Dijon Les Halles is a bright, huge expanse of food heaven. For the inexperienced, me, an overwhelming number of choices and possibilities. Thankfully we were here the day after our excursion to the Autun market so our shopping list was quite short. We could just look around and take in the atmosphere.
The outer stalls lining the walls carry most of the proteins – a vast selection of fish, meats, poultry and charcuterie. Just about anything and everything you could want. And yes, there is Bresse. Mixed in are several cheese and bread vendors. The produce and other specialty purveyors such as organic artisanal bread, wine, dried spices and ethnic specialties are concentrated in the center. Now this is a market worthy of a trip into town. Open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings from 5:30am to noonish.
In addition to the market Dijon itself is a lovely place to stroll around, shop, food shop and have a nice lunch. The narrow streets of the old town wind around with a tasteful mix of stone and half-timbered structures in a variety of architectural styles, many of which house small shops where you can buy Burgundy wine, Dijon mustard and the local spice cake among other things.
One of my favorite lunches is an omelette and salad with good French bread and a small pichet of Rosé. On a warm afternoon on a pretty French square, there is nothing better.
For links to all the posts in this series see the Burgundy page.