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Dijon – A Force To Contend With In Gastronomy
The launch of the long awaited International Cité of Gastronomy and Wine in May has earnt Dijon, the capital of Burgundy, a place in the UNESCO heritage gastronomy network. The project officially opened to the public on the 6th May.
The aim of the regeneration project was to provide a space dedicated to showcasing gastronomy and wine, and provide a cultural and lifestyle hub celebrating the craftsmanship behind gastronomy and wine pairing. Across the dedicated space is a new cookery school, a number of new restaurants, and a 4-star hotel, as well as a number of pop up exhibitions. These all come together to help illustrate the 1000 year relationship Dijon has had with wine tastings from its’ worldwide acclaimed vineyards, to pairings with its’ unique gastronomy.
The site sits on what marks the beginning of the famed route des grands cru running from Dijon to Macon through to Beaune. Its’ taken several years’ for the new regeneration project to take shape, and it has carefully restored new life into an expanse of 16 acres that used to house the city’s hospital, amongst other buildings of 15th century origin that had become derelict. Michelin Star chef Eric Pras was instrumental in the project, sitting on the committee that drove the project forward from its initial conception in 2015 to completion in 2022.
The idea behind the “moveable feast”, as a euphonomy to Hemingways’ acclaimed book, is to strengthen social ties by showcasing wines, within a dedicated space, and to highlight the cultural heritage that Dijon has cultivated over decades. It also focuses on the uniqueness of the regions’s produce, and the importance attached to which wine should be paired with which meal. Making each meal a celebration, it provides the basis for the importance of our attachment and enjoyment to good food and wine.
Its’ breathed new life into the city, and moved it into the future with an eco-friendly cultural space dedicated to inviting people to share in the delights of gastronomy and wine. The huge space will lay host to an array of french gastronomic food producers, alongside their select wines from the region, as well as from other regions across France too.
