9/9/2025 Breakfast. Too excited to eat much. Toast will do. Uber to train station Gare de Montparnasse. Cost 27.05€/$31.87 Our tickets are for 11:06 am departure. Scheduled to arrived in Chartres at 12:06 pm. Cost 20.00€/$ for our 2 tickets one way. Train is on time. Journey pleasant. We make a few stops en route to Chartres. Uneventful.
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| Uber to the train station |
Chartres. Located north-central France. Loire Valley. Known for Chartres Cathedral. Historic. Charming streets, shops, and restaurants. Eure River. We arrived at the train station on time.
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| Postcard |
Hotellerie Saint Yves. I booked us a simple room for 1 night 9/9-9/10/2025. Cost 85.00€/$99.59 I chose this place because it is so close-walking distance-to the cathedral. Prior to arriving I had asked the hotel about how to get there since it's located in a pedestrian zone. The hotel replied that I could get a taxi from the train station to take us right to the hotel when we arrived from Paris. Taxi to the hotel. Cost 10.51/$12.37 When we arrived we saw a sign that stated reception would not be open until 3:00 pm. That's several hours from now. We decided to check out the cathedral. We checked in after our cathedral visit. Our room is basic but it's clean and suitable for one night. I go on my computer to see about the train schedule for tomorrow. It looks like lots of trains have been cancelled due to the protests but there is one that leaves early the morning of 9/10. It's earlier than we wanted to leave but it's our only viable option.
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| Taxi to the hotel |
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| View from our room |
Cathedral Notre-Dame de Chartres/Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gothic architecture. Built between 1194 and 1220. Features 2 towering spires, flying buttresses, Romanesque sculptures, pavement labyrinth and elaborate rose windows. Intricate sculptures and original 13th century stunning stained glass. Over 150 windows that tell Bible stories and depict saints and symbols. Color Chartres blue-distinctive. Historical pilgrimage site. Dedicated in honor of the Virgin Mary. I bought some postcards and a window hanger of the Chartres north rose window. Cost 24.00/$28.24
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| Postcard |
Exterior. Dominated by heavy flying buttresses which allowed the architects to increase the window size. They also support the upper walls and counterbalance the outward thrust of the vaulted ceiling. West end is dominated by 2 contrasting spires-a plain pyramid completed around 1160 and the Flamboyant (late Gothic) spire on top of an older tower. Its facades are adorned with sculpted figures illustrating theological themes and stories. The cathedral has 3 great portals opening into the nave from the west and into the transepts from north and south. Portals are decorated with sculptures-biblical stories and theological ideas. Each of the 3 portals on the west facade focuses on different parts of Christ's role in the world. On the right his earthly Incarnation, on the left his Ascension/existence and in the center his Second Coming starting the End of Time.
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First glimpse of the cathedral while walking over from our hotel
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| South tower/spire/plain pyramid is shown on the left side of this picture |
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| Central doorway of the south portal; column statue of Christ with his feet resting on a lion and a dragon |
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You can see the detail of the Flamboyant Gothic north tower/spire
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West Portal-right; Virgin and Child and surrounding symbols of the 7 Liberal Arts and classical authors and philosophers
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| West Portal-center; Christ seated on a throne surrounded by the symbols of Matthew/winged man, Mark/lion, Luke/bull and John/eagle |
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| West Portal-left; Christ on a cloud supported by 2 angels above the row of figures of the labours of the months and signs of the Zodiac |
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| West Portal |
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| West Rose |
Interior. Nave. Stained glass windows-quality and quality. 167 windows including rose windows, round windows, and pointed/lancet windows. High altar. Choir wall. Grand Organ. Labyrinth-the cathedral chairs covers the most part of this. I thought it was just the one area of the floor but that worn area is the center of the labyrinth. Per research I found that the chairs are removed from the nave on Fridays from Lent to All Saints Day except for Good Friday. This is to allow pilgrims to walk slowly around the labyrinth while praying.
