Dole, his roots and attachment to the Jura
A portrait of a town much-loved by our chef, born and settled in Dole
Born in Dole, the chef of La Chaumière, Joël Césari, is strongly attached to his roots and pours them into his cooking. A town steeped in art and history, clinging to the slopes of a limestone hillside, Dole has weathered the centuries, passing from Germanic, Burgundian, Spanish and French hands. A town with a rich heritage, the birthplace of Louis Pasteur and the adopted home of French novelist, Marcel Aymé, Dole lifts the veil on its treasures. Guided tour.
The city's name first appeared in the 11th century. As a territory of Frederick Barbarossa's Holy Roman Empire, it grew steadily and in 1386 became the capital of the County of Burgundy with its own parliament and university. After being returned to Spain following the abdication of Charles V, it was conquered by the kingdom of Louis XIV and became a French province in 1678. The Renaissance period bestowed upon Dole some of its finest buildings, such as the collegiate church of Notre-Dame, the Hôtel Dieu and other splendid town houses. A fortified town, Dole lost its ramparts in the 16th century, after they were dismantled on the orders of the great French military engineer, Vauban. The town then expanded outwards, and the 18th century saw the creation of some magnificent public spaces, while the 19th century heralded the arrival of the railway station and the first industrial activities, such as tanneries and foundries.
A town of art and history on the banks of the River Doubs, Dole offers a maze of picturesque alleyways, secret passageways, turrets, shady courtyards, ornamented and armoured gateways, fountains, and old studded wooden doors. In this medieval setting, where time has seemingly stood still, the bell tower of the collegiate church of Notre-Dame towers 72 metres above the historic centre, watching over a conservation area that is home to some superb protected monuments. The canal that runs alongside the tanners' quarter is a reminder that the town grew up around the leather industry. It was in one of these old factories, with its vaulted cellars opening directly onto the banks of the Doubs, that the father of a certain Louis Pasteur worked. The scientist's birthplace, with a plaque adorning its facade, is now a museum dedicated to the life and work of the finder of the rabies vaccine.
A little further on, at number 3 in the eponymous street, Marcel Aymé's house invites visitors into the world of this renowned French novelist and playwright. This is where the author of the "Les contes du chat perché" (The Wonderful Farm) spent part of his childhood and brought the town to life on the pages of novels such as "La Vouivre" (The Fable and the Flesh) and "Brûlebois".
Nestled between plains and vineyards, Dole can be discovered through its history and the people who wrote it. To taste it on the tip of your fork, walk through the doors of La Chaumière. Here, the dishes of artist Joël Césari pay homage to the region, bringing out the flavour of the Franche-Comté terroir in a creative, surprising and exquisitely refined cuisine.
