So We are Moving to Paris: Four hours in Chartres, France

We decided that at least one day during the weekend must be spent discovering France. While we love our town of Garches, and spent much of yesterday exploring the Parc de Saint Cloud with the dogs, we knew we had to make an effort to plan day trips out of Paris.

Today, we took the train to the town of Chartres located 60 miles southwest of Paris. This city is known best for its high gothic, medieval cathedral. The Cathédral Notre-Dame de Chartres, a UNESCO World Heritage site, was constructed in the late 11th and early 12th century. It survived a fire in 1194 as well as bombing during World War II.

The architecture is true to Gothic form with its high pointed arches and large and majestic stain glass windows and carved stones depicting stories from the bible. One could spend all day looking at the reliefs above the doorways captivated by the stories they are trying to convey to us. Because it was a quick day trip we did not take a tour. I think this is one cathedral where a guide could add value helping to interpret the stories told in the architecture of the church. The cathedral is also the last cathedral in France where the labyrinth, an intricate, circular path that methodically works its way from the outside in, still exists. Most labyrinths in French churches were ordered destroyed. But because the one in the cathedral was so deeply embedded into the foundations of the church, it was left as is. It was rarely used. In fact, most of the time it was covered with chairs used during mass. Recently, the labyrinth society asked the church to make it available every Friday morning. It is said that these labyrinths were (are) used as a way to mediate.

We will make our way to Chartres again to get a better interpretations of the beautiful reliefs. We also need to return in order to see Mary's veil - a silk relic Mary wore when she gave birth to Jesus (or so it is believed). It was given to Chartres by Charlemagne's grandson. I am not sure how we missed that. I'm sure it was prominently displayed.

Cathédral Notre-Dame de Chartres

Magnificent Stainglass

There are 172 images of Mary in the church.

Stations of the Cross carved in stone.

View of the alter. Today's mass had a horn troupe providing the music.
After mass they played a little concert for the congregation and tourists.

They are currently renovating the church. There is a stark difference between the parts that have been cleaned (in the back) with those that have not (in the foreground).