Dijon offers plenty of adventures you can enjoy over several days. There’s so much to see – and just as much to simply soak in. But if you only have a single evening, as we did on our road trip through France, you can still fit in quite a lot.
So, what can you actually do with just one evening in Dijon? That’s exactly what we’ll dive into in this article.
It wasn’t actually part of our plan to pass through Dijon on our road trip up through Europe. But we happened to be travelling during the days – and along the route – when torrential rains swept through parts of Germany and France, devastating entire communities with severe flooding. Visiting Dijon was therefore a somewhat hasty decision on our part. We didn’t have as much time in the city as we would have liked, but we made good use of the time we had.
And even though we only spent one evening in the city, we were pleasantly surprised – and can wholeheartedly recommend adding Dijon to your itinerary.
A brief introduction to Dijon
As you wander around Dijon, you quickly get the sense that this city has been important – and indeed, it has. In the 14th and 15th centuries, Dijon was the capital of the Duchy of Burgundy, which ruled over parts of eastern France, the Netherlands, Flanders, and Luxembourg.
Everywhere you go in the historic district, buildings, cathedrals, and palaces remind you of Dijon’s glorious past. But how do you see it all if you only have an afternoon and an evening? That’s where the guide called “The Owl’s Trail” comes in.
“The Owl’s Trail” is a route designed to take you to 22 historic sites around Dijon. You can choose from several different paths, each taking about 30 to 40 minutes to walk. The trail is marked throughout the city by a small owl symbol placed on arrows showing you which way to go. Of course, you can also choose to do the entire trail.
We didn’t take “The Owl’s Trail” ourselves because we were too tired and just wanted to soak up the city spontaneously. But now you know about it if you’re up for a guided walking route.
Experience Dijon’s medieval buildings
The city’s historic district is truly impressive! With its beige and brown medieval houses and buildings, you’re really taken on a journey back in time. There’s always an intriguing building to admire. I’m especially fascinated by the French style – small, Gothic-like houses with beige plastered walls and chimneys rising gracefully into the sky.
In Dijon’s historic district, you’ll also find plenty of half-timbered buildings. Some of them feature beautiful colorful plasterwork, but most are sand-colored and can sometimes feel a bit somber. The windows vary depending on when the house was built – you’ll see both small Gothic-style windows as well as slender, paneled French windows (French balconies) throughout the area.
Every street corner revealed new surprises
Dijon’s historic district has so much to offer that even a single evening in the city filled us with adventure. One of the best experiences was turning down a new street to see what surprise awaited us. The surprise could be a beautiful house, an incredibly old building, a majestic structure, a cathedral, a palace, a charming street, or simply an unusual sight.
Eat your heart out in Dijon
We searched for a good spot to sit down and enjoy a nice dinner for quite a while. We could have chosen one of the many great restaurants and cafés around every corner, but we ended up at a small, very quiet grill bar to have a kind of rolled kebab. Not very French. But sometimes you just need to pick a place with no crowds, where there’s peace, sunshine – and just the three of us.
That said, don’t let our choice limit you. Dijon offers delicious French dishes – think of regional specialties like boeuf bourguignon, coq au vin, and onion soup – all dishes that have inspired kitchens around the world for centuries. I certainly won’t hold back next time I visit the city!
Les Halles Market
I’ve always loved local markets – whether it was a pungent fish market in Malaysia, a woodcarver’s market in Kathmandu, or a flea market on the outskirts of Lyon. Is there anything more exciting than stepping into a local market in a new place, where people trade the products they depend on?
Local markets around the world tell you so much about the country and its people. They speak through their scents and their goods. But most of all, I was fascinated by the local people and their activities at the market. That’s why we were a bit disappointed to find that the market here in Dijon was (of course) closed. Still, it was beautiful to look at. Maybe it will be open when you visit the city?
Discover the UNESCO-Listed Duke’s Palace, Palais des Ducs
This magnificent palace suddenly appeared as we turned a corner on what was, to us, a random street – revealing the most beautiful square and a stunning example of architecture. The palace turned out to be the Palais des Ducs, the former ducal palace of the Dukes of Burgundy.
In front of the palace was a square lined with cafés, where we sat down to enjoy some ice cream and a cold beer. Around us, there was a gentle buzz of others who had the same idea and children playing in the square. The sun was setting, and the last rays lit up the palace, creating an atmosphere we still fondly remember.
Today, the palace serves as the city hall and the Musée des Beaux-Arts. If you climb the 316 steps up the tower in the middle of the building, you’ll be rewarded with the most beautiful view over Dijon.
Discover the Church of Église Saint-Michel
Just when we thought we were done exploring the city, this Gothic church, Église Saint-Michel, appeared before us. It looked intriguing, but we were so tired from the drive and overwhelmed by the many beautiful buildings in the city that we simply walked past it.
Still, it looked full of stories, and no doubt the church has witnessed many exciting adventures it would tell you about if you visited.
You can’t escape French souvenirs
There’s definitely a difference between local markets and shopping spots versus the typical souvenir shops you find around the world. But somehow, these shops still strive to capture the essence of the country’s best products – items that have attracted tourists for decades.
When Sebastian was little, we often visited small souvenir shops because he’d usually find something special he liked, and we’d buy it for him (often for way too much money). Sometimes we also picked up little souvenirs he could bring home as gifts for his best friends.
Dijon’s souvenir shops caught our curiosity with their colorful jars of mustard, jars of honey, and fragrant soaps. They were fun to wander through, but since Sebastian wasn’t really into honey, soap, or mustard, we didn’t buy anything. Do you usually bring souvenirs home from your travels?
Choose a hotel that oozes French charm
Because of the uncertain situation with closed highways, we only booked our hotel in Dijon the day before we arrived. But that didn’t make our choice any less perfect – quite the opposite, actually.
The hotel we stayed at was one of the cheapest options, yet also one of the most authentic we could have hoped for. It was a bit of a gamble since the photos on Hotels.com were dark and not very flattering.
But from the moment we stepped through the old creaky door of the townhouse, we felt the French atmosphere greet us. We were welcomed by a small French lady who showed us up a creaky staircase leading to the second floor. There, she let us into a large, dark room furnished with antique French furniture.
As soon as she left, we went straight to the window and opened the shutters to let in light and fresh air. The room overlooked the street, and since we were staying in Dijon’s old quarter, we were definitely not disappointed.
Maybe this stay was actually our greatest adventure in Dijon. The hotel had so much charm and authenticity.
It was a short but truly wonderful visit to Dijon. The next morning, we got up early and continued our journey back to Denmark. We had a long day ahead of us, but inside, we carried the adventure of Dijon with us – and that helped a lot.
And even though our time in the city was brief, it definitely won’t be our last visit. Dijon is a place to see again and again.
Have you been to Dijon? What did you love most about it?
Links to the things we mention in the article
Are you staying longer in Dijon?
If you’re staying in Dijon for more than just one evening, there are plenty of other exciting places to see and experience. Here are some of the attractions we recommend, with links:
- Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon
- Eglise Notre-Dame
- Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne
- Chartreuse de Champmol
- Parc de l’Arquebuse
- Hôtel de Vogüé
- Musée Magnin
