Things to do in Dijon
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Dijon
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Spring: vines budding, market at its greenest, terraces reopening and shoulder season prices. Prime cycling in May.
Summer: longest days, full opening hours, lake beach in use and café life late; July and August bring heat and Beaune crowds.
Autumn and harvest: the best wine touring window in September to early October, then the Gastronomy Fair and Beaune auction spike prices.
Winter: cold, quiet and local, with museums, cellar tastings and long bistro lunches; lowest prices outside event weekends.
Best months overall: late May to June and September.
What's on
- Fête de la Vigne late August into early September
Folklore and wine festival celebrating Burgundy wine traditions; confirm the year's dates.
- Marathon des Grands Crus October
Running festival from Dijon down the Route des Grands Crus to Vougeot, with cheese and wine aid stations.
- Foire Internationale et Gastronomique de Dijon late October to November, about ten days to two weeks
Dijon's biggest event, the International Gastronomy Fair, drawing hundreds of exhibitors nationally.
- Les Trois Glorieuses - Hospices de Beaune auction third weekend of November
Beaune wine auction weekend with tastings and gala dinners across the Côte d'Or; hotels spike.
- Saint-Vincent Tournante January
Rotating winemakers festival in a different village each year; book as soon as the host village is known.
- Dijon Christmas Market December
Rated among France's better Christmas markets by Burgundy guides.
Best things to do in Dijon
Parcours de la Chouette
Self guided brass owl trail linking the palace, churches and market, ending at the Notre-Dame owl.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Dijon
Free major museum in the ducal palace, famed for the dukes tombs with alabaster mourners.
Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne
Dijon civic heart; climb the 316 steps of Tour Philippe le Bon for the best roof and hills view.
Les Halles de Dijon
Working Eiffel era covered market for Burgundy cheese, charcuterie, gingerbread and picnic supplies.
Église Notre-Dame de Dijon
Compact Gothic church with the Jacquemart clock, gargoyles and the 11th century Black Madonna.
Les Clos Vivants
Top rated in city wine class teaching the climats system behind Burgundy price differences.
The Wine Compass
Highly rated structured tasting in Dijon for learning Burgundy wines with a guide.
La Cave du Palais
Vaulted cellar by the palace offering guided Burgundy tastings in the city centre.
Where to stay in Dijon
Historic Centre - Palais des Ducs / Les Halles quarter
first trip, all-round base
Pedestrian old town with the Owl Trail, top restaurants and tram stops within ten minutes walk.
Darcy-Gare edge and the Jardin Darcy streets
rail touring, quieter nights
Grand streets west of the old town, five to eight minutes walk in and fast for early trains.
République-Clemenceau / Quartier des Antiquaires
longer stays, apartments
Residential and local, slightly cheaper, still walkable to the palace and on the tram.
Port du Canal - Cité Gastronomique quarter
drivers, families, budget
Newer hotels, easier parking and canal access, with rates below the centre; evenings are less romantic.
Think twice about
- Les Grésilles and Chenôve
Peripheral social housing districts with no visitor infrastructure and a documented history of serious disorder in June 2020. Decline cheap listings there.
- Fontaine d'Ouche (beyond Lac Kir) and the Toison d'Or / Zénith commercial zone
Not dangerous, but soulless for a holiday: tower block residential and shopping centre sprawl, dependent on trams for every meal.
- Immediate station forecourt at night
Lively and fine by day, a little ragged late at night. Do not pay old town prices for a station forecourt room.
Best restaurants in Dijon
William Frachot
Dijon's only two star kitchen: contemporary Burgundian cooking and a special occasion booking.
Loiseau des Ducs
One star classical Burgundian luxury in a historic monument dining room by the palace.
CIBO
One star modern cooking using only ingredients from within 200 km, with strong sommelier guidance.
L'Aspérule
One star quiet fine dining applying Japanese precision to French terroir, with a valued lunch.
DZ'envies
Starred chef's market bistro and Dijon's most recommended mid range table; lunch is a steal.
Spica
Small single menu bistronomic room where everything happens on the plate; reserve ahead.
La Maison des Cariatides
Fine dining ambition at mid range prices in an old town house, with a noted Burgundy list.
Le Pré aux Clercs
Grande brasserie facing the palace since 1866, with Dijon's best people watching terrace.
