Dijon

Dijon () is a city in eastern France, the préfecture (administrative capital) of the Côte-d'Or département and of the Bourgogne région. Dijon is the historical capital of the province of Burgundy. Population (1999): 149,867 for the commune; 240,000 for the greater Dijon area.

History

Dijon began as a Roman settlement called Castrum Divionense, located on the road from Lyon to Mainz. Saint Benignus (Saint Bénigne), the city's patron saint, is said to have introduced Christianity to the area before being martyred. This province was home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th century until the late 1400's and Burgundy was a place of tremendous wealth and power and one of the great European centers of art, learning and science.

Street in the center of Dijon

Arc de triomphe known as the Porte Guillaume, on Place Darcy in the center of Dijon

Dijon and suburbs

Cathédrale St Bénigne - Dijon

Main sights

The town center is one of the best-preserved in France: 60% of the buildings are over 200 years old, the Gothic cathedral's crypt dates from 1000 years ago, and the city center has many fine houses dating from the 15th through 17th centuries.

Dijon was spared the destruction of various wars such as the 1870 Franco-Prussian War, despite the fact that the Prussian army invaded the city.

Transportation

Dijon is located approximately one hour and 40 minutes southeast of Paris by the TGV high-speed train.

Culture

Dijon is home, every three years, to the international flower show Florissimo.

To the northwest of Dijon, the race track of Dijon-Prenois hosts various motor sport events. In the past, it once hosted the Formula 1 Grand Prix of France.

Dijon is home to Dijon FCO, a football team in Ligue 2, the second-highest league in French football.

Colleges and universities

* Dijon hosts the main campus of the University of Burgundy (Université de Bourgogne) [1]
* École nationale des beaux-arts de Dijon
* 1er cycle européen (Europe Centrale et Orientale) de Sciences Po Paris [2]
* Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Dijon

Food and drink

Mustard

Dijon is famous for its mustard, even though nowadays around 90% of all mustard seeds used are imported, mainly from Canada. The term Dijon mustard (moutarde de Dijon) designates a method for the making of mustard. Traditional Dijon mustard is particularly strong. Most Dijon mustard (brands such as Amora or Maille) is produced industrially, but the town also specializes in exotic or unusually-flavored mustard, often sold in decorative hand-painted faïence (china) pots. In non-European markets such as the United States the name "Dijon mustard" is not trademarked, so the only way to be sure you are getting real Dijon mustard is to buy a jar that was imported from France; however, true Dijon mustard in exotic flavors can be difficult to find outside France.

Wine

As the capital of the Burgundy region, Dijon reigns over some of the best wine country in the world. Many superb vineyards producing vins d'appellation contrôlée, such as Vosne-Romanée and Gevrey-Chambertin, are within 20 minutes of the city center. The town's university boasts a renowned oenology institute. The drive from Santenay to Dijon, known as the route des Grands Crus, is a wine-lover's dream, passing through an idyllic countryside of exquisite vineyards, rivers, villages, forests, and twelfth-century churches. The region's architecture is distinguished by, among other things, toits bourguignons (similar to Flemish roofs) made of tiles glazed in terra cotta, green, yellow and black and arranged in eye-catching geometric patterns.

The city is also well known for its crème de cassis, or blackcurrant liqueur, used in the drink known as "Kir" (white wine, especially Bourgogne aligoté, with blackcurrant liqueur, named after former mayor of Dijon canon Félix Kir). The same drink made with champagne instead of white wine is known as un kir royal.

The American food writer M.F.K. Fisher, who moved to Dijon shortly after her marriage in 1929, fell in love with the region's cuisine and wrote about it in Long Ago in France.