A trip to visit CHARTRES CATHEDRAL
One of the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES in FRANCE & more!
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Thanks to Chartres Cathedral being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I've been
considering visiting Chartes for quite some time now. Chartres is located very
close to Paris and I've been considering a day trip to Chartres from Brussels,
however, that seemed a bit too hectic without a car. While pondering about it,
I also came to know of this fantastic light show at Chartres which made an
overnight stay in Chartres, a much more sensible option. So, that's what I
did. Here's all about my weekend trip to Chartres from Brussels.
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Chartres Cathedral en Lumiere
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Maison Picassiette
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Chartres Cathedral
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View from atop Chartres Cathedral
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An Ultimate Travel Guide to visit Chartres from Paris
Top 5 things to do in Chartres in 24 hours
VISIT CHARTRES CATHEDRAL - UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES IN FRANCE
Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres is magnificent. In an aerial photo, it looks
just perfect (there's a special reason for it!). Its history is very
interesting and it has survived quite a lot! So yes, Chartres Cathedral is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site.
History & Architecture of Chartres Cathedral: With the history of
the town existing since the Gallo-Romain Era, churches have stood here since
ancient times. It was time & again damaged or burnt in 8th, 9th & 11th
C CE. It was then that Bishop Fulbert decided to build a huge cathedral
here.
The entire Cathedral was built in a record time of 25 years which means it was
constructed from inception to end under the same architect. It was his hand
that was used as a scale which has resulted in absolute perfection in its
geometry & symmetry. The re-consecration happened in 1260 CE. It gained
furthermore importance when King Henry IV of France chose here for coronation
than Reims Cathedral as his predecessors.
How did Chartres Cathedral survive the World Wars & French Revolution: One of the fascinating things about Chartres Cathedral is how it survived
World Wars. During the 1st World War, in 1914, after they saw how Reims
Cathedral was bombed, they decided to dismantle the entire, historic stained
glass windows. They numbered it all, took it down, and stored it in the crypt.
These numbers can still be seen at the back of the windows if you go on the
Towers tour (more details below). After the war, the building was restored and
the Stained Glass windows were put in place again. Again they were dismantled
during WWII and then put back again. Also, during WWII, the USA of Allies here
doubted that the Germany of Axis was using the Cathedral's towers as a
watchpoint. Col. Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. of the USA was ordered to destroy
the cathedral, but he volunteered to go into the enemy line, into the
Cathedral's towers, and found it empty, thus saving it! Much earlier, during
French Revolution, a mob tried to burn it down but was saved by the locals.
What is Chartes Blue? Why are Chartres Cathedral Stained Glass Windows
special? Stained Glass windows cover 2600 sqm in 172 bays in Chartres Cathedral. The
Stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are one of the very few surviving
examples of medieval stained glass of 12th C CE - the genealogy, life, and
passion of Christ and on another section, the Notre-Dame de la Belle-Verrière.
The Chartres Blue color around Mary and the blue in the nearby panels have a
stark difference. This blue is called Chartres Blue where the glass was treated with Cobalt. Somehow it could never be replicated later! The Rose Windows and most others were made in the 13th C.
Few were made in a later era.
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Sculptural details at Chartres Cathedral: Chartres Cathedral's
sculptures need special mention. Right from the entrance, it is rather
detailed. The sculptures on the portals have so many details incl. Sun signs,
labors of the months, musical instruments, subjects taught in the ancient
School of Chartres incl. weaving, music (depicted by carillon), literature,
etc. Some, visually very intriguing ones are, of course, the depiction of hell
and temptations.
Inside the Cathedral, the Choir Wall needs a special mention. Made of stone,
this 6m tall, 100m long Choir Wall was made in 16th -17th C CE. The sculptures
have a depth of about 30-50cm with characters placed on multiple levels,
making every scene dramatic! The scenes are depicted from birth of Virgin Mary
till her Coronation.
