Boké Region capital - Dinguiraye

If you haven't heard of Burgundy, you must have heard of the king of French red wine - Romanée-Conti, Burgundy is the production area of Romanée-Conti. The French say that humans created Bordeaux, and God created Burgundy. Burgundy is the land that God loves the most, and Dijon is the capital of Burgundy. Many years ago, the first stop of my study abroad journey to France was in Dijon, where I studied at the University of Dijon and later worked as a Chinese teacher at the same university. Dijon left a very deep impression on me. Dijon, located about 290 kilometers southeast of Paris, is the capital of the Burgundy region and the capital of the Côte-d'Or department. It is also the most populous city in the region with a long history dating back to the Roman era. During the Middle Ages, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Burgundy and has preserved a large number of historical and cultural heritage sites within the city. From Paris to Dijon by train, after leaving the Dijon train station, you can quickly see a quiet urban park along the main road. It's very retro, with towering trees and water systems. Walking in it is very relaxing and comfortable. But it is said that this was a madhouse in the 14th century. (Photos 1-6) Continuing forward is the beginning of the city of Dijon, the Porte Guillaume triumphal arch (photos 7, 8). This is an 18th century triumphal arch named in honor of the 11th century reformer Guillaume. Its extension is the Rue de la Liberté, the busiest commercial street in Dijon. From here, arrows and the city symbol of Dijon, the owl (photo 9), are marked on the pedestrian street, guiding tourists to explore the old town of Dijon. Following the owl route, passing through the small square (photo 10), you will arrive at the Cathedral of Dijon (photos 11, 12), a Gothic-style Roman Catholic church built between 1281 and 1325. The exterior of the cathedral is intricate and majestic, but the inside is somewhat chilly. As a non-Catholic, I have only been inside once and only took a quick glance. The owl represents wisdom and luck in Dijon, so if you come to Dijon, you must touch the owl on the outer wall of the Dijon Cathedral (photo 13) to bring good luck. The owl statue is on the outer wall facing the left side of the cathedral. Every day, there are endless people queuing up to touch the owl statue, yearning for luck. In addition, the Cathedral is also decorated with another symbol of Dijon, the Jacquemart Clock (unfortunately there is no photo). In 1382, Philip II of Burgundy brought Jacquemart from Courtrai, Belgium, and installed it on the south tower of the Cathedral the following year. In 1651, Jacqueline was added to take turns ringing the bell with Jacquemart. In 1714 or shortly thereafter, at the request of local poet Aimé Pélisson, a boy named Jacquelinette was added. In 1884, a girl named Jacquelinette was added. In 1840, the Dijon Cathedral was listed as a French historical monument. Therefore, there are four little people on the Jacquemart clock who ring the bell at regular intervals: Jacquemart and Jacqueline ring the big bell on the hour, while their "children" Jacquelinette and Jacquelinette ring the small bell every quarter of an hour. Continuing along the owl route, you will arrive at the Freedom Square (photos 15, 16), a semi-circular square designed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart in 1685, which is one of the most magnificent royal squares in France. On sunny days, there will be young people sitting on the square eating sandwiches. The strikes and parades in Dijon are also often held here. On one side of the square is the Palace of the Dukes of Burgundy (photo 17). Going into the courtyard, you can see a colorful sign hanging outside, which reads "Passport de Dijon". Anyone can go in and ask for a Dijon passport with their ID card to prove that they have been here. Unfortunately, I can no longer find my Dijon passport from back then. Actually, the most attractive thing about Dijon is its traditional cuisine, mustard sauce, red wine. Due to space limitations, let's take a look at Dijon cuisine together in the next article.