In search of...Flavour in Dijon

Mustard, of course, is its most famous export. But if that isn't hot enough to tempt you, says Rachel Spence, there are plenty more local delicacies that you'll tuck into with relish

You can eat well all over France. Why is Dijon vaut le détour?

As the capital of Burgundy, France's premier wine-growing region, this is a place where people take their food very, very seriously. They raise their snails "avec amour", according to my guide book, on a diet of vine leaves. Typical dishes, such as boeuf bourguignon, oeufs en meurette (eggs in red wine) and snails in parsley butter are rich, calorific and infused with flavour. As well as dozens of restaurants you'll find fromageries, delicatessens, bakeries, pâtisseries and confiseries on every corner. Look out for the three great Dijon specialities: crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur), pain d'épices (gingerbread) and, of course, mustard.

Where should I start?

First stop must be Les Halles du Marché, one of the finest covered markets in France. An intoxicating aroma of cheese, garlic and salami sends me reeling as I wander past skinned rabbits, glistening fish, Barbary ducks (their still-feathered heads coiled on their naked necks), and glowing mounds of fruits and vegetables. Come here for local cheeses such as Epoisse, best described as Camembert with attitude, and a terrific spread of fresh products made by local artisans. We buy home-made gingerbread from La Vie Gourmande, slabs of beeswax from Les Rucheur de L'Auxois and cancoillotte cheese from La Ferme du Ligny.

And for glamorous foodie gifts?

The holy grail of pain d'épices lovers is Mulot et Petitjean at 13, Place Bossuet (00 33 3 80 30 07 10), which opened its doors in 1796 and is still run by the Petitjean family. With its criss-crossed red timbers and deep triangular roof, the shop even looks like a proper gingerbread house. Inside, as well as pain d'épices, you'll also find mustards, jams and crème de cassis, all flirtatiously wrapped to exert maximum temptation. According to Madame Catherine Petitjean, the town's passion for gingerbread stretches back 500 years to the moment when Duke Philippe le Bon tasted a slice in Belgium and begged his cooks to rustle some up at home. Particularly pretty are the sabots (the Burgundian clog-shaped shoe) topped with candied fruits, and nonnettes, foil-wrapped cakes originally baked by nuns.

What are the ingredients?

A centuries-old debate rages on. No one disputes the basics: flour, honey, eggs and spices. However, the flour can be wheat or rye, and possible spices include star anise, cinnamon, cloves, lemon and vanilla. Mulot et Petitjean refer vaguely to "aromes naturels". Despite the English translation, ginger is hardly ever used. In the celebrated delicatessen Epice Fine Gautier, 77, Jean Jacques Rousseau (00 33 3 80 65 97), doyenne Madame Gautier told us that each producer guards his recipe carefully. She swore by a blend of both flours and also extolled acacia honey over the common-or-garden 'miel de toutes fleurs'.

Where should I try crème de cassis?

Start with a Kir in La Concorde, 2, Place Darcy (00 33 3 80 30 69 43) a vast, shabby Art Deco brasserie where taped Edith Piaf and wreathes of cigarette smoke make one feel like extras in a Jean-Luc Godard film. Here, we learnt that blackcurrants thrive on exactly the same soil as Pinot Noir grapes, and have flourished on the hillsides of the Côte d'Or since medieval times. Most often, cassis surfaces as Kir, the blackcurrant/white wine mix named after Dijon's much-loved mayor Felix Kir, who served it at official functions during the post-war years when the grape crop was failing and wines needed a bit of help. A true kir is 1/5 cassis and 4/5 Burgundy Aligote. Pour the crème de cassis in first. Ice cubes are heresy.

Time to cut the mustard?

Dijon's mustard mecca is Boutique Maille, 32, rue de la Liberté (00 33 3 80 30 41 02). Opened in 1777, the shop is the showcase for Maille, a Parisian firm which merged with the famous dijonnaise house of Grey-Poupon. Here, you can buy 20 varieties of mustard, including cassis flavour. We were quite happy with €7 (£5) worth of plain old Moutarde Fine de Dijon, pumped into a jar from a barrel on the counter. We visited the Musée Amora (Amora being the multinational that now owns Maille) to discover the history of the condiment. Like blackcurrants, mustard seed thrived on Burgundy soil, and found a market in rich Renaissance homes, where meat was not a luxury.

Aren't there any smaller makers left?

Careful perusing of épicerie shelves flagged up specialist Dijon brands including Téméraire, Renne de Dijon and Edmund Fallot. The latter, which has a very creamy, mild flavour, can lay claim to being a genuinely local product having re-introduced mustard plants to the Burgundy hills. Other companies rely on imports, mainly from Canada.

Where can I eat all these treats?

Les Deux Fontaines at 16 Place République (00 33 80 60 86 45) has been open for just a year. Packed with young dijonnais who relish the modern spin on traditional Burgundian fare, its fricassee of snails, cream, mushrooms and bacon was a fabulous way to thaw out on a winter's night.

Also impressive is Le Chabrot at 36, rue Monge (00 33 3 80 30 69 61), which is being re-invented by its chef Jean- François Vachez. We loved his pumpkin and crayfish custard tart scattered with pain d'épices crumbs.

Can we squeeze in a wine tasting?

There are caves in Dijon, but a two-hour tour of the Côte d'Or with specialist tour operators Wine and Voyages (00 39 3 80 61 15 15; wineandvoyages.com) is worth every minute.

We rattle through various famous villages and our guide, Laurent, points out Romanée-Conti: four acres of £1,000-a-bottle Grand Cru. At Nuits-Saint-Georges we get our throats round the product, courtesy of the Maillard-Grivot cellars. Their Vosne-Romanée Premier Cru aux Malconsorts is a stunning mouthful at €30 (£20) a bottle.

To get there, I just follow my nose?

Best take a plane as well. Buzz flies direct from London Stansted to Dijon, Monday and Friday from October to March. Summer flights are more frequent but not yet scheduled. Fares start at around £86; (01279 660400 www.buzzaway.com) I stayed at Hotel Tulip Inn "Le Jura", 14 avenue Foch (00 33 80 41 61 12; www.hotel-du-jura.com): a double room costs from €90 (£60) per night. Dijon Tourist Office is at 34, rue des Forges (00 33 80 44 11 44; www.ot-dijon.fr). Les Halles du Marche, rue Ramey, is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday morning, all day Saturday. Le Musée de Beaux-Arts at Palais des Etats-de-Bourgogne (00 33 80 74 52 09) is open 10am-6pm; closed Tuesdays. Musée Amora, 48 quai Nicolas-Rolin (00 33 3 80 44 44 44) has variable opening hours: the tourist office arranges tours.