I'm going to Paris in less than 2 weeks. I've been several times before but I'm taking a friend who's never been and who has only been to Europe once before. We had planned to tour Notre Dame, but now with the fire I'm revising our itinerary and considering a day trip to Chartres so that my friend can see the cathedral. My Rick Steves book says that the historic center is very quiet on Monday with most shops closed.

Will we have trouble finding a place to eat lunch?

I think shops in regional towns are closed Monday mornings?

Anyway there are dozens of restaurants open Mondays and some shops too as in most tourist towns.

https://www.google.com/search?q=char...S,lf:1,lf_ui:9

It is a tourist city and as such many shops are open on a Monday, and plenty of cafés and restaurants and chocolatiers too.

Have a wonderful trip.

Trains to Chartres depart about hourly from Paris-Montparnasse station and all that I looked at are TER trains or regional trains - it's 2nd class only it seems and I believe there is a flat fare so no reason to pre-book - just buy ticket at station. There are no reservations possible and you can buy a return ('aller-et-retour") ticket. Be sure to validate your own ticket before boarding the train or it will not considered to be valid plus you could be fined and have to pay for a new ticket. So, stick the tickets in a composteur or date-stamping machine at the entrance to platforms - do the same for your return trip. For lots about French trains and what to expect check www.budgeteuropetravel.com; www.ricksteves.com - For schedules and fares and to download tickets on phones check the French Railways site - www.oui.sncf.com. Or, www.trainline.eu for same fares and easier to buy online.

The Chartres train also serves Versailles main station so if you just want to look at the chateau or its gardens and maybe take a tour that would be feasible though I'd stay in Chartres the whole day - there are many things besides the cathedral in this nice regional town.

Thanks everyone!

Many shops will be closed Monday morning - but many "may" be open in the afternoon. Here is one of my wife's favorites (opens 2:15 on Monday).

https://horaires.lefigaro.fr/28000/Chartres/Genevieve-Lethu-Chartres-7-place-Marceau,143859.html

Stu Dudley

You can Google map & click on stores in Chartres to see their opening days/times.. I checked a few that a tourist might go into, and:
2 were closed all day Monday
4 were only open in the afternoon
3 (including FNAC & Sephora - chain stores) were open all day.

Stu Dudley

When we visited Chartres in January we had great eats at a brasserie called L'Annexe just a few steps from the cathedral at 33 Rue du Soleil d'Or. Very reasonable prices, too. It is open Mondays

Be sure to take Malcolm Miller's unique tours of the cathedral - Google him and see if still doing - was last year and last 50 years.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mais...w=1280&bih=625

A real gem that many tourists never even hear about is the Maison de la Picassiette (sp?) - once owned by a street cleaner who brought back bits of pieces of ceramics, etc and then fashioned them into wonderful mosaics that fill his house and garden - now a museum of acclaimed Art Brut. About a mile from cathedral - nice walk or cab ride. La Petit Venise is also neat - Little Venice - especially nice for kids with all the play grounds around:

https://www.discover-chartres.com/la-petite-venise.html

don't just march to cathedral and back from train station - explore Chartres a bit!