48 hours in Dijon

WHY GO NOW?

WHY GO NOW?

The largest town in Burgundy, Dijon sits daintily at the head of the Côte d'Or - the "golden slope" that produces arguably the best wines in the world. The picking of the grapes has taken place earlier than usual this year because of the hot weather, so wine-making activities are in full swing. Dijon is heaven for the gourmet, whether you are there for the snails, the cheese or the moutarde. You can also enjoy graceful Burgundian architecture in the centre (offset by the artless apartment blocks in the suburbs), together with a generous provision of open spaces.

BEAM DOWN

Since Ryanair abandoned Dijon after its takeover of Buzz, the city's Longvic airport has looked decidedly deserted. Until someone starts up flights from Britain again, the closest airport is Lyon, served from Birmingham, Heathrow and Manchester by British Airways (0870 850 9850, www.ba.com); later in the winter, easyJet (0870 600 0000, www.easyJet.com) will start flying from Stansted. From Lyon, a train ride of about two hours will deposit you at Dijon station , a short walk from the centre of town. If you prefer to take the train all the way, the journey from London Waterloo on Eurostar (08705 186 186, www.eurostar.com) takes around six hours, involving a change of station in Paris; book early, and you can pay as little as £79 return.

GET YOUR BEARINGS

The centre of Dijon is pentagonal in shape, with a square at each of the five points. Place Darcy is where the main tourist office (00 333 8044 1144; www.ot-dijon.fr) is located; it is open daily from 9am-7pm, 10am-6pm in winter. A smaller branch, with shorter opening hours, is at 34 rue des Forges . Both of these sell the Dijon card, which, for a cost of €8 (£6) for 24 hours or €11 (£8) for 48 hours, allows free access to most of the main museums and monuments, and to the guided city tours run by the tourist office. From Place Darcy, Dijon's main thoroughfare, rue de la Liberté, cuts across to the complex of buildings in the heart of the town, the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy .

CHECK IN

The best hotel in town - in a good, central location, but away from the crowds - is the Hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge at 5 rue Michelet (00 333 8050 8888; www.bourgogne.net/chapeaurouge). Doubles here start at €132 (£92), and singles at €123 (£86); breakfast is an extra €13 (£9). The Hôtel Philippe le Bon is built around a lovely courtyard at 18 rue Sainte-Anne (00 333 8030 7352); double rooms start at €85.60 (£60), singles at €74.80 (£52), and continental breakfast is €6 (£4). The Hôtel des Ducs , very conveniently located for all the main sights, is at 5 rue Lamonnoye (00 333 8067 3131; www.hoteldesducs.com). Rooms start at €70.60 (£49), and breakfast is an extra €8.50 (£6). A good-value alternative is the Hôtel du Palais , in an 18th-century building at 23 rue du Palais (00 333 8067 1626), where double rooms start at €34 (£24), singles at €30 (£21), and breakfast costs €6 (£4). Most hotel prices drop in mid-November, once the wine season is over.

TAKE A RIDE

Dijon has a unique - at least, apparently, in France - form of transport: the Segway, upright, two-wheeled, and on hire from the tourist office for anyone wanting to get a feel for the city without expending too much energy. It runs on an electric motor, and looks like a pogo stick with wheels and a platform for you to stand on. All you do is step on and steer. It responds to your centre of gravity - lean forward and it moves you forward, lean backwards and you begin to reverse. There is a short demonstration before you set off, and very few people fall off. Segways are available for hire for an hour at a time from the main tourist office in Place Darcy from 10am-1pm and 3-5pm until the end of October, and cost €12 (£8.50), half price for children.

TAKE A HIKE

Start your walk at the Porte Guillaume, the arch at the end of Place Darcy that was once the town's western gateway. Turn down rue de Maret to the Cathedral of St Bénigne (00 333 8030 3933) at the bottom of the street; the cathedral has been rebuilt several times, but the crypt (entrance €1/70p) was part of the original building and is 1,000 years old. Place Bossuet , Place Jean Macé and the streets around contain a number of well-preserved town houses: many date from the 17th century; others, with their timber frames and overhanging upper storeys, were built in the 15th century. Further south at 15-17 rue Sainte Anne is the former monastery that now houses the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne (00 333 8044 1269), a fascinating catalogue of life in the region, including reconstructions of old shops. The museum is open daily 9am-6pm until the end of September, then daily except Tuesday from 9am-midday and 2-6pm; entrance €2.80/£2. From here walk through Place François-Rude to Les Halles , the covered market designed by Gustave Eiffel.