Chartres Labyrinth (Maze) - Pregnancy Speciality Cathedral: As soon as
you enter the Cathedral, as you look at its majestic Rosette window, also look
down beneath your feet! There's a maze, a labyrinth. Guess what, the maze is
exactly the same size as that of the Rosette window! Normally, it is entirely
covered with chairs, but every Friday from Mar to Oct, the chairs are put
aside for the public to walk through it. The labyrinth has white stones. The
labyrinth depicts the journey of life and the white stones depict the
milestones in life. There are 280 stones that make this labyrinth which
signifies the 280 days of a woman's pregnancy (gestation period). Yes,
Chartres Cathedral is a special pilgrimage site for safe pregnancy!
Tour of the Towers & Roofs of Chartres Cathedral: There's a
special guided tour to visit the towers & roof of Chartres Cathedral. Of
course, it requires climbing its spiral staircase on foot. As you climb, the
first stop is the backside of one of the Stained Glass Windows where you get
to see how they have been made historically and those numbers (as I mentioned
earlier). The next stop is all the way up, next to the towers, where you get
to see not only the aerial view of the town but also the magnificent
architecture of the cathedral, esp. its flying buttresses and slanted
colonnades! The next stop is under the roof of the Cathedral which is a
copper-covered, iron frame roof that reminded me much of an inverted ship's
hull! From there, we start getting back down. We could spot the mason's
symbols on the way.
Veil of Virgin Mary - Relics of Chartres Cathedral: Of all the
relics of the Chartres Cathedral, the most precious one is the Veil of Mother
Mary. It is the main reason why Chartres Cathedral is one of the most
important pilgrimage sites in France.
Where is Chartres Cathedral (on Google Maps)? Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres
How to reach Chartres Cathedral? Chartres Cathedral is located
600m (8 min walk) from Chartres Railway Station.
Chartres Cathedral entry tickets: Free
Chartres Cathedral timings: 9:30AM to 7:30PM everyday
Chartres Cathedral Towers guided tour tickets: €6.00
Chartres Cathedral Towers guided tour timings: Jan-Apr: 11:00AM &
3:00PM; May: 11:00AM, 2:30PM & 4:00PM; June onwards: 10:15AM,
11:30AM, 2:15PM & 3:30PM. Reservation recommended.
Chartres Cathedral Phone Number for Reservation: +33 (0) 2 37 21 22 07
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Pic Credit: Maksim, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
VISIT THE INTERNATIONAL STAINED GLASS CENTER - CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DU
VITRAIL
With its majestic, historic stained glass windows at the Chartres Cathedral,
it is only obvious that the International Stained Glass Center, one of its
kind museum in France, would be set up in Chartres! The permanent collection
here has more than 70 stained glasses from the Renaissance Era & later!
The best part is the first floor where each and every scene of each and
every window of the Chartres Cathedral is explained. So, it is a good idea
to visit this museum before visiting the Cathedral.
Where is International Stained Glass Center (on Google Maps)? Centre International du Vitrail de Chartres
How to reach International Stained Glass Center? Just beside Chartres Cathedral
International Stained Glass Center tickets: €7
International Stained Glass Center timings: Mon-Fri: 10:15AM - 12:15AM & 2:00PM to 5:30PM; Weekends &
holidays: 2:00PM to 5:30PM
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EXPERIENCE CHARTES EN LUMIERES - CHARTRES LIGHT FESTIVAL
After dinner at a restaurant just beside Chartres Cathedral, I was there in
front of the Cathedral as the light show began at 8PM. It was a Friday
evening, but we had the entire place almost to ourselves, apart from hardly 10
other people. After attending quite a crowded light show in Brussels, London Lumieres, and Eindhoven Glow, this was a welcome change.
The Royal Portal of the Cathedral has, not 1 but 2, fantabulous video
mapping shows of 15 minutes each, back to back. The shows were mesmerizing.
Against the dark skies, the light & dark video-mapping show was
impeccable! From 8:00 to 8:30PM, I was right there, seated on the pebbly
ground, with the bellowing wind blowing on me, watching both shows. The first
was Chartres, from Yesterday to Tomorrow which was all about the Cathedral
(& the town that grew around it), from being a forest to the Gallo-Romain
era, through 1594 (when it gained importance) through French Revolution till
this digital era. The second was Nave of Light which was more magical,
colorful, glittery, and mesmerizing. Here's the thing, even a video of the
place won't do any justice as compared to being there in person, watching it
surrounded by hardly any crowd, cozy in your warm coats.
