1. Travel

A Tour of France's Best Cathedrals

From , former About.com Guide

7 of 7

Cathedral Tour Stop Six: Chartres Cathedral
The pretty city of Chartres is home to one of Europe's most amazing gothic cathedrals. Just a short distance from Paris, this is a must-do daytrip from the City of Light. The city's ambitious cathedral can be seen from miles away. The city is known as the world's capital of stained glass, with several boutiques selling glass art. The city is also known for its perfumes.

Lodging options

The Best Western Grand Monarque is a three-star hotel in a historic building. Book it now!
The Hotel Chartres Chatelet has a great location between the train station and the cathedral. Book it now!

Find out more about Chartres

Chartres is a lovely small city that makes an ideal base for exploring Paris, Versailles or the Loire Valley chateaux. You can also find resources on Chartres, including an illustrated tour of the cathedral, at the Europe for Visitors site.

Travel time to the next stop

Paris is about an hour away by train, which will take you back to the start of the tour.
You can click the "print this page" link at the top right for a complete list of the stops and to print the itinerary map.

©2012 About.com. All rights reserved.

A part of The New York Times Company.