A Magical Tour of Dijon by Segway

  “It’s very easy. Lean forward or backward and you will accelerate in that direction,” she said. “Turn the handlebar to the left, you will turn left and vice versa. To stop, you only need to stand up straight.” And with these words, the guide declared me ready and went to help another. I found myself alone on a side street and I leaned forward just as I had been taught. Sure enough, the machine accelerated. In a few seconds, I found myself at the end of the road, needing to turn, and fast. But at the speed that I was going at, the maneuver was not easy and I almost hit the curb. So began the adventure of the unbalanced, uncoordinated Tourist and her amazing Segway. We were in the picturesque city of Dijon. As the capital of the Burgundy region, it’s world famous for its wine, gastronomy, architecture and, in particular, its mustard. But Dijon has added another notch to its list of attributes. It became one of the first cities in France (and perhaps in the world) to offer city tours by Segway. And what is the Segway? The Segway HT is a relatively new invention, unveiled to the public barely two years ago. It’s described as a self-balanced transport machine, and the suffix, HT, refers to “Human Transporter”. It simply looks like a skateboard with a (disproportionately) larger wheel on each side and high handlebars, and can travel on the street or on pedestrian venues. Designed for diverse terrains, all it needs is traction. But the most important design aspect is the vehicle’s ability to emulates human equilibrium. Thus its operation is instinctive; you just have to let yourself go. My encounter with this marvel was by pure coincidence. As with our first visit to any new city, we headed towards the Tourist Information Office upon arrival. I had gathered from my research that the actual historical center was compact and perfect for a walking tour. But when we arrived, a brochure for the Segway tour caught our eyes. It was an interesting idea that no writer worth his or her salt could pass up. However, there was one tiny detail. This writer did not have a great history with objects requiring balance or equilibrium, such as, let’s say, skates. So the experience promised to be very interesting indeed! The ten adventurers were ready and headed towards the central park. The guide took the lead and we followed her in single file, hopping up on the sidewalk. Ever so delicately, I leaned forward until I achieved a sustainable speed. We then entered the park, circling the gardens towards an enormous fountain area. Arriving at the rendezvous point, we realized we were missing some of our tour companions. One of the ladies had fallen straight off the sidewalk, while her husband had run right into a wall. But they were fine and soon rejoined the group. Unfortunately, a few minutes of instruction are not really sufficient for everyone, although I was really proud I wasn’t doing as badly as I thought I would. And so continued the tour. We followed the guide to each point of interest, where we would gather around her in a circle. Rocking back and forth a bit, we maintained our balance as we listened to the lecture. We saw impressive churches and buildings representative of the architecture of the region, and we reflected on the historical timelines as we criss-crossed interior patios and gardens. Little by little, I felt more confident in my futuristic machine. I didn’t even hesitate when I saw the guide jump over the curb, make a 180-degree turn and then climb a narrow ramp. This was obviously an easy maneuver. All I had to do was to slow down to ascend and stop before turning. I was on my way to being licensed as a Segway driver. There even came a moment when I (confidently) stopped to retrieve my camera from inside the Segway’s own backpack, conveniently strapped to the handlebars. The only thing I didn’t realize at the time is that to do so, I had to let go of those very handlebars. Abandoning this idea rapidly, I concluded that it would be easier just to return the next day and photograph the sites on my own. I peacefully continued my journey until the last challenge of the day arrived. And this would be an encounter with the very residents of Dijon. The tour was to end with a ride through the historical center of the city, culminating in the Triumphal Arch. Unfortunately, the aforementioned residents don’t exactly abandon the right-of-way for tourists with the big motorized contraptions. Instead, one such citizen was attempting to cross the sidewalk in front of me to reach Dijon’s own Galeries Lafayette. My despair was so great that I was speechless. I couldn’t form words in any language to politely tell the older lady to get out of my way! All that escaped my lips was “oui”. So without politeness or graciousness, I yelled out “OUI, OUI, OUI” like a boisterous siren. The look of surprise on that poor lady’s face was yet another memory of this unforgettable afternoon. In retrospect, I think it would be most convenient that the city of Dijon clear the streets of all pedestrians during visiting hours so that its tourists can enjoy “the magical visit by Segway” as advertised. At the very least, my nerves and those of its residents would be a lot calmer. But Dijon survived my visit, and I, at the end, was happily circling about and taking my Segway through the most unexpected places. When I got to the point of disembarkation, I didn’t want to part with my beloved machine. It ended up being a marvelous experience in a beautiful and interesting city, an experience I hope will repeat itself in cities the world over. This tourist would be a faithful follower! additional data The Tourism Office of Dijon offers various types of city tours. Segway tour is offered 7x/ day (6x on Sun) and is 45 minutes long. Cost is 12 € pp (children 6 €). Renseignements à l’Office de tourisme, tél.: 03 80 44 11 44/Place Darcy Paris also offers tours by Segway with a private company; other French cities such as Besançon and Nice are implementing it as well. Platform measures 19″ x 25″ x 8″ high…