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Chartres

A visit to Chartres begins with its famous Notre Dame Cathedral, an absolute masterpiece of Gothic art classified at UNESCO, renowned for its asymmetrical arrows and medieval stained glass windows with incomparable blue. Next door, the former Episcopal Palace, which now houses the Museum of Fine Arts, reveals remarkable architecture and terraced gardens with stunning views of the Lower Town. Going down to the Eure, the church of St Peter, a former Benedictine monastery, surprises by the finesse of its architecture and forty-six Renaissance stained glass windows. Not far from there, the Maison Picplate offers an unusual parenthesis: this unique raw art work has been entirely covered with mosaics of faience and glass by a single man. Finally, to close this route, the collegiate Saint-André and the stone bridges of the Lower Town perfectly embody the historic and picturesque charm of this medieval city.

Ideal for a day or weekend getaway, the city of Chartres enjoys excellent accessibility. For long-distance travellers, the plane remains the first step: the international airports of Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle are just over an hour's drive or rail connection. The train is then the fastest and most environmentally friendly way to reach the city centre. From Paris-Montparnasse train station, direct TER and Ouigo Train Classique links take you to the heart of the medieval city in just an hour. Once there, the discovery is very easy. While the historic heart is ideally visited on foot, the recently upgraded Filibus public transport network effectively quadrugates the agglomeration with its free buses and shuttles, perfect for reaching more eccentric sites such as the Picplate House.