While in Dijon, be sure to visit the wonderful market, or Les Halles, even if only to feast your eyes. The Halles is housed in a wonderful old cast iron building from the late 1800s. Modeled after the old Halles of Paris, this structure is the center of a lively area of shops and restaurants (map).

The full market takes place on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and on these days the area outside the Halles building and the surrounding streets are full of vendors selling produce, clothing, souvenirs, and more. On Thursdays only the markets inside the Halles are open, with their delicious offerings of meats, cheeses, and produce.

You'll see a lot of things here that you'll find on menus in Burgundy: lots of beef for boeuf bourguignon; chicken for coq au vin; jambon persillé (ham and pork in a terrine, covered with a parsley gelatin); and of course a wide assortment of cheeses.

You'll also see some more unusual items, such as Tête de Veau (veal's head) and various other parts of anatomy--feet, heart, kidneys, brains, tripe (stomach lining), and more. I was particularly struck by the large Tête de Porc at one shop.

Although you'll see other tourists at the market, what you'll mostly find are Dijonnais out doing their shopping, with their chariots (wheeled shopping bags) or big baskets loaded with wonderful fresh food to use in making delicious Bourguignon dishes.

If you're not up for cooking or making a picnic, you can enjoy lunch, dinner, or a coffee in one of the many restaurants that encircle the Halles building. There's even a small buvette or refreshment bar right in the Halles where you can get a quick glass of wine...

Note that like the market, many of the restaurants in this area are closed on Sunday and Monday.

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