A visit to Chartres

Today (Thurs May 19) we took a road trip to Chartres to see the Cathedral there. Once again we took our time, stayed off the highways and byways and enjoyed the country roads and towns. It was a long day, about 10 hours, but we got to see some lovely country, mostly farming country this time. I am afraid my pictures are not as good as I would like them to be as many are taken from inside a moving car. The downside to most of these country roads is that they are narrow an there is no place to pull off, so pictures are taken on the fly. It was dull and overcast for much of the day as well.

They use lots of these traffic calming devices along the roadways as well as traffic circles and speed bumps. You have to be constantly on the watch. Speed limits are well marked and "Kate Captur" has been very good at keeping us aware of changes and reminding us when we are exceeding the limit.

The local traffic can get heavy at times

Scenery is beautiful

The towns are captivating

We stopped in this town for lunch, but as we were not on European meal

time, we had to wait until the food was served, so we went wandering around for awhile. I spied this cute little set of curtains hanging in what I thought was a shop window.

Just as I went to snap the picture a lady in side pulled back the curtain, made a face and started to laugh. We both laughed together, she came out of her house and I said "Tourists" and rolled my eyes. She gave me a hug as we both continued to laugh (I have a feeling she does this surprise thing quite often). Then she pointed toward the light fixture on the house - there was a pair of doves there she said and they had two eggs hatch.

Wisteria climbing up a wall and cascading over a fence

A little purple flowered plant surviving, even thriving, in a corner

between two doors

We were travelling through farming country today

- fields of grains and mustard everywhere

large storage facilities in town and.......

.......on the farm

Water towers for the towns are mostly this shape - some have antennas or radio towers on the as well - this one had a particularly nice mural on it

another of those traffic calming devices - not so calming if you don't see it!

another little village

Remember earlier I said they don't have street lights across the intersection like we do? Well I was mistaken, occasionally you will see this red plus sign across the intersection and it goes out when the light turns green.

Finally reached our destination for the day Notre Dame de (Our Lady of Chartres) Cathedral in Chartres. This site has a long and checkered past. In the 4th century there was Gallo-roman cathedral here as indicated by a list of bishops that date back that far. It was/is considered a high place of Christendom and has been a place of sanctuary and pilgrimage even to this day. In the 6th century another athedral was built in the same spot. Then in the 8th century, it was destroyed by a duke of Aquitane. Another cathederal was bulit in the same place. In the 9th century a small crypt was built under the church. Then in the 11th century another crypt was built, running almost 220 meters, the longest in France. Then in 1194, a fire destroyed the cathedral, but yet again another one, the one we see today, arose on the remains of the previous crypts. By 1230 the building was completed.

This is Fulbert, who was bishop in 1006

the front facade, so massive you can not get far enough away

to get a full picture

the spires - both different

above the front rose window, there are those people watching again

again, details everywhere you look

Now, inside we go......

and we are greeted by this, there is a major restoration of the cathedral going on with over half of it unavailable to see. One of the things I was hoping to see was the 42 foot diameter labyrinth that was laid in the floor in the 12th century, but alas it was covered up! Those two men are standing on top of it!

here is a picture of what it looks like courtesy of yee old google

Some parts of the church are already restored and it will be magnificent when it is all done. They have left areas unrestored so that you can get a feel for the work that has been done already.

This is part of the choir screen that is unrestored, dark and dull

this is a part of the scrrn that has been restored , quite a difference

the choir loft

altar in the nave

don't forget to look up

don't forget the windows - there are 167 of them - don't worry, I'll just put up a few

Back outside we go, there are three portals to the church, the North Portal, the South Portal and the Royal Portal, each with it's own rose window, everyone of the richly detailed