After the tour through some Burgundy vineyards in the preceding post, let’s have a look on the cities they surround, Dijon and Beaune.
Dijon
Dijon is today the capital of the Burgundy Region and was the capital of the Province of Burgundy, the home of the Dukes of Burgundy (and Valois-Burgundy) between the 11th and 15th centuries. What was to become the Duchy of Burgundy was in 1032 given as compensation to a brother of the French king, who disputed the throne. After a lot of disputes and fighting, the Duchy of Burgundy was finally again annexed by France in 1477. The Ducal Palace as it looks today dates partly from the 14th century, but has been remodeled over the years, more especially during the 17th century.
Dijon has been a very wealthy city and is quite well spared from destructions; it's full of old buildings and churches. Some of the half-timbered houses date from as early as the 12th century. One should also note the special roofs made of tiles glazed in different colours – however perhaps even more visible in Beaune.
Dijon has been a very wealthy city and is quite well spared from destructions; it's full of old buildings and churches. Some of the half-timbered houses date from as early as the 12th century. One should also note the special roofs made of tiles glazed in different colours – however perhaps even more visible in Beaune.
The city is of course also known for its mustard, wine houses… and the “Kir” (the drink composed by "crème de cassis" and the white wine "Bourgogne Aligoté" and invented by the catholic priest Félix Kir who was the mayor of the city 1945-68).
Beaune
Beaune is a beautiful little city with a lot of charm and some nice places for eating and drinking (wine tasting). Like Dijon, it has very old origins and is still partly surrounded by remainders of a wall and a moat. It’s of course also a centre for wine commerce and gourmet food.
The most remarkable buildings are obviously the "Hospices de Beaune", founded in 1443. Although the original building, "Hôtel Dieu", now is a museum, the hospital, a charitable institution created for “poor and needy” and living on old donations including large vineyards, is still in operation in other modern buildings. There is a famous charity wine auction end November each year (now organized by Christie’s and held in the market hall in front of the hospital), which also serves as a good indicator of the Burgundy wine prices in general.
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