Burgundy is best known for its wine, and its capital of Dijon is most often associated with mustard. Yet the region's modern history is more than a history of gastronomy.
The coming of the railway in the 1850s greatly changed the economic life of the area, spurring the growth of Dijon and contribution to rural depopulation. Robert Aldrich documents the changes that have taken place since the mid-1800s and argues that the refusal of heavy industry represents a decision by the population to conserve their traditional way of life.