Chartres Tourist Attractions
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Chartres, situated on a hill above the river Eure 100km/60mi southwest of Paris, is the chief town of the département of Eure-et-Loir, the see of a bishop and the center of the rich agricultural region of Beauce. Its magnificent cathedral is one of the great glories of French architecture. Apart from tourism the main contributions to its economy are made by the foodstuffs and animal feed industries, engineering and the manufacture of perfume. Known in antiquity as Autricum, it was the capital of a Gallic tribe, the Carnutes, and became the see of a bishop in the fourth century The Frankish county of Chartrain fell into the hands of the house of Blois in the 10th century and in the late 13th century passed to the French crown by purchase. In 1528 it was erected into a duchy.
Notre Dame
Known for being one of France's finest Gothic buildings, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame stands at a high point in Chartres, dominating the city skyline. The present cathedral dates to the 12th and 13 C.
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Musée des Beaux-Arts
In Chartres, north of the Catherdral is the former Bishop's Palace (17th-18th century), now housing the Musée des Beaux-Arts (fine tapestries, pictures).
Enclos de Loëns
The Enclos de Loëns, which formerly belonged to the cathedral chapter in Chartres, has a beautiful three-aisled crypt with Gothic vaulting (13th C) and a handsome half- timbered facade. It is now an International Stained Glass Center.Southeast of the cathedral are a number of fine old houses, among them the 15th C Maison du Saumon. Lower down is the Escalier de la Reine Berthe, in a 16th century turret, which leads down to the Gothic church of St-Pierre (12th-14th C), with fine 14th C stained glass.
Tours de la Cathédrale de Chartres
Cathédrale de Chartres was built on the foundations of a 1020 Cathedral. Portions of the nave were completed just before 1200 and the stained glass windows date from the 14th century.
