Lovely, white, almost entirely car-free urban center. A great overnight within three hours driving distance from Lausanne, with enough to fill two reasonably easy days. Follow the owl markers for a good walking tour. Has a bit of a gritty college town vibe, but just in pockets. The outskirts of the town, including the Chartreuse de Champmol, “beach” and lake, are not great, so focus on the old town. 

• See the big churches, including **Cathédrale Saint-Bénigne de Dijon (built by William of Volpiano from 998 — a circular, columned, three-storey structure of a type otherwise almost entirely lost. Crucial evidence for the Italian contribution to northern building. Crypt very impressive.)
• Other notables: ***Notre Dame Church and **Elise Saint Michel and ***Notre Dame Church and **Elise Saint Michel.
• Go shopping ***Maille Dijon mustard of course: The one, the original. Don’t miss it. Expect it to be packed! Clothes shopping is pretty good too, lots of local boutiques.
• Go to ***Museum of Burgundian Life. It’s wonderful, my top pick of the museums. The upstairs has a recreation of circa 1880s storefronts with real furnishings and merchandise from actual local stores. It’s charming. Also worth it is the **Rude Museum:  Impressive, if a five minute stop. It’s free, so why not?
• Approach with caution the **Musee des Beaux Artes. It’s very impressive and has a ton of stuff, but gets rather tedious.
• Stay at ***Maison Philippe Le Bon (Hotel): This was a perfect choice, a restored convent. At the very edge of the old town, right next to a parking garage. Away from the hustle of the Central Gare area. Lovely spaces, comfortable remodeled rooms. Ask for a room in the front of the hotel, back rooms near the bar are rather noisy. They do have limited parking onsite, call in advance to reserve.