Today's post will be on the smaller streets of Dijon - including the ones that were laid out in medieval times. These streets are pretty different from the bigger ones in terms of style, atmosphere and all, and are so quaint and unique! I managed to go through most of them...though one of the explorations nearly ended in a disaster (me getting utterly lost!). Anyway...more to that below!
The street behind the Notre Dame cathedral is known as Rue de la Chouette, and from this little street, here's a view of the back of the cathedral. I've also included a pic of the front facade of the cathedral for reference.
The Vogue Residence - one of the finest mansions in Dijon. It was built in 1614 for Etienne Bohier, the then Parliamentary Counsellor. The roof is green, gold and black, and is prominent from the top of the Tower of Philip the Good. I've included some pics of the courtyard, the beautiful carvings, and of course, the roof.
Spotted this cute little sign - and an entrance to a restaurant not too far away...
Some more pics of the intersection between Rue de la Chouette and Rue Verrerie. I used these two half timber houses as a guide...since they stood out quite well. I like the colour contrasts between the two!
Some snapshots of Rue Verrerie - this street is famous for its corbelled arches and half-timber houses. There were also many small shops around here, which I got to explore. Up till now - Rue Verrerie remains one of my favourite streets in Dijon, as it is so medieval, and so quaint and peaceful!
Oh yes - I went to Rue Verrerie twice - hence the difference in lighting and all. The first day I went - it was cloudy. The next day - it was sunny.
I also decided to explore the smaller streets behind the Place de la Liberation...and that was where I spotted more cafes and restaurants...looks like we've got lots of options in terms of food!
Along the way I spotted the entrance of the Legouz de Gerland residence. By now I was on Rue Vauban - which was considered one of the smaller streets around here. So I entered the residence for bit...
I also walked around Rue Amiral-Roussin, another place that has lots of cafes and half-timber houses. The Fyot de Mimeure building (with the brown doorway) is situated near here. I wandered in, took a couple of pics...and then came back out onto Rue Amiral-Roussin where I had a nice time taking pics of the half-timber houses and cafes. Some of the cafes were closing by the time I got there, but others were just starting to open.
The watchtowers of the Legouz de Gerland residence - along the Rue Jean-Baptiste-Liegeard. The residence itself was built in 1614.
I also ended up exploring some of the streets behind St Michel's cathedral. After all, these were within close proximity of the conference venue! And I thought that I really needed to walk through the whole Dijon city centre...just for the sake of it. So here we go - walking towards the right of the cathedral to pass the roundabout and towards a smaller street...
Exited the smaller street...and spotted one of the buildings of the University of Dijon. I think this must be a main building or something.
Found this small street leading away from the university building, and so I decided to follow it to see where it led to. Had quite a few interesting discoveries along the way. Needless to say, I spotted more half-timber houses, and had to take pics of them because they were pretty different from what I had previously seen (while exploring the main streets). There're quite a number of these half-timber houses interspersed around Dijon...and they are so well preserved! They all had distinct patterns too, and came in different colours. So far I saw lots of browns, blacks, and occasionally pinks and oranges.
Ended up on the intersection of Rue Chaudronnerie and Rue Auguste-Comte - again not knowing how I got there...I probably was just wandering around quite aimlessly but taking as many pics as I could. The first pic from this caption is the Three Gables House (circa 15th Century). Interesting corner house! These streets consist mainly of pastry shops and cafes...and people were all out and about, enjoying the lovely weather.
Fortunately I managed to find my way back to the conference venue after wandering around. This area was very near St Michel's cathedral, so all I did was get my bearings right, and there we go!
For the abovementioned explorations, I was lucky as I was clear of my bearings. But there was once where I wasn't so lucky.
After one of the conference sessions, I decided to take a walk around the lesser known, smaller streets behind the main city area. From what I remember, I had already explored Rue Amiral-Roussin (see pics above)...and wanted to go further! And so I walked...and walked...happily snapping pics...and ended up getting totally lost! Best part - I left my map in the hotel. Poor life choice.
I kept seeing street signs pointing back to the city centre, but the more I followed the street signs, the more lost I seemed to be. Until I came to a particular major intersection (after circling the small streets and taking pics along the way), and a very nice couple pointed me in the direction of the city centre. At that point in time I was already so nervous and really needed to get back to the hotel. I didn't want to be lost in a place I didn't know of, anyway! So all I did was - walk straight......and kept walking straight. I didn't even think of taking pics (I already had so many after roaming the streets anyway)...
Imagine my relief when I ended up on this street here! This street is right smack in the middle of the city, and I realised that despite all the convolutions I made, I still somehow managed to make it back to a place I was familiar with.
Anyway - the nervousness quickly subsided, and I ended up exploring this area. The explorer in me never ever rests.
And of course, I included some pics of the beautiful tiled roofs I saw around Dijon. The roofs belong to the Aubriot Residence.
Check out the mind-blowing carvings on this beautiful building here...so intricate and yet so gorgeous. I took quite a number of close-ups here.This is the Maillard Residence from what I remember.
Wandered around the street behind the Palais de Ducs du Bourgogne too - it was quaint and peaceful, and quite different from the main streets of Dijon. The streets in Dijon are all pretty unique - each one has its own charm and beauty. And every now and then, there'll be hidden treasures popping up...
Like this beautiful tabby cat here. I was wandering around for a bit (trying to compose myself after getting utterly lost within the convoluted alleyways), when I saw this little bar...and the cat was just sitting on the steps! She was so friendly and she came up to me. I tried to have a "conversation" with her but she just walked around and didn't meow. I think she doesn't understand English. Anyway she was really photogenic, so I hung around for a bit before her owners came out to call her in.
Oh - before I forget - this is the famous Mulot et Petitjean - a pastry shop which has been around for ages! And they sell the best fruitcake, Dijon Nonnette and lots more!
One final pic of the main street of Dijon before wrapping up this post! This street was a significant landmark for me!
And I guess this wraps up my entire Dijon trip! :) Whoa it's been quite a herculean task sorting out all these photos and linking them back to their respective landmarks! But I'm glad these are all here!
Now let's see...it looks like spring is coming here in Australia, so more pics of the beach and of wildflowers might be popping up next! Do stay tuned!