Dijon, France
I will try my best to keep this post as concise as possible, but having lived here for six months gives me the privilege to go on and on about this cute little town forever! Where to start…
Dijon is a quaint city between Paris and Lyon. Although it is a small city, there is plenty to do. The streets are lined with shops, including the infamous Moutarde Maille. You can explore Les Halles a few days a week which is an indoor marketplace with a bunch of different vendors. Here, one can find anything from fresh produce, meats, cheeses, fish, and more.
There are a few different cafes that you can enjoy a bite to eat and enjoy some Bourgogne specialties (escargot, for example). A couple of my favorites are O’Bareuzai and Comptoir des Colonies. I would often come here on the weekends, or after class to join my friends for a cup of tea or glass of delicious Bourgogne wine (my personal fav).
The Université de Bourgogne is set out a bit from the rest of the city, but is actually very easy to get to from downtown. There are busses you can take, or you can take the tram which is typically quicker but more packed, depending on the time of day. If you really want to be French, you can walk (which is what I normally did). Depending on what area of town I was going to, it would typically be a 20-30 minute walk. The perfect time to explore the city beyond the main streets and attractions.
Something to consider about your future trip to Dijon is that it rains constantly. I knew this going into it, but after being there for about 2-3 months, it started to drive me a little crazy. Coming from somewhere where it is sunny most of the time, this was super difficult for me to get used to. However, with time, I got used to it, and spent most weekends traveling anyway so it got easier to deal with. Even with this downside, I would still suggest anyone to take a trip to Dijon and the surrounding areas for a couple of days.
For anyone considering studying abroad in Dijon, still go! Please don’t let the rain defer you. I would not have changed my trip or location for anything. If you’re studying abroad, you will likely not be there most weekends anyway, so you’ll enjoy sunny weekends depending where you decide to travel to.
There are many day trips that you can take from Dijon, including Beaune. On your way to Beaune from Dijon, you will pass a lot of famous vineyards that craft some of the best wine in the world (in my biased opinion). DEFINITELY do a wine tour while you’re here! I did a couple different ones, which I think were around 60 euros. You will taste some bottles of wine which are over 100 euros there, which means they’re typically suuuper expensive over here in the states. You will absolutely get your money’s worth! The multiple tours I did when my family came to visit were lead by American tour guides who were super knowledgable about not only Bourgogne wines, but French wines in general. If I haven’t persuaded you to do it yet….one of the vineyards offered chocolate with their wine.
Overall, I would suggest Dijon to anyone who is looking for a small city in the middle of (Bourgogne) wine country in France. There is plenty to do from a tourist standpoint – Le Palais des Ducs (Duke’s Palace), Musée des Beaux-Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), Lac Kir (Lake Kir), wine tours (if I haven’t mentioned those yet), and more.
Below are some pictures from my time in Dijon.
