Chartres without the cathedral
 

Hey, I made a report last winter with lovely photos of Chartres cathedral in the snow, and absolutely everybody needs to see the cathedral at least once, the magnificent stained glass, the wonderful carvings on the façade -- it is a must.

But I returned to Chartres last Saturday and did not set foot in the cathedral, even though it is open until 22:00 at this time of year.

What could possibly be of interest in Chartres besides that? Well, here is what I found: http://tinyurl.com/6eg7t9w

I'm beginning to think I will run into you in France. You are everywhere! Thanks for taking us along.

You see this?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/stephen...us/2264757550/

Yes, it's right across from the former post office, directly in front of the litle church.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/q...011-07/005.jpg

What I thought was interesting about it is that it is only the second statue I know of in France that is based on a broken sword. The other one is the statue of Alfred Dreyfus in Paris.

http://i450.photobucket.com/albums/q.../Art/Drey1.jpg

Gorgeous photos and a real inspiration to return. Visited the cathedral in 1999 with my daughter while she was on a research trip for her dissertation for her phd in Medieval History. We had to fit it in on a daytrip from Paris so saw only the Cathedral and the train station. I'd have never guessed there was so much more to see. Now I know! Thanks for all your interesting posts.

Wow, thanks kerouac.
Nice walk.

beautiful...maybe I will get there this Fall~

Thanks for the wonderful photos! I was in Chartres in 2009 just long enough to visit the cathedral and this really reinforces my desire to return for a longer visit.

Thanks for the gorgeous photos. I visited Chartres in August 2009 and expected the town to be as busy as Paris. But was really surprised when I reached the Cathedral to find the old town was just a quiet medieval village, dominated by the most marvellous cathedral I've ever seen.

I was equally fascinated with the surroundings. The half-timbered houses were beautifully restored, and the little river with it's bridges and water-wheels reminded me of a Cotswold village.

One of the great things about the magnificent cathedrals of Chartres, Rouen or Reims is that you almost always have the place to yourself. It makes such a difference after Notre Dame in Paris!

Picassiette's House to me is totally awesome - both the history behind the street sweeper who created the art in the house and garden out of bits of brorken pieces he picked up in his daily rounds - just one thing that Chartres offers besides the cathedral - another great great thread of photos from kerouac - incroyable!

Kerouac: You are making me want to go back to Chartres. Is the "son et lumiere" still on in early October?

Your photos are simply lovely, so evocative, they are attracting us all back to Chartres.

Regarding the broken sword of Jean Moulin...could it be symbolic of the betrayal by one of his own that led to his being caught and executed? (though they never found out who) There's interesting documentary shorts on youtube that I was looking at yesterday on Jean Moulin.

Thanks Kerouac. Did you make it out to Pic Assiette?

I do so love that town. Back in the 1970s I had the opportunity to spend a full day there every year for 8 straight years. I think I covered every inch of the place. It's been about 10 years now since my last trip there - too long!

Wonderful photos. As usual, you capture something beyond the surface impression to give us a true sense of place. Merci.

For people visiting Paris who want to take a day to have a different experience, a trip to Chartres offers a great deal. It's easy and inexpensive to get there by train and you can walk around easily to visit the cathedral and its surrounding neighborhoods.

A wonderful book for all ages who plan to visit gothic cathedrals and the towns they dominate is Cathedral by David Macaulay. His drawings are superb. It's also available on DVD.

Lovely, thank you. DH and I took train there from Paris and had some time to stroll in the market.

for a photo op of the cathedral I found when staying long ago in the Youth Hostel or Auberge de Jeunesse on a ridge on the eastern edge of town there is a fantastic view of the cathedral gloriously capping its hill.

I must return to Chartres at a normal time to finally see the Picassiette house.