A Delightful Day in Dijon

[janetnj]

The 7:27 train seemed like the right choice when I booked based on timing and fares, but I wasn't so sure when the alarm went off. It wasn't long though till I had a smile on my face. The garbage truck went by while I was sitting at the bus stop and the young man chatted me up while waiting for the red light to turn green. What is it about French men???

Train arrived on time at 9am. I "splurged" an extra €3 for first class, so had plenty of leg room.

Met my cousin who had been in Dijon for work. Breakfast at the station - café crème, orange juice, croissant. Nothing special, but fortified to start exploring.

We both wanted to see the Puits de Moise - the well of Moses - which was on the outskirts of town on the grounds of a psychiatric hospital. We eventually found the entrance and the lady working there was happy to chat. I don't think she sees that many visitors. She told us there was a guided tour going on at the well, but we should just go on in. So off we went.

We found the well. But quarters were tight and the tour guide didn't seemed thrilled to see us. So we went off to explore the church, figuring by the time we returned they'd be gone. A few pictures of the church:

The doorway:





And the interior:



Remains of a tower or staircase, can't remember which:



And back to the well, where the tour guide was still guiding. There are 6 Old Testament figures, carved around 1400.



We left - with the tour guide still talking.

Back into town to follow the Owl Trail. The city's done a nice job creating an easy to follow trail.

The main garden:



Guarded by a polar bear:



Arc de Triomphe:



It's always interesting to peek into open doorways:



I love merry-go-rounds!



I think this was Notre Dame:



This demon meant that evil stopped at the door and didn't enter the church



This is the owl (chouette) on the side of Notre Dame. Rub it with your left hand, which is closer to your heart, for your wish to come true. We'll see if mine comes true!



Loved the alleyways:



Stopped for lunch at Le Grain de Sel. We both had the plat du jour, émincé de boeuf with a Japanese sauce and rice, and some Burgundian wine. Sorry - I'm not as prolific at food descriptions as Geordy. But it was yummy. I used the bread to sop up the last bit of the sauce.

Fortified, we continued on the Owl path. One nice thing about Dijon is that the museums are free. So we popped in to see the things we were interested in.

Musée du Rude (Francois Rude was one of the sculptors of the Arc de Triomphe, born in Dijon)



Intricate armor over the knee and shin



More quaintness:



This was the body of Jesus that was formerly attached to the Well of Moses. Now it's in the Dijon Archeological Museum, also free.



And his Crown of Thorns



Next we went to the Beaux-Arts Museum which recently reopened after a major renovation. It was the absolute highlight of the trip and one of my best museum experiences ever. The highlight for both of us was the altarpieces. They were beautiful and we could see them close-up. So intricate and beautifully restored.



Jean the Baptist about to be beheaded



And Sainte Marguerite about to suffer the same fate



I loved this sign as we exited the building



We climbed the tower for a great aerial view



Dijon is known for tiled roofs



We went to the main square for another glass of wine. Café appeared to be filled with students.

An easy train ride back to Paris. A really nice day trip.

[mez]

How fabulous. I didn't know about the tiled rooftops in Dijon.

[Shoesy]

Thank you, Janet, for your report. It was obviously a very worthwhile trip. Good for you for having decided on the early train! You certainly took advantage of your time there.

[geordy]

I remember that polar bear! And the lovely roofs! Thanks for the memories!

"What is it about French men?" Aaaahhhh.....whatever it is......oh la la!

[Belladonna]

Great report and pictures Janet!

[PariS]

Thanks Janet! Looks like you had a wonderful day in Dijon. I might consider it for a future day trip now--I've kind of had the impression that it's a place that would be better to spend a few days, but it sounds like you were able to get a nice taste in just a day. I could do the search myself...but I'm jetlagged and lazy this morning --what station do you leave from to get to Dijon?

[janetnj]

Annette - the train leaves from Gare de Lyon and takes about 1:35. You could easily spend a few days in the area especially if you want to see the wineries, but the town itself was very manageable in a day. I booked about 4 weeks in advance and paid €44.

Unless you have a specific interest I'd skip the Well of Moses which is on the outskirts of town. My cousin knows the town fairly well so that helped but it's hard to get too lost. The museums are free so it's easy to pop in and both of us are still talking about the altar pieces at the Musée des Beaux-Arts. We didn't see everything in the museums, but just focused on the areas we were interested in.

It was a busy day, but I never felt rushed.

I'm going to Rouen later this month. I'll send a report on that as well.

[saintgermain]

Janet, Thanks for the walk down memory lane! We loved Dijon, but I would like to go back on a day when the market is open! Was the polar bear's name Pom Pom? Having problems opening the photo links, but probably because I'm reading it on the road, and we keep entering a dead zone.

Sandy

[saintgermain]

Janet,
Looking forward to your report on Rouen! We're planning to take a day trip there in April.

Sandy

[saintgermain]

Will look at photos on my PC when we get home!

[PariS]

Thanks for all the info, Janet! It's great to hear from someone who has recently done it.