Dijon ... où est la Poupon?
by John Harwood, NotAMall editor

Dijon is a beautiful and prosperous small city that lies in the Burgundy region of south-central France. From about 1000 AD it had been the capitol city of the powerful Dukes of Burgundy, only losing that status when it was incorporated into the larger kingdom of France in 1477. The historic center of Dijon today is a very manageable size for the tourist yet very active and colorful. People come out for shopping and markets as well as music and merriment in the parks and public squares. It has wonderful structures that range from medieval to high style art nouveaux. We entered Dijon on the train from Paris and, knowing little about the distance to our small hotel, hired a cab. The driver shrugged (don't they all) and off we went. Maybe five quick turns later he pulled up to our lodging and we struggled to try and pay him enough to have been worth the nuisance without seeming like big shot Americans.

Our small family run hotel was just the perfect respite from a more formal hotel in Paris. A casual restaurant on the vine covered terrace below our room clinked with classes, dishes, and local people laughing well into the evening. Across the street was an open square with a number of busy outdoor restaurants where we enjoyed a nice meal under the trees. Though I was really a bit anxious to put some Dijon mustard on just about anything I was eating there was no mustard to be found on the table ... I opted to let it slide because I felt that it would have been there if they had wanted me to use it. The menu options were very nice and the food proved to be excellent without being heavy. We had more than enough to choose from without any mustard.

The parks in Dijon retain the substance of formal gardens from the royalty that once invested their wealth in the region though young people drumming and playing guitar have replaced the ornate carriages and their noble occupants. Within a brief walk from the historic section of town is a horticultural garden with some incredible old specimens from all over the world. One particular Black Walnut tree from the United States measured about 4 feet in diameter. Even if trees and plants from around the world are not your particular interest, the parks are nicely maintained and pleasurable to visit.

Life on the streets of Dijon is quite a lot of fun. Street performers in bizarre outfits and makeup were poking fun at people in the crowds passing by and a band set up to play traditional folk music for the crowds. I don't mean "folk" as in Peter, Paul and Mary but rather the French folk music that gets you stomping your feet to accordions, guitars and impassioned vocals. This is the kind of impromptu friendly atmosphere that Disney tries to imitate in its' theme parks but it wasn't rehearsed ... it just happens by itself in Dijon.

There was a tremendous sandwich shop serving ham and cheese in a baguette just up from our hotel. I couldn't get enough of these great sandwiches but hey, where's the mustard? No Dijon mustard to be found at the sandwich shop either! Instead, in the tradition of France, the sandwiches were made with a good lathering of butter inside. Ironic as it was, I did find the Dijon mustard ... in the tourist shops, sold as nice sets of different types of Dijon mustard. Determined not to leave without having the local mustard on my ham and cheese baguette I simply bought a gift set and an extra jar for immediate use. While waiting for our train at the station, I carefully replaced the butter with mustard on my last sandwich to go. Très bon ... it was worth the effort!