The next stop was right around the corner on the North Portal to see
the facade in its olden glory where the sculptures are all covered with
colors, thanks to photo mapping, to make it look as it would have looked
centuries ago!
From there we headed to the river banks to
Saint Andre Collegiate Church which again has stunning video mapping.
While the one in the cathedral was very magical and out of the world, this one
was so earthy & natural, taking inspiration from manuscripts and
herbariums. The show begins with the medieval lab which is flooded and the
building crumbles and then life forms from it with trees, butterflies, birds,
squirrels, deer, and even dragons!
From there we started walking along the river Eure. The best part was the
medallions with light embedded on the street that made it easy to navigate.
Several bridges and washhouses along the river Eure have been video
mapped each depicting various things from butterflies to crabs to penguins to
monkeys to tigers etc. One was unique -
Gloriette Quay & Wash house which looked more like an etching/ a
drawing! The most fascinating of them all is the
Saint Hilaire bridge and arcade which was all about Africa. The show
begins with sculptures, architecture & hieroglyphics of Egyptian
civilization and moved to nature - there was a lion sitting under the arcades
and a giraffe peeking over it and an elephant running in the background -
quite spectacular.
From the riverbanks, we walked back into the town and headed to
Saint-Pierre Church's video mapping. This was more of a graphical
style, but very very colorful. By this time it was already 10PM and Atyudarini
was very sleepy, so I skipped Place Billard and Fresco of Lattre de Tassigny
and headed directly to Hotel Montescot. The video mapping at
Hotel Montescot's facade was also about the history of Chartres but
told from a child's point of view. But ironically, my child, Atyudarini, fell
asleep by this time (it's way past her bedtime) and I couldn't take any photos
or videos as I watched & walked while carrying her!
The video mapping show on the facade of the Theatre of Chartres has a
very fun, frolicky nature complete with marshmallows & candies! Again, too
bad that Atyudarini was deep asleep by the time we were here. Finally, my last
stop was the Mediatheque where the video mapping was about Media in
Chartres - Dinosaurs roaming in Chartres through newspapers till the digital
era! It was past 10:30PM and just beside Mediatheque is Hotel Grand Monarque
where we stayed.
Chartres en Lumieres map: via
Chartres en Lumieres (opens/downloads as PDF)
When does Chartres en Lumieres happen? May to
January every year
Chartres en Lumieres timings: May to Sept:
Dusk - 1:00AM; Oct to Jan - 6:30PM to 10:30PM
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VISIT MAISON PICASSIETTE
I loved Maison Picassiette. Atyudarini loved Maison Picassiete. It reminded me
so much of Nek Chand's Rock Gardens in Chandigarh as well as Antoni Gaudi's
Casa Battlo in Barcelona. The best part was, we reached here right at 10:00AM
when they opened which gave us enough time at the place all by ourselves
before other visitors started trickling in!
Maison Picassiette was the private home of Raymond Isidore who used to
collect scrap tiles & bottles in the neighborhood with which he made
mosaics at his home in 1935-52. The word Pique-assiette in French literally
means 'Plate thief' because he was nicknamed one! Today, the term refers to
this style of mosaic where shards of waste ceramics and bottles are used to
make mosaic art. In Catalan, Spain (where Antoni Gaudi worked) it is
called TrencadÃs.
Today it is a single-artist museum. Maison Picassiette is a very small place
with just 3 rooms & 3 courtyards which require only 1 hour to look around
even if you stop to take a hundred photos and you will because it is one of
the most instagrammable locations in Chartres! Maison Picassiete blew our minds the moment I entered it. I was surrounded
by tiny embedded mosaics, tiles, and glasses all around me. This was a very
new thing for Atyudarini and she was quite amused; for her, it was something
like the paper tiles craft that she does, but it is a building???? She was a
bit confused, intrigued, and amazed as well! Everything from walls to roofs to
flower pots to decorative things, everything was filled with these tiny mosaic
works using scrap materials!!!
