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Shopping in Dijon, France | |
| Most of my shopping focused on food and drink! | ||
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Dijon's main shopping street is the Rue de la Liberté, a lovely pedestrian street that runs between the Place de la Libération and the Porte Guillaume, near the Place D'Arcy (map). The architecture is harmonious and pleasant, and a variety of colorful flags extend from the buildings. It's always busy with shoppers and visitors. On Rue de la Liberté you'll find everything from clothes stores and pharmacies to stores specializing in mustard and local wine and crème de cassis (black current liqueur used to make kir). There's even a large Galéries Lafayette, one of France's major department stores. At 32 Rue de la Liberté is the Maille mustard store, where you can sample many varieties of Dijon mustard.
The problem we found was that everything we wanted to bring home was heavy and came in a glass container! Nonetheless, it's worth it to enjoy delicious Fallot Mustard in my salad dressings and with meals, local crème de cassis in my kirs, and cassis jam on my toast! Other local specialties include pain d'épices, a spice bread that's very popular in Dijon, and of course escargots—in cans. You can buy a set of snail shells too. Just add butter, garlic, and parsley and you'll be all set to serve your guests escargots de Bourgogne! And of course, there are the usual hand towels, aprons, tee shirts, and other souvenirs available in many shops. Although you won't be shopping for souvenirs, be sure to visit the wonderful Dijon market (Halles) if you are in Dijon on a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. The beautiful 19th century cast iron building is full of culinary delights and is a great place to wander and admire. Most days the market extends for several blocks around the Halles, with people selling clothes, shoes, jewelry, flea-market-type items, and more. It's a busy, fun scene, mostly frequented by locals. More...
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Above, Looking through the Porte Guillaume to the shopping street, Rue de la Liberté.
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