LATOUR CHRISTOPHE

Originally the Tour de la Terrasse, Tour Philippe le Bon was built into Philippe le Bon’s 1450s ducal logis. It served the levels of a residence arranged around service rooms, ducal apartments and reception space, while also containing rooms of its own. At 46 metres, that practical stair-and-room structure made Burgundian ducal authority visible across Dijon. After 1477, the palace changed masters and meaning; the tower remained, even surviving a 17th-century demolition threat before becoming part of today’s town-hall and museum complex. The later observatory and modern 316-step climb add further lives, but the old palace logic is still there: movement, residence and authority carried upwards.

On the night of 21 July, 2024, my wife asked me if I’d join her to climb up the tower the following day, I said no right away as I did not want to repeat the knee straining experience. My wife booked the 3pm guided tour and I watched possible signs of her from down under. I had thought about taking a photo take of her when she was up. It tuned out that there was an additional safety barrier on the tower roof and I could only capture her selfie camera stick when she extended it beyond the barrier.

I honestly thought the climb would be harder. I didn’t get winded, and the stairs were wide enough not to have to “grapevine” sideways up and down them. The tour was really inexpensive, as well as informative! And there were a few breaks in the ascent to learn about the tower’s history, and catch your breath if necessary. And the views are incomparable!

A beautiful square in the center of Dijon with lots of restaurants and local shops to buy products from this area. During summer it's very busy with tourists but that makes the square a living area. The buildings are having the beautiful French architecture which makes the place a must to visit when you're in Dijon

It is the best place to enjoy a panoramic view of Dijon city. It is an unforgettable part of your trip to France. To climb the tower, you need to book a tour, which can be done online or at the tourist information office. After booking on the Internet, I had a problem with my schedule, but after consulting with the tourist information office, they changed the time for my booking kindly. Tours are offered in both French and English. Tour guid explains the history of tower with climbing the tower.

Took the guided tour because it was included in the city pass. The guide spoke English well, and conducted the tour bilingually. The facts she gave seemed meager, and few went beyond facts and numbers off a Wikipedia page. She also didn't seem very interested in taking or answering questions. A good guide with some passion could make it more interesting without a doubt. View from the top was nice.

Great view from the top of the tower over the city. The tour guide was excellent. 316 steps up but stop at intervals for a guided talk.

The tower and view is spectacular. I also want to highlight the amazing staff when purchasing tickets and the tour guide. They were very friendly and helpful. I like how they pace the climb up the stairs and share some of the history. Great job!