Dijon
Le Musée des Beaux-Arts
Ducal Palace
Dijon
France
21000
Tel: 33 3 80 74 52 70
Tour Philippe le Bon
34 Rue des Forges
Dijon
France
21022
Tel: 33 3 80 74 51 51
Musée Archéologique
5 Rue Docteur Maret
Dijon
France
21033
Tel: 33 3 80 48 83 70
Concierge.com's insider take:
The many attractions of Dijon, Burgundy's capital city, center on the Ducal Palace and the Place de la Libération that fronts it. Toss a coin from there and it will probably land on a medieval church or Renaissance town house; boutiques, restaurants, and cafés line the surrounding car-free streets. The palace houses a miniature Louvre, Le Musée des Beaux-Arts–Palais des États de Bourgogne. The collection, one of France's largest, includes works from antiquity through the Renaissance and Impressionism to the present; don't miss the magnificently sculpted marble tomb of Duke Philippe le Hardi. If it's open (see below for hours), climb the Tour Philippe le Bon, a medieval tower that flanks the palace: You'll be rewarded with views over Dijon's rooftops. While often overlooked, the Musée Archéologique, located in the medieval St. Bénigne Abbey, is worth a visit for its pre-Roman treasures (some excavated from the nearby springs that are the source of the Seine River) and vaulted, subterranean scriptorium. The museum is a 15-minute walk due east of the Ducal Palace.—David Downie
Dijon also makes an ideal base for exploring Burgundy: It has a handful of outstanding hotels and restaurants (including Hostellerie du Chapeau Rouge, Le Bistrot des Halles, and Stéphane Derbord), plus good wine shops and bakeries that specialize in Burgundian gingerbread.
Le Musée des Beaux Arts open Wednesdays through Mondays 9:30 am to 6 pm May through October, 10 am to 5 pm November through April. Closed Jan. 1, May 1 and 8, July 14, Nov. 1 and 11, and Christmas Day.
Tour Philippe le Bon open daily for guided tours 9 am to noon and 1:45 to 5:30 pm, Easter through late November. Open Wednesdays (tours at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 pm) and weekends (tours at 9, 10, and 11 am and 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 pm), late November until Easter. Closed Jan. 1 and Christmas Day.
Musée Archéologique open Wednesdays through Mondays 9 am to 12:30 pm and 1:30 to 6 pm. Closed Jan. 1, May 1 and 8, July 14, Nov. 1 and 11, and Christmas Day.