Sightseeing in Chartres - what to see. Complete travel guide

In the past, Chartres was one of the main Celtic cities. With the start of the Gallo-Roman epoch, the city changed its name to Autricum. Later, it was famous as civitas Carnutum (the city of the Carnutes). The latter name later evolved to Chartres, the modern name of the city. Normans completely burned the city down in the middle of the 9th century. The city’s authorities rebuilt the settlement, and Chartres became an important center of trade in the Middle Ages. Later, Chartres gave its name to a whole county of the Blois family. During the Hundred Years’ War, the British managed to capture the city and own it for fifteen years starting from 1417.
Do you want to learn more about Chartres? The best way to do this is to visit the major attractions of the city. Chartres Cathedral is the first landmark that many tourists prefer to visit. The construction of the gorgeous building started yet at the end of the 12th century and lasted 31 years. This is one of the best-preserved Gothic cathedrals in the country. The cathedral consists of a basilica with three naves and two adjacent towers in the western part of the building.

There is a ring-shaped labyrinth in the middle. The length of this labyrinth is 258 meters, which is equal to the length of the road to Calvary that Jesus Christ walked for the crucifixion. In the past, Christians entered the church, fell down on their knees, and crawled in the labyrinth while saying prayers. This ritual was equal to the pilgrimage to Jerusalem in the past. According to a local legend, Virgin Mary put her cover on the cathedral, thus saving it from fires, damages, and unnecessary reconstructions.

Not only outer walls feature interesting mosaic. Inner walls, ceilings, floors, the garden, and inner yard – all of them are covered with identical mosaic pieces. To create this absolutely stunning architectural masterpiece, the artist used almost fifteen tons of such materials as ceramics, glass, plates, etc. All pieces form intricate patterns and are not just inserted chaotically. Tourists find it particularly exciting that even all furniture pieces inside the house have a similar mosaic. Initially, the master wanted to decorate walls only, but he got so inspired after seeing the result of his work that the thirty-year-old man couldn’t stop. It took him twenty-five years to complete the job.

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City tours, excursions and tickets in Chartres and surroundings
Reference information
Survived castles around Chartres
♥ Castle 'Château de Maintenon' Eure-et-Loir, 17.1 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Château de Baronville' , 17.9 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Château de Dreux' Eure-et-Loir, 34.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Château de Donjon de Houdan' Yvelines, 39.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Château de Dourdan' Essonne, 39.6 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Castle 'Château de Maintenon' Eure-et-Loir, 17.1 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Château de Baronville' , 17.9 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Château de Dreux' Eure-et-Loir, 34.8 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Château de Donjon de Houdan' Yvelines, 39.3 km from the center. On the map


♥ Castle 'Château de Dourdan' Essonne, 39.6 km from the center. On the map


National and city parks around Chartres
♥ Regional Nature Park 'Haute vallée de Chevreuse' , 50.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Perche' , 60.6 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Gâtinais français' , 72.4 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Vexin français' , 77.3 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Oise-Pays de France' , 113.8 km from the center. On the map
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♥ Regional Nature Park 'Haute vallée de Chevreuse' , 50.3 km from the center. On the map


♥ Regional Nature Park 'Perche' , 60.6 km from the center. On the map


♥ Regional Nature Park 'Gâtinais français' , 72.4 km from the center. On the map


♥ Regional Nature Park 'Vexin français' , 77.3 km from the center. On the map


♥ Regional Nature Park 'Oise-Pays de France' , 113.8 km from the center. On the map


Sights around Chartres from our guide 'Extreme places on Earth'
Sports and Recreation Center
From the series “Glass Architecture - Impressive Villas and Buildings from Glass”
Check on the map:
Distance from Chartres center - 68.6 km.
Saint-Cloud is very popular city among fans of nature and adventure travellers. The main sightseeing of the city is a large landscape park with hundreds of wonderful trees, decorative plants and artificial lakes. This is a motherland of bicycle sport. The first official bike race was held there on the territory of a nice park in 1866. Nowadays the park has great cycle lanes. Vacationists will find there a lot of things to do. …
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The Palace and Park of Versailles
From the series “Top 15 Unesco Sites in Europe”
Check on the map:
Distance from Chartres center - 61.5 km.
Huge crystal chandeliers, paintings and frescoes of impressive scale, refined furniture and variety of gilded sculptures make the place impeccable. The surrounding garden is worth the palace. It’s delightful to visit it in summer at the weekend, when a large fountain in the garden is working. On weekdays, the garden is available for public access. Guests can relax on one of the benches in the shade of trees, as well as walk through the garden and admire ancient sculptures. …
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Traveling in Norway: the Best Places to See During a Short Getaway
If you want to enjoy a panorama of Bergen and take memorable photographs, the Floban Funicular will take you to a mountain above the city. The ride lasts only 8 minutes, after which you will see the entire Bergen behind your feet. Don’t leave this hospitable city without exploring its popular attractions such as the Bergen Castle and fish market.
Read this
07.03.2021
If you want to enjoy a panorama of Bergen and take memorable photographs, the Floban Funicular will take you to a mountain above the city. The ride lasts only 8 minutes, after which you will see the entire Bergen behind your feet. Don’t leave this hospitable city without exploring its popular attractions such as the Bergen Castle and fish market.

07.03.2021
Search touristic sites on the map of Chartres

