With all its green spaces, Dijon is a city where life is good. Having a rich historical past whose patrimonies can testify to it, it is an attractive city. Opt for a car service from Paris Airport to Dijon .
History of Dijon
A fortified enclosure with very powerful
The history of the city of Dijon began two thousand years ago. In the 3rd century, a fortified enclosure with very powerful walls was built in the Roman city called to protect it from barbarian invasions. At this time, Roman Dijon has two necropolises. The city of Dijon has been invaded too often; first by the Burgundians at the beginning of the sixth century; then by the Saracens in 725, and by the Normans in 887.
A medieval city
A medieval city was forged during the long reign of the Capetian dukes of Burgundy from the 11th to the 14th century. In 1137, a fire devastated the city and most houses that were burned as well as the churches Saint-Benigne and Saint-Etienne. But it is reborn from the ashes, because the dukes rebuild a wider enclosure that encompassed the abbeys and churches of Saint-Médard, Saint-Michel, Saint-Jean, Saint-Philibert, Saint-Bénigne, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Pierre and Notre Dame. Dijon enjoyed a period of prosperity until the Hundred Years War. The eleventh century was a time of prosperity for Dijon, traders were making a fortune.
The capital of Burgundy
Thus, being the capital of Burgundy, its history has recorded more remarkable events at the meeting of the Duchy of Burgundy to the crown by Louis XI, in 1477. The city then became the border town of the kingdom. It has a strong fortress. The beginning of the seventeenth century was marked by the Thirty Years’ War which led to the improvement of its defense as well as the construction of various religious buildings, including Catholics for the Jesuits, Minimes, Capuchins and many others. In 1678, the attachment of Franche-Comté to the kingdom makes the fortifications useless. However, this allowed him to grow. Before the French Revolution, the city became the seat of a small bishopric. A botanical garden and an art school were created at the same time.
The era of construction and urbanism
In 1789, Dijon retrograde of its status of capital of province to that of chief town of department. Rioters stormed the castle and the tower of St. Nicholas and historical monuments were destroyed. The nineteenth century is a time for renovation with the construction of a theater, the district of Saint Bernard Square and the railway line Paris-Dijon-Lyon-Marseille. The works were interrupted by the Franco-German war of 1870. At the end of the same century, there were created places and Boulevards type Haussmann and the installation of the first public transport.
On the other hand, the constructions were brutally stopped by the first world war. And from 1940 until 1944, the city was occupied by the German army of the Third Reich. After the two wars, the city was peaceful and began the era of construction and urbanism. During your stay, you will be able to make so many historical visits.
Dijon nowadays
In just 25 years, the agglomeration doubles its urbanized surface. Pharaonic work they stopped in the 1970s. It is a dynamic and harmonious city currently with a green belt in the form of large peri-urban parks. In 1957, the University of Burgundy was created and now hosts more than 27,000 students. In 2012, University Institute of Technology was created.
The city center is a unique place with its various urban planning projects such as the restoration of old buildings, the pedestrianization of historic and shopping streets and the renovation of squares. In 2005, the agglomeration became the “Greater Dijon” thus covering twenty-two municipalities. The city of Dijon received the label of “city of art and history” in 2008. The parks, the lake, the quarries and the green spaces make the city a place where nature reigns allowing you to walk in all peace and relaxation. Apart from that, you can enjoy various exhibitions and festivities throughout the year. For your occasional or frequent trips to Dijon, we can provide a day rental service.
What to visit in Dijon?
It’s a touristic town. Museums, historical monuments and parks abound. You will not be bored with all these activities at your disposal.
Museum of Fine Arts of Dijon
It’s a museum in a palace. The Museum of Fine Arts has been moved into the West Wing of the former Palace of the Dukes and States of Burgundy which also houses the town hall of Dijon since 1831. You can enjoy the medieval paintings and fine arts. For 6 €, you can also visit the necropolis with the tomb of Philip the Bold and his son.
Museum of Burgundy Life
This museum was created in the cloister of the Bernardine Monastery built in the late seventeenth century. It traces the Burgundy life of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Thus, it presents a rural ethnographic heritage. Especially since the furniture, the domestic equipment and the regional costumes are still preserved there. It opens every day except Tuesday. Note that access to the Museum is free.
Botanical Garden of the Arquebuse of Dijon
Created in 1833, the Arquebuse Botanical Garden contains over 3,500 species of botanical plants from Burgundy and around the world. On 5 ha, it is divided into a botanical garden, garden of simple, arboretum and park. Every day from 7:30 to sunset, you can enjoy a free visit to the Science Garden Museum with :
- its wild plants,
- a vast arboretum,
- a Natural History Museum and a planetarium.
It is a beautiful place for nature lovers.
Lake Kir
Lake Kir is an artificial lake inaugurated in 1964. The lake covers an area of 37 hectares and is covered with 30 hectares of green space. It is the favorite place of walk of Dijonnais. You can do various water activities such as swimming, sailing, canoeing and windsurfing. The municipality has also developed :
- volleyball courts,
- beach volleyball and beach soccer fields,
- ping-pong tables,
- miniature golf,
- tennis courts,
- fitness courses,
- bowling alleys and many children’s games.
The Consortium
It is a center of contemporary art. It was founded by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban in 2011. The Consortium’s Pedagogy & Mediation department favors active discovery of exhibitions. He took part in the ambition of the UNESCO world heritage classification of Climats of Burgundy vineyards. It offers the opportunity for citizens to gather around a common cause and order from an artist to support these causes. If you need a car depending on the type of stay you will spend in Dijon, our fleet consists of luxury cars, limousines, pick-ups.
Car service from Paris Airport to Dijon
Located in the department Côte-d’Or in the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region, Dijon is a city both calm and alive. Note that Dijon is only 24 km from the Château de Clos de Vougeot and 64 km from the MuséoParc Alésia. For your airport transfers, the city is 355 km from CDG Airport and 259 km from Annecy Mont Blanc Airport.