Dijon walking tour & city guide

The Palace of the Dukes

The Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy faces the semicircular Place de la Libération, designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, the architect of Versailles. The palace houses the city hall and the Museum of Fine Arts, where the richly carved tombs of the dukes are on display. You can climb the Tour Philippe le Bon for a view over the roofs.

Follow the owl

A small stone owl carved on the side of the Church of Notre-Dame has become the symbol of the city; touching it with your left hand is said to bring luck. Bronze owl markers set in the pavement trace the Owl's Trail, a self-guided route past the city's main sights.

Notre-Dame itself is famous for its facade lined with rows of gargoyles and for the Jacquemart clock, whose figures strike the hours. The Rue des Forges and Rue Verrerie are lined with medieval half-timbered houses and Renaissance mansions.

A classic walk through Dijon

Start at Place Darcy and walk under the Porte Guillaume arch along Rue de la Liberté to the Place de la Libération and the Palace of the Dukes. Then follow the owl markers to Notre-Dame, the Rue des Forges and the Rue Verrerie.

Continue to Saint-Michel Church and its Renaissance facade, and end at the covered market. The walk is about 3 kilometers.

Visiting tips

Dijon is about 1 hour 40 minutes from Paris by high-speed train. The Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie et du Vin, opened in 2022, is a good introduction to Burgundy's food and wine. Beaune and the Route des Grands Crus are a short drive or train ride south.