The first room is the home of the artist which can be seen from the
outside. Everything here, from floor to tabletops to chairs to cabinets to
countertops everything was filled with mosaic work. The next room is the
Chapel which can be entered. It has depictions of Crosses, Jesus, the
Madonna, Churches, Bibles & more. The next is the
inner courtyard which has a tomb, a well, and a chair! The entire wall
here is filled with images of various churches & chapels. The next is the
Summer room filled with more frescoes than mosaics, as he did in the
later part of his life. Beyond this is the outer courtyard where the
first stop is the orchard and then is the Jerusalem Court. There are a couple
of life-sized statues in the garden which reminded me more of Nek Chand's Rock
Garden in Chandigarh. The Jerusalem Court is majestic with a throne and a
depiction of Jerusalem's cityscape on the wall made of mosaic art! On the
sidewalls are the depiction of Chartres Cathedral and its Rosette Window.
Behind this, tucked in, is the tomb of the spirit. That's it!
While you are here, don't miss his grave at St.Cheron cemetery (where he
worked as a sweeper) which is located just 250m (3 mins walk) from here.
Where is Maison Picassiete (on Google Maps)? Maison Picassiette
How to reach Maison Picassiete? Maison Picassiete is located
2.4km from Chartres Railway Station. The nearest bus stop is Picassiete (2
mins walk) which is served by Filibus Route 4 from Chartres Railway Station.
Maison Picassiete tickets: €6.50
Maison Picassiete timings: Open only from Mar 15 to Nov 15. Mon,
Wed-Sat: 10:00AM to 12:30PM and 2:00PM to 6:00PM; Sundays: 2:00PM to 6:00PM.
Closed on Tuesdays.
Where is Raymond Isidore's tomb (on Google Maps)?
St.Cheron cemetery
How to reach Raymond Isidore's tomb: 200m (3 mins walk) from Maison
Picassiete
St.Cheron Cemetery timings: 8:00AM to
6:00PM everyday
St.Cheron Cemetery tickets: Free
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WALK AROUND THE TOWN, L'EURE RIVER & FORTIFICATIONS (or RIDE THE
CHART'TRAIN)
While I did walk around the town the previous night, following the Chartres
Lumieres path, the feel of the town in broad daylight is much different and
must also be experienced. The old-world charm of the town is so evident in the
broad daylight as you go on a walking tour of Chartres. After visiting Maison
Picassiette, we took the bus again but disembarked at Morard from where we
started walking along L'Eure river.
Chartres Fortification walls: The history of Chartres dates back to the
Gallo-Romain Era and it has been an important town ever since. The river was
then called Autura and so, the town, Autricum. Like all other Roman towns,
there must have been a Roman Fortification here too, but there are no traces
of it currently. It was in 12th-13th C, the town was entirely fortified and
had these bridges across l'Eure and 12 gates including Porte Guillaume. In
14th-16th C, it was further strengthened. Today bits & pieces of the
ramparts are visible here and there. The Porte Guillaume was unfortunately
destroyed during WWII but it is possible to see its ruins. All the bridges are
still in use, so have been renovated and strengthened time & again.
Walking around Chartres in broad daylight, seeing the bridges & wash
houses, looking at Porte Guillaume in crumbles against the background of
Chartres Cathedral, boats moored to the houses on the banks of l'Eure, and the
bits & pieces of the fortification wall blended with half-timbered houses
and the current architecture is quite a charm.
Le Petit Chart'train:
While walking around at your own pace is fantastic, it is not always possible,
especially, if you're with kids or the elderly. This is a tourist train that
goes around Chartres in 2 different routes - 35 mins route in the day and the
45 mins Chartres en Lumiere route at night. That said, it runs only from March
to November. So if you're in Chartres for Christmas or New Year, you may only
have to walk through the town. Since I walked through the town both at night
& the next day in the morning, I personally cannot review the Petit
Chart'train for you!
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BEST CHARTRES HOTELS
Chartres is a small town, but thanks to Chartres Cathedral's importance it hosts thousands of tourists and there are several hotels in the heart of the town. That said, there are no chain hotels in Chartres like Ibis or Marriot etc. Chartres hotels are available in all price points right from Chartres Youth Hostel to B&Bs to sophisticated boutique hotels in Chartres.
Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel Review:
We stayed at Grand Monarque Hotel in Chartres which is right beside Mediatheque. It was an absolute delight and I was only sad that we didn't have more time to just experience the hotel itself. Chartres Grand Monarque hotel has been in existence since 17th C CE as Auberge Sainte-Barbe. Since 1968, the Jallerat family owns it!