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Lancet windows under the west rose window; on the right is Jesse Window/genealogy of Christ, Life of Christ center, and the Passion of Christ on the left
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Top-west rose window; shows the Last Judgment-center Christ as Judge surrounded by ring of 12 paired rounds containing angels and the Elders of the Apocalypse and an outer ring of 12 rounds showing the dead emerging from their tombs and the angels blowing trumpets to summon them to judgment
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| Postcard-High Altar |
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High altar-18th century
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| Window of the Vendome Chapel-circa 1415 |
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| North rose window |
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| Souvenir-North rose window |
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| Postcard |
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| South rose window-Glorification of Our Lord Jesus Christ |
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| 1-The Announcement to Joachim |
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2-Announcement to Anne
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| 3-Joachim and Anne meeting at the Golden Gate |
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| 4-Nativity; Announcement to Anne |
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| 5-The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple |
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6-The Marriage of the Virgin
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| 7-The Annunciation |
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| 8-The Visitation |
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9-Joseph's Dream
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| 10-The Nativity |
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| 11-The Circumcision of Christ |
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| 12-The Adoration of the Magi |
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| 13-The Presentation in the Temple |
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| 14-The Massacre of the Innocents |
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| 15-The Baptism of Jesus |
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16-The Temptations of Christ
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| 17-Jesus and the Canaanite Woman |
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| 18-The Transfiguration |
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19-Jesus and the Woman Caught in Adultery
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| 20-The Healing of a Man Born Blind |
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| 21-Jesus's Entry into Jerusalem |
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| 21 |
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| 22-The Agony in the Garden of Gethesmane |
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| 23-The Kiss of Judas |
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| 24-Jesus in front of Pilate |
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| 25-The Flagellation of Christ |
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| 26-Jesus Crowned with Thorns |
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| 27-The Raising of the Cross |
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| 28-The Lamentation of Christ |
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| 29-The Resurrection |
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| 30-The Holy Women at the Sepulchre |
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| 31-Pilgrims on the Road to Emmaus |
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32-Doubting Thomas
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| 33-Apparition of Christ to the Virgin |
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| 34-The Ascension |
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| 35-The Pentecost |
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| 36-The Veneration of the Cross |
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| 37-The Dormition of the Virgin |
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| 38-The Funeral of the Virgin |
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39-The Assumption of the Virgin
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| 40-The Coronation of the Virgin |
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| Model of the labyrinth |
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| Grand Organ |
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| Lighting a candle in remberance for the family members we have lost |
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Postcard-Upper left/Nativity of Mary, the astronomical clock, the Dream of Saint Joseph, bottom left/Adoration of the child by Shepherds and Angels, the Adoration of the Magi
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After we are done here I check out the area and some of the restaurants nearby for our dinner tonight. We then headed back to the hotel. Reception is now open so we check in. Cost for one night 85.00€/$
Le Serpente. I made a reservation for 7:30 pm. We walked here from our hotel. Large outside seating area but we chose to sit inside. Despite not having a reservation we got seated right away. I ordered hot chocolate and Richard got lemonade. We both ordered cheeseburgers. Mine medium well and Richard's medium. Came with a hefty side of fries. The cheeseburgers really hit the spot and the fries were tasty too. Great friendly and efficient service. I had a second hot chocolate. It was so good. Cost 54.70€/$64.37 Nice walk around the area checking things out.
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My medium well cheeseburger was perfect
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| Outside seating |
Chartres en Lumieres/Festival of Lights. Many of the city's historic buildings are also lit up. Spectacular display on the cathedral's facade. I got a seat on a bench of sorts right in front of the cathedral. West Portal. The light show is done with the use of a projector with sound explaining what you see. It started at 9:15 pm. I took tons of pictures and lots of video. It was so well done. Appeared to be highlighting different moments in time. It was so amazing. I really could have watched it all again.
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| End of the show |
These pictures were taken by Richard. There may be some duplicates of mine but I think he did a good job. West and north portals.
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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| West portal |
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West portal
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| North portal |
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| North portal |
After the light show is finished at the cathedral I wanted to walk around the town to check out the other areas that are lit up. We did walk to a couple but then Richard said he was cold and tired and wanted to return to the hotel. I'm disappointed. Below is the list of other places that are part of the light show.
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| North side of the cathedral |
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Museum of Fine Arts
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| Museum of Fine Arts |
Back at the hotel I talked to the lady in reception about making arrangements for a taxi to pick us up tomorrow morning. She tried calling but couldn't get through. Said she'd try again and would let us know in the morning where the pick up would be. We set the travel alarm clock so we won't miss the train. Walked 2.41 miles today.
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