Cathedrale Notre Dame de Chartres

The Cathedral at Chartres has been drawing pilgrims for over eight centuries the view the sacred relic, Veil of the Virgin. Located about 80 kilometres southwest of Paris, the current Cathedral was built in only 25 years, when the original cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1194, and has a style and beauty that few others possess. Because of the short building time, as many cathedrals of the Gothic age could take over 100 years to complete, the Chartres Cathedral only had one master craftsman per workshop. This allowed the cathedral to be a single harmonious vision rather then a mix of different styles and ideas. The only slight differences are that on the western façade. The Royal Portal as well as the southern spire, on the right, date from before the fire of 1194, from around 1145, while the northern spire, on the left, dates from the 16th century when the original was damaged by lightning and is designed in a more flamboyant style then that of the older one.

What makes the Chartres Cathedral so remarkable is its most notable characteristic; the stain glass windows. There are over 150 windows covering a surface area of over 3000 sq m (26,900 sq ft) and depict biblical stories and daily life of the 13th century.

The Chartres Cathedral was designed and created to showcase these incredible stained glass windows. The use of flying buttresses permitted architects for the first time to raise the heights of the cathedral walls over 3 stories high, allowed for thinner walls, and to significantly increase the windows size both vertically and horizontally, the result is a strong building that is filled with coloured light.

The stained-glass windows of Chartres recount the history of the world - from Creation to the Last Judgment - as it was understood in the Middle Ages. Most medieval worshippers could neither read nor write, but they could easily understand biblical "texts" told in stained glass. Each window is divided into panels, usually read from left to right, bottom to top; earth to heaven.

Donated by guilds between 1210 and 1240 the windows also provide a fascinating glimpse of everyday life as the panels can be described as "commercials" for the donors. The Noah window, for example, was paid for by the carpenters, wheelwrights and coopers, so panels at the base show them at their crafts. Other guilds appearing at their trade include apothecaries, fishmongers and butchers, and shoemakers are even shown offering a stained-glass window to the cathedral.

During both World Wars these windows were dismantled piece by piece for safety purposes and in the 1970’s underwent some restoration work. The result is a Gothic Cathedral of unspeakable glory, as the light and colour of the glass creates a sight that is truly inspiring.

Decoding the windows at Chartres Cathedral

Gerald Fitzpatrick - Globe and Mail - Mar. 29, 2008

A visit to Chartres Cathedral, located about 80 kilometres from Paris, can be a confounding experience.

The contrasting spires are impressive. So are those soaring stone buttresses. And the glowing stained glass windows - in cobalt blues and ruby reds - inspire a sense of awe. But making sense of it all? For that you need Malcolm Miller.

Born in England, Miller came to Chartres as a university exchange student in the 1950s and couldn't quite get it out of his system. So he bought a house in the old town and became the cathedral's first authorized English guide. Since then, he has been knighted twice by the French government - and next month he celebrates 50 years of telling the church's story.

"Cathedrals can be read like books," he says. "Many of them have pages missing, but here at Chartres the text is still almost complete in medieval stained glass and sculpture of the 12th and 13th centuries."

The stained-glass windows of Chartres recount the history of the world - from Creation to the Last Judgment - as it was understood in the Middle Ages. Most medieval worshippers could neither read nor write, but they could easily understand biblical "texts" told in stained glass.

The windows also provide a fascinating glimpse of everyday life in panels that Miller describes as "commercials" for donors. The Noah window, for example, was paid for by the carpenters, wheelwrights and coopers, so panels show them at their crafts. Other guilds appearing at their trade include apothecaries, fishmongers and butchers. And shoemakers are even shown offering a stained-glass window to the cathedral.

During an hour's performance - and that's what it is - Miller might "read" no more than a single window and an exterior portal. But he brings the cathedral alive in an unforgettable way - and he always asks his visitors to return. "I'll be here until Judgment Day," he declares.

Still, he may not be around quite that long. So if you are in Paris, forget the tiresome decadence of Versailles. Hop on a train to Chartres at Gare Montparnasse and walk up to the cathedral. If you're lucky, Miller will be there waiting for you - and you'll understand the cathedral in a whole new way.

In high season, Malcolm Miller gives English-language tours

Monday to Saturday (except during special services) at 12 and 2:45 p.m. In the off-season, he also offers one daily tour at noon. Tours are $16. For more information, call 33 237 28 15.

What sorts of stories do the stained glass windows at Chartres tell?

Let Malcolm Miller explain some of the panels on the Good Samaritan and Adam and Eve window - one of his favourites. It combines the parable of the Good Samaritan with the narrative of the creation and fall of Adam and Eve.

"The lower half of the window tells the parable in a straightforward way," he says, "while the upper half shows scenes from the Book of Genesis related to the interpretation of the “parable."

The numbered panels (right) match up with Miller's descriptions below (1-6):

1. "This is a rare medieval depiction of God in human form breathing life into Adam's open mouth. In that age, God would more often be shown in a more abstract way - usually as fingers under a cloud."

