We’ve heard about the owl trail of Dijon, and bought a special brochure at the tourist office describing the trail and the highlights on its path. It was very simple – you follow the blonze arrows with owls built into the pavestones throughout the town:
Each time you approach a point of interest, a big bronze plate with a number would indicate that:
The most famous of all the owls of Dijon is definitely the stone one carved into a corner of Notre-Dame Church’s exterior. It is said to grant wishes when stroked. You need to do it with your left hand (closest to the heart!):
That owl was severely damaged in January 2001. The citizens of Dijon were very upset… After the restoration, it is under the video survillance now.
The masterpiece of Bourgogne architecture of the 13th century, Notre-Dame with its remarkable facade, decorated with fine arctures and rows of gargoyles:
A legend has it, a moneylender (a banking professional in today’s terms) was going to get married in that church. One of the gargoyles felt down on his head (which was seen as a punishment from God for earning money on poor people). His friends knocked down most of the gargoyles off the church afterwards… It was first in the 1882 that the gargoyles were recreated on the Notre Dame’s facade.
Flemming asked me whether I was ok walking under the gargoyles :-), referring to my bank work 🙂
The Notre Dame is crowned by the clock called Jacquemart. Jacquemart is a bellstriker, and the Dijon’s Jacquemart is one of the oldest and best-known. The clock was the pride of the city of Courtrai in Belgium, placed on the tower of the halls, and reputed to be the most beautiful. The Duke of Bourgogne Philip the Bold took that clock as a war loot in 1382 and gave it to the city of Dijon that supplied him with more than a thousand men-at-arms.
In the 17th century, people of Dijon joked about the Jacquemart’s bachelor status, so in 1651 a companion was added to him – Jacqueline. Then people began making fun of their infertility, and a little Jacquelinet was made for them in 1714. He was followed by Jacquelinette in 1884, to mark every quarter of an hour. The music from that clock was very beautiful, and we could hear it from our apartment.
Well, we thought a couple of owls was enough in that heat. And what makes a better break? Yes, a glass of champagne!
Èglise Saint-Michel, a 16th century church, considered one of the most beautiful in France:
It’s facade is unique due to a mixture between Gothic and Reneissance styles.
In the afternoon, we went for an ice-cream:
It was our last full day in Dijon, and we enjoyed it.
Some of the buildings had interesting carved decorations. On the photo below, a woman on the left is playing guitar, a man in the center is a carpenter, and a man on the right is an ingenior:
One can spend many days in Dijon, just wandering around its adorable streets.
Dinner at home; we had bought some ready-made food from a butcher in Les Halles:
Later in the evening, Flemming and I went for a walk.
Our flight for the day after was prepared, accommodation booked, the weather was fine – we could relax and enjoy our evening.