Walk: 9km: total: 301km
Another relatively leisurely start to the day as we did not need to leave the hotel until about 9:30am to be at the train station for our 10:12am train. After breakfast we even managed to do a spot of sewing; we needed to mend our riding shirts. Task completed, we packed up and decided that it was better to be early and wait a while at the station than to be late. We arrived at the station about 45 minutes before our departure, and as luck would have it, the train was already there and waiting on platform 1. We boarded about 15 minutes before departure and we were the only ones with bikes, however, as we had five stops to make, we knew this may change. We left Paray-Le-Monial at 10:12 on the dot. Sure enough, at the second stop, another touring couple boarded. No problems as there was plenty of room for more bikes. We had to change trains at the sixth stop and that was a mad rush, but we managed to get four bikes on board and the panniers before the man blew the whistle. We arrived at Dijon a minute late, and were at the hotel (about 2km away) just before 12:30pm. Our room (a small apartment with a tiny kitchen and a bathroom almost as big as the room!) was ready, so we could check in. Would normally have to wait until 3pm, bonus.
After checking in to room 301 at Aparthotel Adagio Access, we unpacked, had a wash, then walked about 800m in to the city centre. Lunch was at Maccas, and then we found the tourist info centre for a map. We decided we’d leave the iconic Owl’s Trail for tomorrow when we have more time. The Owl is the symbol of Dijon, and like many other cities/towns, they use the symbol to mark the way around the historic sights. We did see a few things of interest, some we just stumbled upon while wandering.
It was almost 5pm by the time our knees told us that we should think about calling it quits. So, off to Carrefour for the dinner items and then back to our room. We watched the final 30km of the 3rd stage of the TDF before having dinner; a Belgian we did not know won.
Blogging, shower, teeth and bed.
Paray-le-Monial train station
On the train, it soon got busy
Train ride scenery
Mustard at a corner store, where, Dijon of course
The famous mustard maker
Mustard anyone?
Notre-Dame; a masterpiece of Burgundy architecture of the 13th century. It has a facade decorated with fine arcatures and rows of false gargoyles. It is crowned by ‘Jacquemart’, a war spoil of Philip the Bold.
The famous Owl, that if you touch with your left hand and make a wish, it will bring you good luck. Wendy touched it but didn’t know she had to make a wish, doh!
La Tour de Bar (Bar Tower) at the Town Hall. Designed according to the model of a medieval dungeon, the Tower was built from 1365 onwards and is the most ancient part of the Palace.
Inside the Fine Arts Museum, the only one worth a look in the modern section
A lot of the classic old art was fabulous
Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden
Glory of Burgundy ceiling painting by Pierre-Paul Prud’hon, absolutely magnificent
Tomb of John The Fearless and Margaret of Bavaria
The tombs are held up by 100s of ivory? or stone/marble figurines
Tomb of Philip The Bold
A fire place in the Grand Banquet Hall of the palace of Philip the Good
Altarpiece of the Crucifixion in gold
Sarcophagus of Hor
Had to get a hippo in somewhere
Church of St. Michael. The first phase of construction is of gothic influence, with the facade inspired by the Italian Renaissance.
The three front arches of the church have hundreds of carvings
Relics of St Elisabeth of the Trinity, 1880 -1906
The box has gold dioramas showing aspects of her life.
Grand Theatre de l’Opera de Dijon, built in the neo-classic style which was all the fashion at the start of the 19th century
Bibliothèque Colette, occupies the Nave of the former St Étienne Church
Rude Museum contains statues of famous French military heroes and
is built around the ruins of an old church. The museum occupies the old abbey of St Étienne Church.
Napoleon
The Evergreen Face, street art. It signals the importance of the balance and necessary relationship between man and nature.
A nice restaurant with a colourful wall garden
Old age home, looks like a nice place
Monument to the Fraternal Republic of Peoples in the Square of the Republic,
about 300m from our hotel
Our hotel, our room is around the back so no red circle
Our apartment
Huge bathroom
We have two windows, views from each
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