Chartres Malcom Miller

Old Mar 1st, 2009, 06:52 AM
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Chartres Malcom Miller

I thought if we were at Chartres it would be great to hear Malcolm Miller's guided tour. Since I have heard both ways on this forum - that he is giving tours and he isn't giving tours I decided to send him an email. This was his response. "Dear Ms. Miller,

Thank you for your e-mail.

Yes, I am still guiding here at Chartres. The problem is that there are far fewer tourists this year, so I have cancelled tours during the winter months because there is no one to talk to !

Anyway, I hope things will improve now that we are in March, and I expect to guide on March 18th. at 12 noon and 2.45 p.m. providing that there are 8 or so participants.

The meeting-point is inside the cathedral at the entry to the gift-shop in the north tower.

Best wishes,

Malcolm Miller"

Hopefully there will be enough tourists while we are there for the tour. I find the experience is always enriched if we can get a little history behind what we are looking at.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 06:58 AM
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We had a VERY good experience with Malcolm three years ago, but I have noticed posted complaints about him recently. Whatever you do, take binoculars--makes a lot of difference in trying to see all the details.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 08:11 AM
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His tours are great. I've taken them 4 times since the early 1980s when the cost was a donation rather than a flat fee. I find that he has mellowed with age and is not as cranky as he used to be. I would definitely try to take his tour as who knows how much longer he will be doing them.

The noon and 2:45 tours are different so you could do both with some lunch or walking around between the tours. Try to take the noon tour and then decide if you want more info on the church at the 2:45 tour. The talks are about the windows and then you go outside to see a corresponding portion of the facade.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 08:55 AM
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Is a reservation necessary? If so, how do I make them? What are the hours? I will be going in August.
Thanks,
Jane
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 10:17 AM
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When we did it, you just showed up! He took the money right then. And just as Adrienne said, you could then come back for the afternoon. I know--it's like it's too easy!
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 03:08 PM
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I also agree with the suggestion that you take more than one tour. He has so much information and there is so much there to see that he can easily adjust the tour if necessary.

I am glad he now charges a fixed fee. I also went when it was donation only and I noticed several people 'stiffing' him after a great tour.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 03:15 PM
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I've done a dozen or more tours with Malcolm and never experienced the crankiness reported here and elsewhere, but it was probably just dumb luck, as the stories about him are legion. He's really amazing. I've also heard him speak here at the Smithsonian, and again, amazing.

Isn't he about 90 or so now? My first tour with him was in 1973, and he seemed pretty past his prime then. Must've eased up on the Chinon.

DO bring binoculars.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 03:55 PM
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One site I googled said that he had been giving tours at Chartres since 1958. He could possibly be 90 or near to it.
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Old Mar 1st, 2009, 04:54 PM
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No he isn't that old!
He first came to Chartres in 1956 as part of his university degree studies in French, when he was aged around 21 or 22. So he is in his early 70s.
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Old Mar 2nd, 2009, 08:15 AM
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We took his tour in November last year. It was great. Because there were few people, he only gave one that day. He said he has been giving tours for 50 years!
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Old Mar 2nd, 2009, 09:31 AM
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I can't imagine giving tours in the same place for 50 years! He must really love it. I hope we can tour with him while we are there.
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Old Mar 2nd, 2009, 11:04 AM
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You might want to check on renovations to the cathedral. My daughter was there 3 weeks ago and said it is undergoing major repairs. She still loved it.
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Old Mar 2nd, 2009, 11:17 AM
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I think Malcolm's tours are legendary for a good reason - they are spellbinding and bring the cold cathedral stones and windows to life.

That said when i showed up there were not enough people for a tour in Malcolm's opinion and he rather IMO haughtily said for this many people it ain't worth my time unless you all agree to pay twice as much as the regular price. Otherwise i have better things to do with my time. I took the tour but that left a bad taste in my mouth. Like if he had twice his usual number would he discount the price in half. I think Malcolm is a jerk - on one tour he got into a verbal spat with French teens who were buzzing him on their loud mopeds on purpose - and on another tour he told folks to shut up - for good reason but rather rudely. Many reports of abuse at his hands have been given here - one group bagged his tour midway from too much abuse the leader said. But i will and have taken his tour again. IMO best to take one before lunch as after lunch, when he hit us up for more money he was reeking of wine.
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Old Mar 2nd, 2009, 12:51 PM
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>

Well he doesn't look like he's in his early or mid 70s.
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Old Jun 4th, 2009, 09:43 AM
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We received two emails from visitors to the site asking if there was a way to confirm that he would definitely be at the church; is there a way or is it just that he's typically there?
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Old Jun 4th, 2009, 09:55 AM
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Except for in the off-season when Malcolm often does a lecture tour of U.S. campuses or museums he is just always there it seems.

But i would not count on him always showing up or like i said above he told our group that we were not numerous enough and if we did not pay double the ordinary price "he had better things to do"
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Old Jun 4th, 2009, 12:34 PM
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We were in Chartres on May 20 for the noon tour. I emailed him prior to be sure he would be in town. He assured me he would be there. We had a family group of eight. I politely asked if there were only a few people would he give the tour for our family and he said he would.

We arrived barely on time and a small group had gathered with Mr. Miller and were chatting about this and that and agreeing we needed this tour in English. We waited a few minutes for a tour group of people who were lost but on their way.

We all paid, got headsets so we could hear and were seated to see the windows of the west facade. The Cathedral is undergoing a major cleaning and restoration. Some of the windows are covered but there are plenty of windows to review. The veil of the Virgin is in the back of the church not in a side chapel as before. You move around to see different windows and we went out in to the sunshine to the south wall for an explanation of the statuary.

This is Mr. Miller's 51st year to give his tours. We found him charming and funny and throughly enjoyed our time with him. We were pushed a bit since the tour group was late and it was past lunchtime. He has another tour scheduled after lunch.

He had come highly recommended and we were not disappointed. He is an expert you are paying to hear an expert "lecture" so I would be irritated if people were talking while I was trying to listen.

Do bring binoculars. It was very chilly in the Cathedral even though it was warm that day so if you are cold natured you should bring a sweater.

I do not think you will be disappointed. If you are you can always say I did hear him but I didn't like him. He won't be around forever.
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Old Jun 4th, 2009, 12:41 PM
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I am thrilled to hear that Malcolm Miller is still giving tours at Chartres. It must have been 15 or 20 years ago that we happened upon him quite by chance, just as he was starting a tour - we followed him, entranced, as he gave us his wisdom in very funny ways.

Like St.Cirq, I don't remember him being anything but full of information and quite humorous in his approach.

It is a wonderful memory, don't miss it.
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Old Jun 5th, 2009, 07:43 AM
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When we visited Chartres in March the Mary veil was no on display due to the restoration. Is it back now? I was very disappointed to not see it, but the carvings are just amazing. I think I enjoyed the carvings more than the windows.
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Old Jun 5th, 2009, 11:15 AM
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Well the Mary Veil miraculously survived the conflaguration that burnt down one medieval church and after some time was miraculously found in the ashes - unharmed of course because of divine intervention.

Whoever's veil is here is certainly not Mary's, but still...
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