LUNCH ON THE RUN

There are plenty of eating places on the streets that surround the market . Look out for the three-course Menu du Marché at Taverne Maître Kanter at 18 rue Odobert (00 333 8030 8183), the Bistrot des Halles at 10 rue Bannelier (00 333 8049 9415), or Au Bon Pantagruel at 20 rue Quentin (00 333 8030 6869), which serves sandwiches and more substantial dishes.

CULTURAL AFTERNOON

The centrepiece of Dijon's cultural attractions is the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy , which now contains the Musée des Beaux Arts (00 333 8074 5209; open daily 9.30am-6pm until the end of October, then daily except Tuesday 10am-5pm). The extensive art collection is housed in the palace rooms, the most impressive of which is the Guards Room, containing the tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy. The bookshop is in the room that was once the palace kitchens.

TAKE A VIEW

If you can manage the 315-step climb up the winding staircase to the top of the Philippe Le Bon Tower - part of the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy - you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of Dijon's old streets and the tiled roofs that are typical of the region. It is interesting to see the layout of the palace and surrounding district below: the semi-circular Place de la Libération in front, the theatre to the left, and the church of St Michel beyond. Visits cost €2.30 (£1.60) and take place every 45 minutes from 9am-midday, and 1.45-5.30pm, daily until mid-November; during the winter visits are hourly on Wednesday afternoons and weekends, from 9-11am, and 1.30-3.30pm.

WINDOW SHOPPING

There are plenty of good shops on the pedestrianised streets to the north and south of rue de la Libération, the main street where the department store Galeries Lafayette is to be found. There are several places at which to buy regional products such as mustard or spice bread: try Auger in Place Darcy , Mulot et Petitjean in Place Bossuet , or Maille on rue de la Libération, where the mustard comes straight from the pump.

AN APERITIF

The local speciality is kir, a glass of Bourgogne Aligoté wine with a dash of crème de cassis. This traditional aperitif acquired its name just after the Second World War, when Canon Kir was mayor of Dijon and wanted a gimmick to boost sales of cassis. A good place to order a glass is the Caveau de la Porte Guillaume (00 333 8050 8050; www.bourgogne.net/hotelnord), a cellar in the Hôtel du Nord in Place Darcy . There is also an opportunity here to taste several of the local wines, starting at €7 (£5) for a selection of three.

SUNDAY MORNING, GO TO CHURCH

The church of St Michel on rue Vaillant is the most striking church in Dijon, a Gothic building whose façade has twin towers and an elaborate Renaissance-style porch, intricately carved and well preserved. Inside is some beautiful woodwork designed around the pillars in the transept.

DINING WITH THE LOCALS

There are good restaurants in several of Dijon's hotels, including the Hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge and Les Oenophiles at Hôtel Philippe Le Bon . Le Pré aux Clercs (00 333 8038 0505) at 13 Place de la Libération is another choice for an excellent meal; the chef, Jean-Pierre Billoux, is long-established in Burgundy. For a good selection of regional specialities including snails, boeuf bourguignonne or dishes cooked "à la dijonnaise" with a mustard sauce, try Au Moulin a Vent (00 333 8030 8143) in 8 Place François-Rude .

A WALK IN THE PARK

Dijon has several parks, the largest of which is the Botanical Garden , open daily 7.30am-10pm, although it closes earlier as the nights draw in. There are some carefully labelled formal beds, containing plants native to the region, and an area devoted to medicinal plants. For those who just want open space, there are plenty of grassy areas, lots of trees, pavilions and a small lake.

OUT TO BRUNCH

For a traditional spread of coffee, juice, croissants and jam, the Café Gourmand (00 333 8036 8751), opposite the Ducal Palace at 9 Place de la Libération . It opens at 9.30am on Sundays. Alternatively, the Café des Grands Ducs, on the corner of the square, also opens early on Sundays, and serves up fried eggs and omelettes.

THE ICING ON THE CAKE

It would be a pity to go to Dijon and not taste any of the excellent Burgundian wines produced nearby. The nearest wine-growing village is Marsannay, five miles south of the city on the road towards Beaune; the number 24 bus leaves regularly from the station . The Chateau de Marsannay (00 3 33 80 51 71 11) offers tours of its cellars, and an extensive tasting, for €10 (£7). The Chateau is open daily 10am-midday and 2pm-6.30pm, and is closed on Sundays from November to March.

WRITE A POSTCARD

Visit Lac Kir, a beautiful spot outside the city on Avenue du premier Consul. It's nothing to do with a European wine lake, but a long stretch of water, some two and a half miles around, created by Canon Kir. The locals go to the lake at weekends to walk, sail or relax in one of the waterside cafés. Buses 12 and 18 will take you there from the station .

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