day trip to chartres
 

I am interested in going out to Chartres to see the Cathedral while I am in Paris. Which train line would be the best to take (best defined as fastest and/or easiest to negotiate)? Would the Carte Orange cover the train fare to Chartres? If not, where would I buy tickets and how do I ask for a round trip train ticket in French? I'd really appreciate any advice about this; I have a friend who will kill me if I don't see Chartres Cathedral.

You don't have a choice of train lines. I believe all trains to Chartres leave from the Gare Montparnasse. The trip takes about 2 hours. You buy your tickets at the train station (or you can buy them ahead of time at www.sncf.com, which is where you can check the schedules, too). Your Carte Orange is not valid on SNCF trains.

Thank you for the information and especially the link to sncf.

The train ride is about one hour, not the two mentioned by the previous poster. You should check:

www.chartres.com

Earl Steinbicker's book, Daytrips France, has a itinerary and map which we used.

Hi Luluredux,
You might want to check on the times for the Malcolm Miller tours of the cathedral windows. I believe there are 2 each day. I took one and it was just great. I think if you search for Malcolm here you might find references for it.

Sorry, my mistake..one hour each way is correct.

I saw Chartres on a dreary overcast day. The inside of the cathedral was likewise dark and dreary.

Be flexible so you can go on a sunny day rather than have an exact day picked out that might be cloudy.

The train ride is about an hour from Gare Montparnasse. And you will see the cathedral upon exiting the train station. Be careful on returning that you know the correct track for the train to Paris.

The Malcolm Miller tour had my two children spellbound and they talked about it for days after.

I can't wait to return.

Have a great time,

==Mike

When we visited Chartes last year, Malcolm Miller offered morning and afternoon tours.

We took the morning tour, had lunch, then returned for the afternoon tour. Others did likewise. The afternoon tour covered different stained glass, sculptures, and architectural features, so there was little to no overlap (other than the historical introduction).

Here's a tip: bring binoculars to see incredible detail.

Woody

Ask for a "billet aller et retour" - a ticket, the word ticket is also used in France - a round trip ticket so you need not buy again in Chartres. now it's vital that you cancel your own ticket in the orange (old being replaced) or new yellow composteurs - machines you stick your ticket in to date stamp it - some trains won't have conductors and in this way all tickets are cancelled and thus no longer refundable or reusable - you'll have to cancel your ticket again in Chartres for the 'retour' journey. If you forget to do it, find the conductor on the train before he finds and potentially fines you without a cancelled ticket - considered to be riding without a ticket. conductors should be understanding with foreigners but not always. I took many French trains in December and as soon as the train took off they announced in French that be sure to have 'compostez' your ticket and if you haven't to find the condcutor now so he can do so. A minor detail but one that can cause problems if ignorant of it.
Yeh Malcom Miller is hard for me to stomach but his tour is great. I showed up once and waited for his tour and he came, smelling of wine after lunch, and sized up the crowd - it was only a handful and then haughtily said at just 50 francs (pre-euro days) a head it's not worth it to me to do the tour and i've got better things to do - probably go sip some more wine - so he demanded we all pay twice the announced 50 franc fee or he'd scrub the tour. This left a bad taste in my mouth - i've seen him have huge crowds - does he reduce the price then? But the tour is great and he's a character - and don't dare scuffle your shoes when he's talking, i've seen him light into anyone making noise - especially kids. He cantankerous - local youths love to buzz him with their loud mopeds when he tries to read outdoor windows the few times i've taken his tour and he reacts enough just to give them satisfaction.
And Chartres Cathedral is a totally amazing place - one of the meccas of Christianity in the medieval world and possessing what is called the world's finest stained glass.
don't miss the cute regional town surrounding the cathedral - nice shopping streets and restaurants - much different than Paris.

The only hassle in taking a daytrip to Chartes, at least for me, was in buying a ticket. My US issued credit card did not work on the automatic ticket machines, so I had to stand in line for tickets, and then had to find the line with the teller that speaks English (as my understanding of French is very limited, and my ability to speak it laughable).

PalQ: On the occasion you mentioned, did the majority of people actually ante up double the price to take the tour?? I sure would not have. That's obnoxious.

I don't understand your question, DejaVu. Malcolm Miller doesn't ever give the same tour twice in a row. He "reads' different windows each time. Why on earth would you think you could get two tours for the price of one?

StCirq: I believe Malcom Miller was extorting additional funds from the folks that had gathered for one tour as taking a group that small was not worth his while.

I was at Chartres just a few weeks ago. The train ride is 70 minutes. 12.40 euros each way. There'll be signs posted on the ticket windows saying something like "I speak English." The trains leave from Montparnasse.

I blogged about my visit here:
http://tinyurl.com/8mf3r
if you want to read more.

