9 March

Pierre

Sur la route de Dijon is a military march originating in Burgundy in the 17th or 18th century that became very popular in France in the 19th century.

The story of the song

Sur la route de Dijon is a song about soldiers in Dijon meeting Marjolaine. Popularised by Aristide Bruant (1851-1925), the story of the pretty Marjolaine who cried beside a fountain has survived the ages.

romantic destinations in France: Dijon in Burgundy © French Moments

Rue de la Chouette and Notre-Dame church, Dijon © French Moments

Which fountain does the song refer to? Tradition has it that it is the Fontaine Sainte-Anne, which was once outside the city of Dijon and formed a charming stream that flowed into the Ouche River.

A good song for phonetics!

Its word games develop the children's phonetics and help them with good articulation. It also familiarises them with the "on" endings.

Around Dijon. The view from the tower of Philip the Good, Dijon © French Moments

The city of Dijon © French Moments

Sur la route de Dijon

Lyrics, music, free download... let's learn more about the popular song:

The lyrics in French

The original song of Sur la route de Dijon has 8 verses.

(Please note the children's version usually subtracts verse 7 because of the saucy nature of this passage.)

Couplet 1

Sur la route de Dijon,
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Sur la route de Dijon,
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Il y avait une fontaine
La digue dondaine
Il y avait une fontaine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 2

Près d'elle un joli tendron
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Près d'elle un joli tendron
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Pleurait comme une Madeleine
La digue dondaine
Pleurait comme une Madeleine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 3

Vint passer un bataillon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Vint passer un bataillon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Qui chantait à perdre haleine
La digue dondaine
Qui chantait à perdre haleine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 4

Belle comment vous nomme-t-on?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Belle comment vous nomme-t-on?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
On me nomme Marjolaine
La digue dondaine
On me nomme Marjolaine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 5

Marjolaine c'est un doux nom
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Marjolaine c'est un doux nom
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
S’écria le capitaine
La digue dondaine
S’écria le capitaine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 6

Marjolaine, qu'avez-vous donc?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Marjolaine, qu'avez-vous donc?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Messieurs j'ai beaucoup de peine
La digue dondaine
Messieurs j'ai beaucoup de peine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 7

Parait que tout le bataillon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Parait que tout le bataillon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Consola la Marjolaine
La digue dondaine
Consola la Marjolaine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.


Couplet 8

Quand vous pass'rez par Dijon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Quand vous pass'rez par Dijon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don
Allez boire à la fontaine
La digue dondaine
Allez boire à la fontaine
Aux oiseaux, aux oiseaux.

Translation of the lyrics into English

Here is an approximative translation into English:

Verse 1

On the road to Dijon,
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

On the road to Dijon,
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

There was a fountain
La digue dondaine
There was a fountain
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 2

Near it a pretty young girl
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Near her a pretty young girl
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Weeping like a Madeleine
La digue dondaine
Weeping like a Madeleine
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 3

A battalion came by
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

A battalion came by
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Who sang breathlessly
La digue dondaine
Who sang breathlessly
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 4

Beautiful what do they call you?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Beautiful what do they call you?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

They call me Marjolaine
La digue dondaine
They call me Marjolaine
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 5

Marjolaine is a sweet name
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Marjolaine is a sweet name
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Exclaimed the captain
La digue dondaine
Exclaimed the captain
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 6

Marjolaine, what's wrong with you?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Marjolaine, what's wrong with you?
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Gentlemen, I'm in great sorrow

La digue dondaine
Gentlemen, I'm in great sorrow

To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 7

It seems that the whole battalion
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

It seems that the whole battalion
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

Comforted Marjolaine
La digue dondaine
Comforted Marjolaine
To the birds, to the birds.


Verse 8

When you pass through Dijon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

When you pass by Dijon
La belle digue di
La belle digue don

You'll have to go and drink from the fountain
La digue dondaine
Go drink from the fountain
To the birds, to the birds.

Download the Lyrics for FREE!

