Historical Dijon
Dijon was awarded the City of Art and History title in 2008. The signature architecture of Burgundy (including the coloured glazed tiled roofs), dates back to the 14th century and can be seen on many buildings including the Saint Bénigne Cathedral. At the heart is the Place de la Libération with its three fountains and white Comblanchien stone.
Don’t miss the Musée des Beaux-Arts houses, the tombs of the powerful dukes of Burgundy, the Archaeological Museum which records the ancient history of the region, the Well of Moses and the 150 ft tower of Philip the Good. Visit Notre Dame with its stunning façade of 51 gargoyles. Wander the medieval alleys or avail of several toursonoffer-from the Segway tour to the Dijon Owl tour (Dijon’s lucky mascot, 37 images of which are imprinted on to the streets, leading you from one historic site to the next). There’s even a guided night tour as all Dijon’s famous sites are lit up at night. Most of the museums offer free entry to visitors.
Eating and shopping
Dijon is noted for far more than its signature mustard (do sample mustard from the earthenware pots atMaille and Edmund Fallot). Don’t leave without Dijon pain d’épices (spiced bread), and ouillette (Chablis sausage) or the cheese Époisses. The town is known for blackcurrants harvested in the Hautes-CôtesdeNuits area, when combined with Aligoté white wine, is creme de cassis - the blackcurrant liqueur used as a base for the cocktail Kir. Burgundian cuisine is renowned for its escargots or snails, cooked in their shells in butter, garlic and parsley; jambon persillé, a terrine of ham with Burgundy wine and parsley and more.
Dijon also has a wide range of restaurants and eateries - from the ubiquitous wine bars and tasting rooms to charming pavement cafés and fine dining restaurants. A range of Michelin star restaurants are the pride of the town, including William Frachot’s two-star Hostellerie du Chapeau Roug e and St é phane Derbord’s eponymous restaurant.
Another must-see is the Les Halles de Dijon, a covered marketplace with a vaulted metal ceiling designed by Gustave Eiffel , who was once a resident. Here over 250 market traders sell regional specialities: Rosette du Morvan salami, ouillette, Bassou snails, Burgundy truffles, Gâtinais honey, Bresse chicken, Charolais beef, the cheeses Époisses and Crottin de Chavignol, among other delicacies.