StCriqu, in your haste to answer and criticize you didn't carefully read what Deja Vu was commenting on. You might want to read PalQ post above.

DejaVu: Yes everyone doubled the fee, though probably with a bad taste in their mouths too. I had to stay as i was writing an article on Chartres and it was crucial that i take the tour to write about it or i would not have. The others had been waiting around a long time and probably had heard so much about it.
when i commented on Malcolm in a previous post some group, a church group i think from the States had booked a special Malcolm tour and they said they found him too abusive to his group that they left.
St Cirq is right in that Malcolm varies his tours - so some do take both the morning and afternoon tours - maybe ole Malcolm has a discount for two tours? Don't think so!

The hotel clerk kindly called the station and made reservations for us-we just went to the reservation counter at the Montparnasse Gare and paid there. We "hit" Chartres on a market day-always adds to the atmosphere. Enjoy!

donco - do you recall what day was market day?

If the little train tour is running (you don't mention what time of year you are going) I highly recommend it, especially since you aren't touring by car. It is very reasonable (7euros?) for what you get--runs you around all the little back streets of Chartres, along the river and past St. Pierre church and other interesting sights and was in both French and English--and starts convenienctly from the front of the Cathedral on the Place. It moves slowly so is easy to photograph from/enjoy the view while saving your feet for more wanderings later in your trip.

If you have read up on the Chartres Cathedral you will have seen the famous 13c labyrinth mentioned.
This inlaid work on the floor of the nave was one of the things I most wanted to see. The day we visited the labyrinth was covered in chairs so even trying to follow some of the pattern was impossible.
You can go to www.cathedral-chartres.com for lots of info.

Last time i was in Chartres the Office de Tourism, near the cathedral, had self-guided Walkman tours of town for a few euro. There's a really neat part of Chartres just off the beaten path - the riverfront down below the church and old town center - the languid river is lined by very ancient wooden structures - something very unique and a short walk from the cathedral.

I don't think you can make a reservation on a train to Chartres. At least, I've never seen one that took them, usually you can't reserve on short runs like that. Perhaps the hotel clerk simply ordered a ticket for pickup, rather than really making a reservation for a specific train/seat.

ttt

After visiting the cathedral, go to the bookshop/gift shop and buy tickets to see the crypt. Afterwards walk behind the cathedral's apse for a fine view.

You may not be able to see the labyrinth, as it's often covered by chairs.

Christina's right on about not being able to reserve seats on trains to Chartres i believe - if worried about seats buy a first class ticket and you'll have loads of room. The station in Chartres is within view of the cathedral so you'll have no problem finding it - as usual sits on the highest hill in town.

Hi luluredux, We went on a Saturday in the year 2000. We did not have reserved seats but, as I mentioned, the desk clerk did indeed reserve tickets for us. Perhaps as Christina says, it was just to pick up tickets. We had no idea how crowded the train would be and were not sure enough of our French skills to buy on our own. There was no line at the reservation counter btw. Enjoy your trip!

Wow! So many useful replies! I am going in May so hopefully there will be enough sunny days to catch Chartres in full glory. My itinerary right now is pretty flexible; I will probably go on a Thursday or Friday morning, depending on weather. Donco, is that when the market was held? I am now looking forward to exploring some of the other sites people mentioned near the Cathedral. Sounds really fun!

Interesting to come across this thread as I in contact with Malcom Miller by e-mail a couple of weeks ago and then by phone earlier this week (I am in Paris at the moment). He told me that he does not offer group tours at this time of year as there are simply not enough customers, so we were instead trying to find a mutually convenient time for a personal tour. Alas, it didn't work out. Next trip perhaps.

About the labyrinth: the chairs are moved away from it on Fridays.

Anselm

That should be Malcolm, of course. When will I ever learn to proof these things before posting.

Anselm

We were there on a Saturday in the year 2000. You might want to check that market day hasn't changed. That info was/is in DK Eyewitness book.
It is true we didn't have reserved seats. Hotel reserved a ticket and we picked it up and paid at the station. We were not secure enough in French language or knowledge of Saturday trains to do this ourselves. Enjoy!

To underscore TWK's response: You can not use an American credit card in the machine to buy tickets. European ones have a chip that allows them to use it. No sign I saw explains this.

A kind French lady tried for us that is how we found out. She then shepherded us to the right ticket window at the Gare Montparnasse, We have almost always found individual Frenchmen and women courteous. As far as directions, however, French institutions tend to be cryptic at best (exception The Metro).

Do not however miss this magnificent site.

I enjoyed the stain glass museum located near the cathedral. I highly recomend the tourist office walking route also. Chartres is an easy and very enjoyable day trip from Paris.

PalQ
We are planning a day trip on a Sunday. Will shops generally be closed?