The hotel is aristocratic and elegant. It has a historic charm but has all modern amenities. There's a bar and a restaurant on the ground floor and from most of its rooms on the higher floor, the Cathedral is visible from the window. The ground floor also has a nice pool, sauna, hammam, & more! It is definitely a bit unfortunate that I didn't have much time to just relax at this hotel! Grand Monarque Hotel is perfect for a relaxing holiday in Chartres.
The interiors, everything from wallpaper to the furniture to the cushion cover everything to match the historic charm of the hotel. The rooms have all basic amenities incl. a coffee corner, mini bar, hair dryer, toiletries etc. There's a very comfortable bathtub. The majestic sofas, crystal chandeliers, paintings on the wall, and print designs on the pillows, everything, arouse the Grand Monarque feel when you stay there!
Where is Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel (on Google Maps): Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel
To book a room online: via the official website of Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel
Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel phone no: +33 237 18 15 15
Chartres Grand Monarque Hotel room rates: Room rates begin at €121 for double occupancy in a standard room on weekdays.
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BEST CHARTRES RESTAURANTS
Chartres is a very charming little town with quite a few charming little eateries. There are almost 10 restaurants just around the Cathedral, which all have outdoor seating with a view of the Cathedral.
We had the Vegetarian Burger at Cafe Bleu which was delicious and very very filling. I mean one burger with its fries and salad was enough for both me and Atyudarini. Their Autumn Bowl is very comforting as well with
One of the best restaurants in Chartres that you shouldn't miss is Crêperie Les Trois Lys which specializes in crepes. I had the La Fermiere which was topped with goat cheese, honey, walnuts, and greens. It had a delicate taste and was absolutely yummy. For the kids, Crêperie Les Trois Lys has typical toppings like apples, bananas, chocolate, caramel, maple syrup, etc.
All that said, it might be rather difficult for vegans something. The base of the crepes has eggs and the burger has cheese. The autumn bowl is purely vegan though. So, you might have to hunt around a bit if you're a vegan in Chartres.
CHARTRES BEER
While France may not be a beer capital like Belgium or Germany but more of a Champagne wine country, when you're in Chartres make sure to try Chartres beer. If you're a Friends fan, you might recognize it from the poster in Joey's apartment in the episode 'The One with the Worst Best Man' as well as from the Friends Reunion episode!!!
CHARTRES ITINERARY
24 hours is Chartres
Day 1 afternoon: Visit International Stained Glass Center and then take
the guided tour of the Towers & Roofs of Chartres Cathedral; finally see
the interiors of Chartres Cathedral at your own pace.
Day 1 night: Experience Chartres en Lumieres
Day 2 morning: Visit Maison Picassiette & walk around the town
& along the river.
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HOW TO REACH CHARTRES
Chartres is located close to Paris and is easy to visit on a day trip from
Paris or even from Lille. That said, if you have a car, it is easy to visit
Chartres on a day trip to Chartres from Brussels itself (the ride takes about
4 hours from Brussels). But, if you don't have a car, Chartres is a perfect
weekend trip from Brussels.
How to reach Chartres from Paris by train?
From Paris Montparnasse railway station, there are regular trains to Chartres.
Keep in mind that there are slow trains that take about 1:25 hours & fast
trains that take just 1 hour.
How to reach Chartres from Brussels by train/bus?
Since Chartres is located very very close to Paris, the only way to reach
Chartres is via Paris. While the Thalys is always available from Brussels to
Paris, if you're looking for an economical option you may opt for a TGV via
Lille or Flixbus. In any of these cases, you reach either Paris Gare du Nord,
Paris Gare de Lyon, or Paris Bercy Seine. You'll have to get to Paris
Montparnasse from these places to get the train to Chartres.
Ideally, set aside a bit more than 1 hour between the 2, though it takes only
20-30 mins. While you could buy a ticket on board Paris buses, if you take a
metro, the queue at the vending machines is so long in the main stations! If
everyone in your group has a loaded Navigo card or if you are a group of only
adults and have NFC payments possible on all your phones and have the Bonjour
RATP App ready, you could skip these queues. But if you have kids with you or
if your phone doesn't support NFC and you don't have a Navigo card, you'll
have to stand in this queue to get the tickets! Set aside a considerable
amount of time for this! I wish I was joking, but I'm not!
