Dijon, 29 September

Musee de La Vie Bourguigonne
September 29

The streets are so interesting and I wander along, trying to look up as much as possible but it is a dangerous business. The streets may be narrow and winding but most still have traffic and buses passing through, and a lot of them are cobbled, and you have to watch out for dog droppins! No wonder it is an exhasusting business and in 30 degree heat by five o'clock. Especially chaotic with the tram works and diversions.

The buildings are a strange and fascinating assortment of medieval, renaissance and more recent additions, all popped into whatever space was available and designed to elbow their way in.

Around the museum are many Maisons Particulaires, private mansions, built between the 15th and 18th century by great parliamentary or bourgeois families. Ornate facades, private towers, monumental entrances and hidden shady courtyards. Amazing.

This museum is in the cloisters of a Bernadine monastery. What a beautiful setting and on such a gorgeous day, yet again.

Inside the museum (which was delightfully cool) are recreated aspects of daily life in Dijon through the ages.
The little shops and the history of famous Dijon industries were fascinating. Dijon mustard, Pernot biscuits, cassis and gingerbread, and bicycles.

Back outside, it is not hard, if you look up above the shop fronts, cars and passers by, to imagine what life must have been like. And so much of the history is still there to be enjoyed. No surprise that there are many tourists but not too many.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dijon, 28 September

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dijon, Protest rally, Tuesday 28 September

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

On Tuesday I was planning to have a "do nothing" day at home in the rue des Violettes, in Dijon. However I was tempted, yet again, to go into the centre ville, and ended up staying most of the day.

In the Place de la Liberation, in the afternoon, I found a protest rally, in fact two at once. One was by the teachers and the other by the disabled.

Sarkosy is tryiing to have a superior education system, while cutting the number of teachers and raising class sizes at the same time and of course, paying the teachers very little. Sounds familiar? The disabled were asking for more access I think.

The CGTI was one of the left wing organisations out in force. It was very colourful, on such a beautiful day, in such an impressive open place, with the Palace of the Dukes as a background.

Then I came across some men unloading a very large beam from a truck, into a building, where renovation was going on. Quite a sight. Just as well they had a little trolley to move it, into what was a very tiny alleyway.
Renovation of these very old buildings must bring many such challenges

Dijon, and market, September 27

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dijon is undergoing major road works, or tram works, at the moment. The new tram lines are being laid and the traffic is chaotic. Each week there is a page in the newspaper, which tells the locals what diversions etc. will be in place for that week.

Everywhere there are yellow signs, leading the populace on what seem like wild goose chases, but which do in fact take you to where you want to go, eventually. It was almost as bad in Montpellier, where they were buildng another, third line. But the work is far more extensive here.
It will be wonderful when it is all finished. With shocking pink trams I gather, hence the pink barriers.

I found my way to the market, which is held in the heart of the old city, in and around Les Halles. A grand covered market, surrounded by other yummy stalls on Tuesday mornings. As always, I could not resist buying something. I seem to have a fetish for scarves at the moment. At least they are light to carry. My baggage is exactly that, baggage I could largely do without!

I am told there are over 400 types of cheese in France, maybe it is 4000! It seems so. and they are all delicious, at least the ones I have tried. Cheese comes either before or after dessert, depending on where you are.
Always with a chunk of bread and washed down with fine red wine. Superb!

Dijon, Well of Moses, Monday 26 September