Gargoyles
When you look up in Dijon, you will likely find something looking back at you! gargoyle, Dijon, Burgundy, France
Musée des Beaux-Arts
The Musée des Beaux-Arts is one of France’s oldest museums. Within its ornate galleries, it has impressive collections ranging from Egyptian art to the 20th century. Most notable is the late 18th century European collection and the 15th century Burgundian collection. The centerpiece is the former great hall, now called the Salles des Gardes, where…
Musée d’Art Sacré
The only reasons to visit this museum are if you are already next door at the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne or if you are religious. Since I fell into the former category, it’s no surprise that I was more interested in the architecture than the museum’s dusty contents. The Musée d’Art Sacré occupies the…
Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne
Although navigating quaint Dijon evokes the past, a visit to Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne really shows what everyday life was like. The museum, which occupies a 17th century Cistercian convent, is well worth a visit. It is spread over three levels: 19th century rural and Burgundian ethnographical heritage displays are on the ground floor,…
Place de la Liberátion
This was taken peeking down a narrow street radiating off Place de la Liberátion, the major public square directly across from the Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne. The morning light cast alluring shadows on the walls. Incidentally, Place de la Liberátion was designed in the 17th century by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, whose other…
Dijon Houses
Part of Dijon’s charm is its many wood-frame merchants’ houses from the 15th and 16th centuries.
Painted Wall
I loved this scene-within-a-scene.
La chocolatière de Roger
A visit to France (or anywhere, really) would not be complete without sampling at least one chocolate shop. Patrick Roger, an award-winning chocolatier, turns out pralines, ganaches and a “best of”, which consists of seven varieties of cocoa. There are also delectable pastries, macarons and crusty loaves of bread. We discovered this by accident. During…
Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne
Burgundy’s dukes used to call this showboat home. Now, it houses city hall and all its requisite administrative offices in the west wing and the Musée des Beaux-Arts in the east wing. The structure was originally built as a simple fortress built in the 9th century. Philippe the Bold rebuilt the ducal dwelling place in…
Église St-Michel
This church started off in 889 as a small wooden chapel before the abbot of St. Stephen insisted on upgrading it in the 1000’s. By the 15th century, the church could barely contain its parishioners, so the choir was expanded. The Renaissance façade depicts biblical and mythological themes. The two 17th century towers are topped…