A Day in Dijon

May 21, 2022

Today Janos and I opt to look around Dijon while the rest of the gang is out for a loop ride. Just as we are getting set for our little walking tour, we hear some commotion down on the street below. I poke my head out of the window. Ah, it's those American cyclists getting ready for their ride.

In Dijon you can follow the "Owl Trail" or "Parcours de la Chouette" to get an impression of some the most interesting sights. There are 1600 little owls set in the sidewalks of the old town to guide you.

Owl trail markers like this one lead you to 22 of the main sights of Old Dijon.

There is also an owl sculpture along the way which is supposed to have magical powers. Tradition has it that touching the owl with your left hand while placing your right hand on your heart brings you good luck.

We started our ramble with a visit to Dijon's covered market, Les Halles, an iron structure from the 19th century. At one point there were plans to tear it down and make room for a parking lot. Fortunately, they were never carried out and the ironwork framed building, designed by contemporaries of Gustave Eiffel, is still standing. Even if you don't plan on cooking a meal, the choice of cheeses, meat, fish, bread, and so on is a feast for the eyes.

The vendor wanted to be in the picture but I was too slow with the camera.

Needless to say, we didn't follow all 1600 owls nor did we visit 22 sights. But here are some miscellaneous shots from the rest of our walk - doors, street scenes, churches, house facades... If I don't keep the narrative short, I'll never get my journal posted. I am falling behind already.

Before dinner I went for another short walk to the nearby Jardin Darcy.

On the site of today's park, a drinking water reservoir was planned by Dijon's hydraulic engineer Henry Darcy and built in 1838-1840 . The water came through pipelines from approximately twelve kilometers to the city and provided the approximately 29,000 inhabitants with drinking water. Dijon was one of the first cities with a modern and safe drinking water supply.

The choice of restaurant for the evening meal wasn't so good, but, hey, this isn't a gourmet tour, we are here to ride our bicycles. Looking forward to tomorrow.

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Steve Miller/GrampiesOh, that market has us drooling and the owl path, even a shortened version, looks lovely.
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1 year ago

Rich FrasierLove the pictures!!
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1 year ago

Nancy GrahamIt does not matter one bit if you are behind in your journal — your posts and photos are well worth waiting for ;’-).
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1 year ago