“June 9 cont….

After all the traffic associated with the strike we finally made it to Chartres, albeit two hours late.  Chartres is a wonderful little town.  Although the town is centuries old, it is tidy, clean, and well maintained.  The town’s main attraction is the cathedral of Chartres (Notre Dame de Chartres) .  Built in the Gothic style during the 12th and 13th centuries, it is well known for its vast collection of stained glass.  This is truly the most stained glass I’ve ever seen in one place.  I thought St. Chappelle in Paris was beautiful, but here in Chartres, there’s just so much more!   Equally impressive is the alter and the walls surrounding it that has a carved granite screen depicting the life of St. Mark.  This was beautiful and we took time to study each panel recalling the associated Biblical account.    

After spending about an hour in and around the cathedral, we took some time to explore the town center.  Charlotte and I stopped at a little take-a-way place and picked up ham and cheese baguettes.  Then we wandered around until we found a park, grabbed a bench, and enjoyed our lunch.