Lyon or Dijon?
 

On my list of places I wish to visit in France are Lyon and Dijon however due to time constraints, it is probable that I will not be able to see both and will have to choose between one Burgundian hub over another.

I love history and am a big foodie so not sure if either Lyon or Dijon is stronger in that regard over the other, though I am mindful that if we want to visit the French Alps for the day, Lyon would be better.

For those who have visited Burgundy and travelled to Lyon and Dijon, if you had to pick between one, which would you pick and why?

Hi Vic,
Man oh man that's a tough choice! Lyon is of course the larger of the two and feels like a proper city. Dijon almost gets away feeling like a large town. Dijon's proximity to several excellent daytrips gives it significant added-value. Dijon's central 'downtown' is attractive and very walkable.
As for food, Lyon's Quay St. Antoine market is one of the best. I forget whether its Saturday or Sunday. The added-value for that particular weekend market would be that the pottery and stamp-collecting markets are also held then, fairly close by. My wife and I were impressed by both of the rentals we used in those two places. One of Dijon's central rentals is a nice apartment rented by the delightful 'Coco', a lady with a presence on a number of travel forums. She is a great host.

Our rental in old Lyon also had an outstanding location. It was an affordable apartment which was part of the actual *'La Tour Rose' miraboule. Pretty hard to beat for a special setting, with its iconic pinkish historic tower only 5 metres away.
Much is made about the Lyon bouchons. Our experience was that they were fine, but not necessarily that much better than other restaurants across France.

Oh, and if you like jams, the shops just outside Dijon's farmer market (not the hoity toity one) sell the world-class brand 'Trinquelinette', known for featuring mostly old-fashioned flavors that are somewhat rare today. Trust me when I tell you, any of those jars of jam that you might pack and plan to bring home as gifts, will not likely last til you get to the airport.
Happy to provide contacts in either place.

Bon Chance
I am done. the end
* not to be confused with the nearby luxe hotel of the same name.

If food is the tipping point then maybe Lyon is the place to go, but Dijon (and nearby Beaune for the wine) have more easy charm - - Lyon is more monochrome cityscape.

Hands down. If you are a foodie, Lyon should be your choice. We have had some of the best meals of our lives in Lyon. And though we first went there thinking it might be a downer except for the food, we enjoyed the city and its surrounds almost as much as the food. For day trips I recommend Chambery and Bourg-en-Bresse (dine at Le Francais or George Blanc if former is filled). You can even make it to Annecy if you don't mind a 2 hour train trip--check out L'Alpin's raclette there.

For food in Lyon itself we recommend the following: Garet, Chez Lyon, Le Merciere, Daniel et Denise--the original, though the new one is good too, and Comptoir Abel where Tony Bourdain went. After all that spectacular French food in the Bouchons, go to the best Vietnamese place we've ever been--Hong Ha, near the cathedral. And don't miss the markets, the outdoor ones along the river and the spectacular indoor Les Halles Paul Bocuse where you should try to get oysters at Chez Leon. And the city is hardly devoid of wonderful sites including two cathedrals and the Cite International Congress centre with contemporary art. It's all fantastic and super for foodies. Enjoy.

Lyon

For the wine Dijon would be the best but then so would other more focused wine towns, like Beaune or Nuit st George. Dijon

Haven't visited Dijon but loved Lyon. Pedestrian area is nice. Textile Museum very interesting. Go to post #12 to see the Lyon part of my TR below:

https://www.fodors.com/community/eur...d-lyon-832984/

Please let everyone know what you end up doing!

I'm afraid that we must report about Bilbo's transgression in Dijon. He repeatedly asked for 'Dijon ketchup' while dining with his wife on New Years Eve @ Chez LaMarsh.
Chaos ensued.
I am done. the Dijon donjon

zebec, you are crazy... :-)

I thought this might interest some of you out there. Not sure if we will go there next fall but looks pretty inteesting

A Huge New Center in Dijon Promises Heaven for Fans of French Food and Wine

https://www.afar.com/magazine/an-exc...er%20before%29