Nancy

Malcolm Miller runs 2 tours per day at the Chartres Cathedral. Instead of just wandering around the church (as I do in most countries), he points out the various highlights, takes you outside the church and describes the sculptures, and you sit down in front of the stained glass windows as he describes the story within a glass window. For me it was much better experience than just wandering on my own or reading a guide book.

jb

Thanks for all of the great info. To answer Pittsburgher's question, we only have 3 days total & it's not anywhere near enough. We'll just have to come back! Also, the three days are Sunday, Monday & Tuesday, so there will be a lot closed on those days. Chartres & Versailles are both high on the list, but none of us have ever visite these places. It's really helpful to hear a variety of viewpoints.

xxx

Versailles is impressive, very different from Chartres experience. The museum pass covers the grand and petit trianons in Versailles, but we were charged for the garden entry (since you'll be 3 days I don't suppose you'll be bothering with it though). Much of the furnishings of the smaller mansions and the main palace have been removed, so you're seeing the architecture and wall decorations/some paintings and sculptures, chandeliers basically. I suppose that's why some people find it less interesting. It does give a real glimpse of the splendor of the period. You have to decide what interests you.<BR><BR>There's a tram (and horse and buggy) that stop at points of interest in the gardens, you can get on and off and they come about 15 minutes apart. The garden sites are a fair walking distance apart from each other. There's also a bike rental service and you can rent a row boat to go out on the grand canal. <BR><BR>There are several restaurants on the grounds, and snack stands that sell sandwiches and hotdogs. You can bring a picnic or eat at one of the restaurants near the train station.<BR><BR>I wouldn't call Malcolm Miller dry. He's scholarly, an English professor. I did think his talk really made a difference in seeing the cathedral. And an hour talk is not long. If you have an interst in history and/or medieval life, religion, art, architecture you'll appreciate it. I mean, if you don't have an interst in at least one of those things, it doesn't make much sense to see it anyway, lol.

nanette

I have been to Versailles before but this time I want to go from there to Chartres. Does anyone know where and how to get the train from there up to Chartres and then back to Paris?<BR>Thank you!

Christina

I believe that info was given above, by Elvira probably. Chartres is a small town so only has one train station, so getting from there to Paris is simple, you have no choice. Versailles has 3 stations, the one with the trains going to Chartres is named Chantiers and it's farther away from the chateau than the station where the RER comes in.