Visit Chartres

Follow in the footsteps of Charles Péguy and countless other pilgrims and come to Chartres, the city in which a powerful upsurge of faith built a wonderful cathedral, a veritable bible of stone and glass and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to the famous Chartres blue with stained glass windows that are known all over the world, and an architecture imbued with spirituality, the cathedral is one of Christianity’s most sacred places. Chartres contains many museums and fascinating sites to be explored only an hour’s journey from Paris: the International Stained-Glass Centre, the Fine Arts Museum in the former bishop’s palace, the Agriculture Museum, the uniques Picassiette House, Frescoes of Bel Air district and a historic district with picturesque streets, half-timbered houses, steep lanes and stairways winding down through the town, stone bridges and former wash-houses leaning over the Eure... It is also a pleasant place to while away the time: meeting culinary artisans, sampling many specialities, relaxing on a terrace and meandering through the market. At nightfall, everyday from April to September, Chartres invites you to live a magical night with the major event “Lights of Chartres”.
New: discover the world of fragrance with “Spirit of Perfume”, museum dedicated to perfume and “Autrica”, the flagrance by Chartres.

Getting there

Air:

  • Orly Sud & Orly Ouest (75 km): 45 min
  • Roissy - Charles-de-Gaulle (120 km): 80 min

Train:

  • Paris – Chartres: 50 to 70 min
  • Le Mans – Chartres

By car:

  • Paris (89 km)
  • Orléans (73 km)
  • Le Mans (116 km)
  • Tours (141 km)

Services

Restaurants: From traditional cuisine to exotic specialities
Accommodation: 25 hotels - 1,270 rooms(Chartres and surrounding area)

Visiting

Visiting the city:

  • Remarkable churches: Cathedral (2,600 m² of stained glass), Saint Pierre (from 10th to 13th century), Saint Aignan (16th and 17th century stained glass windows), Saint André (12th century), Saint Jean-Baptiste de Rechèvres
  • Unusual locations: Picassiette House and Frescoes of Bel Air district• Museums: International Stained-Glass Centre, Agriculture Museum, Fine Arts Museum, Spirit of Perfume
  • Maison du Saumon: traditional 15th and16th centuries Multimedia presentation for tourist attractions and events in the city, numerous exhibitions and macaroon cooking sessions
  • Historic districts and conservation area along the Eure river. Site opening times on request from the Tourist Office

Visiting the shrine: Notre-Dame cathedral: Pilgrimages, services
Information on request

Literature: Brochures on request from the Tourist Office

Special Events

  • Chartres in Lights (April 3 - September 21)
  • “Les Soirées Autrement”, a series of events (in Chartres Cathedral: continuous Bible readings on Tuesday evenings, a focus on stained glass on Fridays and musical moments on Sunday nights) (June 1 - August 31)
  • Festival of Water (June 28)
  • Chartres Summer Evening Festival (June 27 - August 24)
  • International Organ Festival (July 7 - September 1)
  • Festival of Light (September 21)
  • Festival of Perfume & Garden (May 25-26)
  • Chartres in Perfumes (May 27-31)

Chartres