2. "Here, Adam is alone and naked in the Garden of Eden - or Salem, which means 'peace.' So we have two Salems: the Garden of Eden as Paradise Lost and the Heavenly Jeru-Salem, which can also be read as Paradise Regained."

3. "In this remarkable panel, God has caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam as he gently draws Eve from Adam's chest. God supports Eve's head with one hand while his other grips her arm. And look at how the two naked figures of Adam and Eve seem to merge into one"

4. "In this panel, a stern-faced God points his finger at the forbidden fruit while the tempting serpent twists around the trunk of the tree towards Adam and Eve. The pair huddle together with Eve's hand outstretched. This is the scriptural definition as the Bible makes no mention of apples."

5. "Adam has done it. He's taken a bite of the forbidden fruit and it's stuck in his throat. In one of the sculptures outside the cathedral, as in this window, Adam is shown holding his neck with one hand - hence the origin of the Adam's apple. There's actually a medieval pun here: When used as an adjective the Latin word 'malus' means 'evil,' but when used as a noun it means 'apple.' "

6. "God scolds Adam and Eve and expels them from Paradise. Condemned to work as set out in the Book of Genesis, Adam digs while Eve sits behind him spinning."

7.  This particular stain glass window, the Good Samaritan and Adam and Eve window, was donated by the local shoe makers guild between 1210 and 1240, and their representation is shown in the bottom panel

Day trips from Paris in the ile de France

Traveling to Paris does not mean that you are limited to the sites that are within the city limits. There are some very easy trips that you can do by bus or train that take a little over an hours travel time.

Louis XIV started Chateau de Versailles in 1668 and in 1682 the Royal Court and Government moved there to become a permanent resident. Court life at Versailles was to develop into the basis on which all European royal courts of the time were to be modeled. The rooms are opulently decorated and culminate in the Hall of Mirrors, a 70 m (233 ft) long hall, looking out over the gardens. The gardens are simply breathtaking. They were designed and built in celebration of the divine authority of Louis XIV and feature over 200 statues amongst the numerous fountains, ornate gardens and two out-palaces, the Grand Trainon and the Petit Trianon.

The town of Chartres, located south west of Paris, was one of the first urban conservation cities in France. As a result there are many 12th to 17th century half-timbered houses buildings and cobble stone roads run throughout the town. The greatest site though, is the Chartres Cathedral. The Cathedral at Chartres has been drawing pilgrims for over eight centuries the view the sacred relic Veil of the Virgin. The current Cathedral was built in only 25 years, when the original cathedral was destroyed by fire in 1194, and has a style and beauty that few others possess. The most notable characteristic of the Cathedral is the stain glass windows. Donated by guilds between 1210 and 1240 there are over 150 windows covering a surface area of over 3000 sq m (26,900 sq ft) and depict biblical stories and daily life of the 13th century. The light and colour the glass creates a sight that is truly inspiring. During both World Wars these windows were dismantled piece by piece for safety purposes and in the 1970’s underwent some restoration work. The result is a Gothic Cathedral of unspeakable glory.

Vimy Ridge is a 100 hectare national park dedicated to the First World War, Located north of Paris it saw constant actions for most of the war. The strategic ground was a ridgeline of14kms (8.5 miles) worth of high ground held by the Germans from the opening of the war until April 1917. It was a vital part of the German defense system along the entire front and its capture was a turning point for the Allied Forces in the First World War.
Much of the site has been left “insitu” with shell holes pock-marking the landscape from the artillery bombardments. On average there were 5 shells per square foot over the 14kms front. Sections of trench have been preserved as well as the numerous underground tunnels, used for bringing up supplies and as protection for the troops, so visitors can picture the enormity of the tasks facing the forces on both sides of the war.

The town of Epernay lies in the Champagne region of France north east of Paris. The production of the champagne blend was begun with Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk (1638-1715) who wrote the rules for making wine in the region. The Core of his treatise is the blending of grapes before the pressing and the care of the bottles after they have been “corked”. The Ave de Champagne in Epernay is lined with 19th century mansions housing the headquarters and cellars of the prestigious Champagne houses. The most famous of the champagne producing wineries is Moet and Chandon. Established in 1743 they have set the benchmark for the production of champagne. You are able to visit the Champagne houses cellars, dug out of the chalk they stretch over 100km (62 miles) underneath Epernay, but the grapes do not come from a specific patch of ground but from 1600 different wine growers in the region so you cannot see the actual vines of the specific wineries.

Giverny is the small town north west of Paris where the impressionist painter Claude Monet made his home. At his home he created a large and colourful water garden, which became the subject of some of his best known works the Water-lily Pond and the Bridge series, Rose Garden series and of course the Water- Lilies, The gardens fell into some disrepair after his death in 1926, but have been restored to their original glory and his house has been turned into a museum which houses the Nympheas Water Lilies series.