Chartres Attractions

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.