Outdoor things to do in Dijon
Route des Grands Crus
Full day small group vineyard road tour with tastings in Pinot Noir and Chardonnay country.
Côte de Beaune
Full day e-bike ride through Pommard, Volnay and Meursault to Montrachet, with tastings and lunch.
Hospices de Beaune - Hôtel-Dieu
Beaune day trip for the 1443 hospital, glazed tile roof and Van der Weyden Last Judgment.
Bourgogne Évasion
Guided 10 km city bike tour linking Darcy, the palace, Lac Kir and the canal, with a gourmet break.
Lac Kir
City lake with a flat loop walk, supervised summer swimming beach and paddle and sailing hire.
Port du Canal
Canal towpath walk or ride from the marina past houseboats to Lac Kir, flat and shaded.
Golf Jacques Laffite Dijon Bourgogne
The named Dijon course, 18 woodland holes about 15 minutes north of the city.
Golf Bluegreen Quétigny Grand Dijon
Practical visitor round: 18 holes from 1985 with water in play, east of Dijon by tram.
Best hotels in Dijon
Grand Hôtel La Cloche Dijon - MGallery
Dijon's grand hotel on Place Darcy, with spa, garden restaurant and valet parking.
Hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge
Small luxury house whose William Frachot restaurant holds two stars; stay for dinner.
Vertigo Hotel Dijon
Design led four star near Darcy with indoor pool, spa and hammam, rare in the old town.
Mama Shelter Dijon
Social design hotel with rooftop and lively bar, the mid tier pick for groups of friends.
Hôtel des Ducs
Well placed, well reviewed mid range house a few steps from the palace.
Hôtel des Halles
Well placed mid range house by the market, a sensible default for first timers.
ibis Styles Dijon Central
Honest cheap central option with breakfast included, in the right postcode at budget prices.
Oceania Le Jura Dijon
Four star fixture near the station with a pool, named for the quieter Jardin Darcy side.
Is Dijon expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | €80 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | €188 a person |
| Splurge | €393 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Palais des Ducs et des États de Bourgogne: a few days ahead
- Les Clos Vivants: a few days ahead
- The Wine Compass: a few days ahead
- La Cave du Palais: a few days ahead
- La Fine Heure: a few days ahead
- Route des Grands Crus: weeks ahead
- Côte de Beaune: a few days ahead
- Hospices de Beaune - Hôtel-Dieu: a few days ahead
- Starred and popular restaurants need reservations days ahead, weeks ahead in September to November and on Saturdays.
- Tour Philippe le Bon is timed and capped and sells out in season; book early in your stay.
- Wine tours and domaine tastings are bookings only; book two to four weeks out in harvest season.
- Beaux-Arts and Vie Bourguignonne are free and walk up but close Tuesdays; the Beaune Hôtel-Dieu queues in peak season.
Is Dijon safe?
- The centre is busy, lit and safe by ordinary French city standards; use ordinary awareness at night.
- Avoid Grésilles and Chenôve as bases and be cautious on the station forecourt late at night.
- Use car parks and do not leave luggage visible in a street parked car, especially near the station.
- Emergency and drink drive caution: France's drink drive limit is low, so never drive after vineyard tastings.
Dijon travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Paying full exhibition price at the Cité Gastronomique on a short trip; the caveau and shops are the value.
- Mustard gift sets at souvenir prices; the same jars cost less at producers shops and the market, and fresh pump mustard is better.
- Treating Beaune as a half day afterthought; give it a full day or skip it.
- Driving the Route des Grands Crus and tasting at every stop; use a driver, tour or bike.
- Expecting late nightlife; beyond wine and cocktail bars Dijon is an early city.
Getting around Dijon: public transport and more
- Train is the default: Dijon-Ville is about 1h35 from Paris Gare de Lyon and 20 to 25 minutes from Beaune by TER.
- Walk the pedestrian centre. Trams T1 and T2 cover the Cité, station and Lac Kir connections.
- Use DiviaVélodi bike share in town; rent a proper hybrid or e-bike for vineyard days.
- Drive only for Châteauneuf, golf and self guided vineyard days; park at Darcy, Grangier or Les Halles, never in the old town.
Who Dijon suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | Good |
Make Dijon your trip
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