Chartres Cathedral

Chartres Cathedral largely burned down in June 1194; the new building went up between 1194 and 1220 and was consecrated in 1260 in the presence of Louis IX. The two unequal towers are roughly 105 m and 115 m tall: the plain south tower dates from the 1140s, the flamboyant north tower from the early 16th century. The cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

It is famous for its early 13th-century glass: more than 150 medieval windows survive. The treasury holds the Sancta Camisia, a cloth said to have belonged to the Virgin Mary and traditionally believed to have been in Chartres since 876. Allow at least one to two hours for the windows, portals and interior. A labyrinth is set into the floor; its brass plate at the centre was melted down during the Revolution.

Besides the windows, the Royal Portal and the crypt are worth seeing. The north tower offers a view over the town and countryside. Guidebooks recommend checking the day’s schedule for choir and organ music and having the glass explained on a guided tour; the Musée du Vitrail is nearby. In the warmer months the façade is lit up late in the evening (as of October 2026).