Rue des Forges, Medieval street in central Dijon, France.
Rue des Forges is a medieval street in central Dijon lined with numerous historic buildings featuring stone facades with carved ornaments and multiple stories. The passage connects two main squares and contains ground-floor shops, eateries, and patisseries housed within these older structures.
The street developed during the medieval period as a major trading route through Dijon's center, with its name coming from blacksmith workshops that once operated there. Several buildings date to the 15th century and retain features from that era, including the stone balconies and carved details.
The street displays medieval residences with richly ornamented facades, stone balconies, and carved doorframes that reflect how wealthy merchants once lived. Today, locals and visitors alike pass through daily, noticing how the old stonework and decorative details tell stories of past craftsmanship and taste.
The best time to visit is during daytime when shops and eateries are open and natural light highlights the stonework. You can walk the entire street easily on foot and find convenient places to stop for refreshment or shopping along the way.
One of the houses once served as the residence of Charles the Bold's wet nurse, the powerful Duke of Burgundy, and still bears traces of this ducal connection. The building reveals how close personal ties to power could elevate ordinary families within medieval society.
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