Dijon or Beaune
 

Next July my wife and I will be in Burgundy. We will have car to visti small towns and sites. However, we want to base ourselves in a larger city, either Dijon or Beaune. I have looked at a map and read about both but we still cannot decide which to use as a base.

Any suggestions? Thanks for the help.

David

With a car I'd definitely pick Beaune. Why hassle driving in and out of a fair sized city like Dijon (pop. 150k) when you can be in a smaller town like Beaune (pop. 25k)?

In Beaune you can stay at a nice hotel on the edge like the Grillon and be within easy walking distance of the heart of Beaune.

If you try to stay on the outskirts of Dijon for easier driving you'll be far from the city center and stuck in highway/suburban sprawl. If you stay in the center of Dijon not only will you have the nuisance of city driving, you'll have to contend with city parking and its cost.

This past May I found Beaune to be very pleasant in the evenings after the day trippers were gone. Dijon left me a little cold. I think lacking main arteries and big plazas due to many small medieval streets allowed for less enjoyable people watching.

Don't get me wrong. Dijon is a nice city with a great fine arts museum. Given the choice of Dijon or not going to France I'd take Dijon in an instant.

ditto for the above response, agree with everything!

Definitely....BEAUNE. For all the same reasons.

I've stayed
1) in a hotel in Dijon center,
2) on the southern edge of Dijon in a motel 6 type place,
3) in a road house near Nuits-St-Georges, and
4) in a hotel in Beaune.

With a car do 2 or 4. You'll save money in 2 and 3. If 1, park in a city garage, perhaps some blocks from your hotel.

It depends on what you like. Actually, I would probably choose Dijon because there is a lot to do in that small city. Do not miss the Musee de Beaux Arts.

However, if you want a quieter locale, then Beaune might be what you want.

Incidentally, I spent a summer at the Universite de Dijon (too many years ago to count), and have returned to the area from time to time to visit the family with whom I lodged. I know the area well, but, I am afraid I am not good in hotels and restaurants. When I go to Dijon, I always end up staying and eating with friends.

Rather like M. F. K. Fisher, non?

Beaune, I love walled cities. We stayed at the Hotel de la Poste, left the car and just walked across the street into the city. I too looked at Dijon and it did look too big for our liking.

Beaune really isn't a "larger city;" it's a medium-sized town and would be a charming place to stay. Dijon is close enough for a day's visit, and then you can head out to Autun and la Rochepot. On the other hand, you could stay in Chablis and visit Vézelay, Semur-en-Auxois, the abbey of Fontenay, and other sights north of Dijon.

You might also want to visit the ruins of the Abbey of Cluny. At one time the church there was the largest Christian Church in the world. It is just ruins now but the archeologists have marked it out on the sidewalk and it is well presented so you can get an idea of how large the site originally was.

Interesting for anyone who likes the history of Middle Ages.

Beaune is a beautiful town, Dijon was a bit too busy and modern for our liking. We stayed at the Hotle Le Cep for three nights, it was wonderful, no worries about your car and there are wonderful resturants all within walking distance.