Fodor's To Europe!

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Day 6
Next stop: Disneyland Paris Previous stop: Versailles Return to full itinerary »

After the material excesses of Versailles, Chartres provides a welcome antidote. The magnificent Cathédral Notre Dame, better known as Chartres Cathedral, is more than just a church. Most people would describe visiting it as akin to a religious experience. The whole town, with its old houses and quaint streets, is worth a leisurely visit.
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  • Architecture
  • Art and Culture

Experiences

  • The cathedral's Royal Portal is richly sculpted with scenes from the life of Christ, and these sculptures are among the best from the Middle Ages.
  • Chartres is famous for its stained glass windows, which are some of the finest in France. The Rose Window is above the main window, while the oldest, Our Lady of the Lovely Window, contains an unusual shade of blue.
  • Visit the Musée des Beaux Arts, just behind the cathedral, which contains tapestries, armor, and fine French paintings from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

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