Unusual activities

I start off gently (or so it seems) in front of the tourist office on Rue des Forges, where I am met by… Marguerite of Flanders herself. Don’t panic, it’s adramatised guided tour in costume: an actress takes on the role of Margaret III of Flanders (1350–1405), wife of Philip the Bold, to tell us about Dijon as if we were back in the 15th century.

In the courtyard of the Hôtel Chambellan, she appears perched on her balcony, wearing a blue linen dress and a white headdress, and begins straight away: ‘I’m going to tell you my story and that of the Dukes of Burgundy. ’ We then head to the Square des Ducs to admire the statue of Philip the Good, then to the Palace of the Dukes, in the Museum of Fine Arts, where she dissects her family through a series of piquant anecdotes and painted portraits.

The result: in 1h30–1h45, I finally get to grips with who’s who in this powerful dynasty, and I see the city centre through new eyes.

As I absolutely loved my afternoon up in the trees, I’m off to La Bussière-sur-Ouche, just 25–30 minutes from Dijon, to stay at the Cabane du Domaine des Écus d’Or.

Just imagine: a wooden treehouse on stilts, nestled in a 1,200 m² enclosed garden, with a 26 m² south-facing terrace and an integrated spa, overlooking a Cistercian abbey and a church, both listed as historic monuments.

Inside, the atmosphere is vintage and cosy: beautiful crockery, a large 180×200 bed, a bathroom with twin washbasins, a fully equipped kitchen (including a raclette machine – they don’t mess about when it comes to Burgundy), Netflix, a smart speaker…

In the evening, after a busy day, I slip into the spa on the terrace, watch the night fall over the ancient stones, and really feel as though I’m in a world of my own, whilst enjoying all the comforts of a charming little hotel.

For a change from treetop adventure courses, I’m off to Quetigny, just a few minutes from Dijon, for a session at the Quiz Room.

You walk into a private room, facing a big screen, buzzer in hand, with the distinct feeling of being on the set of a cult TV show like “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”.

The concept is simple: challenge your friends, family or colleagues to various quiz games and blind tests, with lifelines that can turn everything around at the last second.