TRANSPORT WITHIN CHARTRES
Quite weirdly, like in many other places like Reims or Lorsch, where the local
transport of smaller towns is often not shown in Google Maps, here too, the
local transport called Filibus isn't shown on Google Maps! There is no way to
buy tickets online or a day pass, so you must get a ticket on board every
trip. It is a good idea to carry coins or small denomination Euros!
Filibus network map: via
Filibus (opens/downloads as a PDF)
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO VISIT CHARTRES?
While a day trip to Chartres is good anytime, one of the most important things to do in Chartres is the Chartres en Lumieres, which needs an overnight stay (or a very late return journey by car (because there are no trains))! That said, Maison Picassiete is closed from mid-November to mid-March. While April to mid-Nov is good to visit Chartres, the best time to visit Chartres is definitely Oct 1 to Nov 15 (when the Chartres en Lumieres timings change) on an overnight trip.
Thank you so much for this detailed post and the wonderful pictures of the Chartres Cathedral. I have been thinking about a visit literally for ages. I guess once I make it there, I would take several tours of the cathedral. I have read there are special tours also for the glass-stained windows and for the sculptures on the facade. I also enjoyed reading about other sightseeing points in Chartres, like the beautiful Maison Picassiete.
ReplyDeleteSo why is it blue? You asked the question the heading of that section, but then I didn't see an answer? Was it the materials they used in the medieval stained glass?
ReplyDeleteChartres is such a beautiful town! The cathedral is breathtaking, by day and at night with the wonderful lights. The maison is also charming, and reminds me a local place to us in northern Italy. It sounds like a great day trip from Paris, I will visit someday when we return.
ReplyDeleteI love when lights are projected onto a building so that you get a totally different view of the facade. The Chartres Cathedral may be beautiful during the day. But it is delightful at night! It would definitely be worth a climb up the spiral staircase for those views. If I could pull myself away from the stunning stained glass. We would certainly visit to see the church. But the mosaics are fun and colourful too. Good to know you can visit Chartres as a day trip from Paris. But that we might want to make sure we are on the faster train!
ReplyDeleteHow fascinating to learn that the stained-glass windows at Chartres Cathedral were dismantled and numbered to preserve them during war time. It's truly our blessing! I also find it amazing that in this modern day and age, we can't seem to recreate that magnificent Chartres blue prepared with cobalt in Medieval times. We think we are so smart, but ancient cultures certainly do have their mysteries! Also, I'm infatuated with the mosaics at Maison Picassiette... I really must get to Chartres!
ReplyDeleteWow! Chartres Cathedral en Lumiere is sooo beautiful. Happy to know that it's part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in France. It is definitely worth the visit. Thank you for sharing a bit of its history. Made me appreciate it more.
ReplyDeleteChartres is an absolutely lovely city with a fascinating medieval architecture and history. It's great that it takes only few hours to reach it from Paris and Brussels. The Chartres cathedral is awesome with it's mind blowing stain glass doors and windows and nice to know that Chartres is also home to international stain glass center. The Maison Picasiette is yet another magnificent center of art made of scrap tiles and bottles. And the Chartres light festival is truly one of it's kind.Le Petit Chart train is yet another cute transport to explore the city. This is a place I must visit.
ReplyDeleteChartres is an absolutely lovely city with a fascinating medieval architecture and history. It's great that it takes only few hours to reach it from Paris and Brussels. The Chartres cathedral is awesome with it's mind blowing stain glass doors and windows and nice to know that Chartres is also home to international stain glass center. The Maison Picasiette is yet another magnificent center of art made of scrap tiles and bottles. And the Chartres light festival is truly one of it's kind.Le Petit Chart train is yet another cute transport to explore the city. This is a place I must visit.
ReplyDeleteYou have convinced me to put Chartres Cathedral on my bucket list. This is such a detailed post. Loved reading about it, especially the medieval stained glass of 12th C CE. I absolutely loved them in cathedrals.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place. Chartres Cathedral has it own wonder. I can totally see why it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The blue color give it a unique look. It reminds me of the ocean. The view of the Chartres from above the cathedral is spectacular.
ReplyDelete