CHARTRES
4th May 2018
CHARTRES COBBLES – MASSAGING MY KIDNEYS
We entered Chartres early that evening at the river end. Unknowingly, we had chosen the most difficult route to the Cathedral. It stands high above the town at the end of a long, steep, winding, cobbled hill. This ancient thoroughfare caused my scooter to judder alarmingly. It sent shivery thrills right through my body, starting at the soles of my feet. I hardly noticed that we were passing through the old medieval city…
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL – SMALLER THAN MOST – BUT BEAUTIFUL
However, we reached the top, and entered the cathedral. It was strangely empty compared to many.
CHARTRES’ FAMOUS ORGAN:
The famous organ, upon which Albert Schweitzer played many times, was very large. It seemed to have been plonked halfway up one of the extremely high pillars.
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL’S STAINED GLASS
There were a lot of beautiful stained glass windows; not least the rose window over the main door; most impressive was the circle of windows backing the altar, and fronting a large statue of a flying angel. The colours flooding in were spectacular.
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL – WE MISS THE MOSAIC FLOOR
I wished that the famous floor tiled in a prehistoric maze pattern had not been covered with chairs. It always strikes me as funny – and encouragingly subversive – how so much pre-Christian stuff seems to seep into cathedrals. (The Green Man is hidden in both Winchester and Canterbury cathedrals back home).
CHARTRES – A PARADE GROUND ATOP THE CITY
We emerged to explore views seen from the ‘parade ground’ of a seminary or suchlike, next to the cathedral. Then it was time to start looking for food.
CHARTRES – AUTHENTIC LOCAL FOOD NO DEARER THAN ‘FAST-FOOD’
I’d already spotted a board with authentic local dishes standing outside an old house right opposite the ‘back door’ of the cathedral. Graham had demurred, thinking it too expensive, and set off to explore ‘that road with all the restaurants’. I let him go, knowing that he would find ‘chips with everything’ at exactly the same prices as asked here.
After a bit I went to meet him, and he had to agree that I’d spotted the better place. And so it proved.
CHARTRES – HAUTE-GOURMET MEAL – AFFORDABLE PRICE
The very welcoming host ushered us into a room with very old wood panelling. It held only four or five tables, two of which were already occupied. The menu had three choices of entrée, and similar of Plat de Jour and dessert. There was a wine list, and the owner-chef suggested we try a local wine with our meal; and indeed, his choice proved very good with the exquisite gourmet food, which we enjoyed along with conversation from our fellow-diners, who all spoke English.
Le Cloitre Gourmand Restaurant: 21 Cloître Notre Dame, 28000 Chartres, France
CHARTRES CATHEDRAL – A LIGHT SHOW
The icing on the cake was when our host diverted our attention to the window, where the entrance to the cathedral was displaying a light show; painting the saints in their robes with shifting blocks of colour. He was clever. Soon he was able to close up when his clientele all paid up and moved en bloc just outside. The recent diners mingled with school children who had been brought to view the show. After a while, Graham walked down alone to the car, left by the river, to drive it up the ‘easy’ way – right behind where we had just dined…
We both want to return to Chartres.
Text by – Jackie Usher, SWWJ. (aka author Debbie Darkin, & ‘Graham Liverpool’ on Trip Advisor.)
Photographs by – Graham Usher.
Grateful Thanks to Sarah Coppack (Own Your Days) Blog for her permission to use – Chartres en lumières – the colourful north side of the cathedral
January 6, 2021 @ 6:28 pm
You have truly captured the essence of Chartres, Jackie. Beautiful photos! It’s been many years since we were last there, and it’s always a joy to see it again. Too bad that you couldn’t see the floor. So glad that the meal turned out to be delicious! Wishing you and Graham a New Year filled with joy, peace, good health … and a little more travel. 🙂 ~Terri
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So glad you like our blogs. They start at our home near Liverpool, UK, and follow our tour via country roads; all the way to sicily – and back via a diferent route. I am now feeding in other holidays…
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