Dijon, France - Hôtel Wilson

A view of travel in the 17th century is imaginable during a stay at the Hotel Wilson. A fully restored "ancien relais de poste" (postal inn), the exposed wood beamed ceilings, white plaster walls, Burgundian wood furniture and circuitous winding hallways evoke the life of travelers centuries ago.

Traditional and simple in decor, many of the 27 rooms overlook the quiet inner courtyard. Rooms facing the Place Wilson have triple glazed windows for soundproofing - though opening the windows for cool air compromises the effect.  All rooms have comfortably sized bathrooms with a shower and some with bathtubs.  Rooms are equipped with TV and phone.  A fireplace warms the breakfast room on cold mornings.

The location on attractively landscaped Place Wilson is an easy 10 minute walk from the historic city center of Dijon, once seat of the Burgundian Dukes and today most often recognized as a synonym for fine food - and notably mustard.  The streets and buildings of the city's historic Medieval core are beautifully restored and alive with shops, outdoor cafes and restaurants.

Dining Tip:  Traditional Burgundian cooking is highly regarded and incorporates the highly regarded red wines in many of its recipes. Renowned restaurants include Stephane Derbord (adjacent to the Hotel Wilson), as well as Le Pré aux Clercs across from the Palais des Ducs and a short drive outside of the city Joël Perreaut's appropriately christened Restaurant des Gourmets.  However there are other fine, if less acclaimed, small restaurants that are quickly discovered while exploring the city.

Excursion Tip:  Musée des Beaux-Arts housed in the old ducal palace is one of France's oldest and richest museums, with exceptional European sculptures paintings, and ducal kitchens with a stunning banquet hall from the 1400s.
Shopping Tip:  In 1747 Antoine Maille, distiller and vinegar-maker, set up a mustard and vinegar business. Today in Dijon the Maille Boutique (32, rue de la Liberté) offers 20 varieties of his fine mustard.

Reading Tip:   The Vinter's Luck by Elizabeth Knox - The year is 1808, the place Burgundy, France. Among the lush vines of his family's vineyard, Jodeau, 18 years old and frustrated in love, is about to come face to face with a celestial being.

Abbaye de St-Philibert, Burgundy, Tournus, France
Abbaye de St-Philibert, Burgundy, Tournus, France Photographic Print
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