No need to type name or email 😀

Sur la route de Dijon © French Moments

French Nursery Rhymes

My challenge for the year 2023 is to publish 80 French Nursery Rhymes lyrics and descriptions (list below). Come back as time goes by to discover the new articles:

French Nursery Rhymes Cover by French Moments
French Nursery Rhymes
A la claire fontaine © French Moments
Ah ! dis-moi donc bergère © French Moments
Ah ! Les crocodiles © French Moments
Ah ! vous dirai-je, maman © French Moments
Ainsi font, font, font © French Moments
Alouette gentille alouette © French Moments
Au clair de la lune © French Moments
Au feu les pompiers © French Moments
Au royaume de Diguedondaine © French Moments
Auprès de ma blonde © French Moments
Aux marches du palais © French Moments
Blanc Blanc Blanc belle rose © French Moments
Bon voyage Monsieur Dumollet © French Moments
Buvons un coup ma serpette est perdue © French Moments
C'est la mère Michel © French Moments
C'était Anne de Bretagne © French Moments
Cadet Rousselle © French Moments
Car c’est un bon camarade © French Moments
Chère Élise © French Moments
Chevaliers de la table ronde © French Moments
Colchiques dans les prés © French Moments
Compagnons de la Marjolaine © French Moments
Dame Tartine © French Moments
Dans les prisons de Nantes © French Moments
Dansons la capucine © French Moments
Dodo, l'enfant do © French Moments
En passant par la Lorraine © French Moments
Fais dodo © French Moments
Fleur d’épine © French Moments
Frère Jacques © French Moments
Gentil coquelicot © French Moments
Il court, il court, le furet © French Moments
Il était un petit cordonnier © French Moments
Il était un petit navire © French Moments
Il était une bergère © French Moments
Il pleut, il pleut, bergère © French Moments
J'ai du bon tabac © French Moments
J'ai un gros nez rouge © French Moments
J'fais pipi sur le gazon © French Moments
Je te tiens par la barbichette © French Moments
Joyeux anniversaire © French Moments
La bonne aventure ô gué © French Moments
La danse des canards © French Moments
La légende de saint Nicolas © French Moments
Le bon roi Dagobert © French Moments
Le carillon de Vendôme © French Moments
Le coucou © French Moments
Le facteur n'est pas passé © French Moments
Le fermier dans son pré © French Moments
Le temps des cerises © French Moments
Le temps du muguet © French Moments
Le vieux MacDonald © French Moments
Les filles de La Rochelle © French Moments
Maman les p'tits bateaux © French Moments
Malbrough s'en va-t-en guerre © French Moments
Meunier, tu dors © French Moments
Mignonne allons voir si la rose © French Moments
Mon âne © French Moments
Mon père m'a donné un mari © French Moments
Ne pleure pas Jeannette © French Moments
Nous n'irons plus au bois © French Moments
Ô gai, vive la rose © French Moments
Passe passe passera © French Moments
Pirouette Cacahuète © French Moments
Plantons la vigne © French Moments
Pomme de reinette et pomme d'api © French Moments
Pomme, pêche, poire, abricot © French Moments
Promenons-nous dans les bois © French Moments
Savez-vous planter les choux ? © French Moments
Sur la route de Dijon © French Moments
Sur la route de Louviers © French Moments
Sur le pont d'Avignon © French Moments
Sur le pont du nord © French Moments
Tout va très bien madame la marquise © French Moments
Trois jeunes tambours © French Moments
Un éléphant ça trompe énormément © French Moments
Un kilomètre à pied © French Moments
Un, deux, trois, nous irons au bois © French Moments
Une chanson douce © French Moments
Une poule sur un mur © French Moments
Une souris verte © French Moments
V'la le bon vent © French Moments
Voici le mois de mai © French Moments
Y avait dix filles dans un pré © French Moments
About the author

Pierre is a French/Australian who is passionate about France and its culture. He grew up in France and Germany and has also lived in Australia and England. He has a background teaching French, Economics and Current Affairs, and holds a Master of Translating and Interpreting English-French with the degree of Master of International Relations, and a degree of Economics and Management. Pierre is the author of the Discovery Course on the Secrets of the Eiffel Tower and the Christmas book "Voyage au Pays de Noël".

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