Things to see and do Chartres

Magic. This guided tour is in many ways. Born of a brilliant idea, this two-time night visit brings light to honour. During the first part, it is with Gilles Fresson, a co-ordinating officer with the Rector of the Cathedral, that you are invited to rediscover the building… in the light of candles. Thus you wander through the crypts then in the silent cathedral and dive in the darkness as if you were pilgrims of the Middle Ages. During the visit, Gilles Fresson tells you the history, legends and mysteries surrounding the cathedral. Then you get out of the building and you turn off candles to enjoy, in a second part and a guide from the tourist office, some of the sites illuminated in the context of "Chartres in Enlightenment". The scenes of this festival, its technical aspects and the artistic work of Xavier de Richemont (author of the lighting Designs) will no longer have secrets for you… In sum, during this visit you will learn to see the cathedral and the city otherwise, and you will leave with stars full of eyes.

This path leads you to Bel-Air frescoes. It took nine months for the six artists to get close to 4000 m 2 of walls. A huge piece of work that has restored life to this once grey quarter. Now place shimmering colours in the form of various trompe: the first fresco is inspired by the city centre architecture with wooden houses; the second work includes the theme of the Beauce identity with a large wheat mowing scene; a third achievement reveals a magnificent representation of stained glass windows; and finally the fourth presents the perfume.

Tariff: free free

Duration: 2 h.

Difficulty: .

Le Petit Chart'Train is a transport service in Chartres, offering guided tours of the city on board a small tourist train. Visitors can discover the main sites and monuments of Chartres in a comfortable and fun way. Whether you're a tourist or a resident of Chartres, the Petit Chart'Train is a great way to discover the city and its heritage.

If you want to travel around Chartres to discover the unsuspected beauty of the Eure-et-Loir, it is at this address that you will find all the practical information necessary to organize your small move. Various brochures are made available to you: They will advise you on the sites to be visited without further delay, on the recreation you can take part, or on local initiatives that will make you appreciate the different facets of the department. If necessary, you can also book directly for certain benefits.

If Saint-Via was Bishop of Chartres at the beginning of the fifth century, nothing remains of the préromane church that was there at the time, destroyed by successive fires. The church that can be seen today was built in the th century, in Gothic architecture towards the Renaissance. If this church is worth the detour, it is for its turret connected to the building by a driving rig, but also for its interior frescoes dating back to 1866: Green, red, yellow and gold blend in harmoniously.

This is where the data and archaeological treasures of the city are preserved… Here you will also find regularly proposed exhibitions designed for small and large, to better understand the challenges inherent in archaeological excavations. Entertaining workshops are organised for children, who are thus engaged in search techniques (places being limited, it is recommended to book). Adults will not be at rest because it should be known that the Archaeology Service invites the public to visit the excavation sites in the city, particularly on the occasion of the night of the museums (May), days of archaeology (May also) and Heritage days (September). For example, you can take the hidden secrets of the Porte Guillaume…

It is not the Museum of the Parisian Jardin des Plantes, far from it… but nevertheless, this small museum offers you to discover more than 200 specimens of birds and small mammals, as well as important collections of geology and prehistory, not to mention insects from all over the world. Thus, they are discussed during the tour and showcases of zoology, entomology, geology, prehistory, paleontology (with discoveries from excavations in Saint-Prest) and finally, mineralogy. Often, thematic conferences open to the public are organized on Tuesday evening. Finally, the Museum makes its collections available to researchers who request it.

From the high town to the lower town, from medieval mounds and mysterious streets to enigmatic names, without forgetting the houses of half-timbered or tympans, the secrets of the city will be partly unveiled. Along with a guide to the tourist office, travel through the centuries and let yourself be worn by the indefinable charm of the medieval city, which is not to be surprised, so it has always endless larger and mysteries…

With an audio guide, stroll quietly in the streets of Chartres, discover monuments and neighbourhoods that deserve a little detour: the history of Chartres is carved in their stones, and thus crosses the centuries and wars. Notice, therefore, to lovers of history and curious to apprehend the city otherwise: Visit the Tourist Office to borrow an audio guide and then conduct the tour independently.

With a audioguide, available in French, English, German, Spanish, Dutch and Italian, learn to look at the cathedral differently. However, part of the building being currently under renovation, the visit mulhouse of the heart and its sculptures is suspended for the moment… Therefore, you can only visit the cathedral as a whole until the scaffolding is removed.

As an annex to the Tourist Office, the Maison du Saumon is one of the oldest buildings in Chartres. Why this strange name? Because before, it was on this place that the fish was sold, as evidenced by the salmon carved in the wood, on the facade of the imposing half-timbered building. Now the tourist office has created a didactic area where you can watch movies on Chartres on the ground floor, visit temporary exhibitions on the first floor, or attend seminars and conferences on the second floor. The program of these thematic conferences, grouped under the title of "Rendez-vous de la Maison du Salmon", is available on the Internet (recommended reservation).

The city of Chartres looks resolutely towards the future with the app One day in Chartres. From your smartphone or tablet you can find a list of the city's points of interest. In total, forty places and traditions are listed and detailed, most of them are accompanied by videos that give you anecdotes and let you see the interior of the monuments. To build your circuit and organize the steps according to your choice: here is you guide!

Tariff: free.

Duration: the choice.

Difficulty: .