| Planning a short break to Chartres? Check out Travel Library's recommended Top 10 Things To Do in Chartres. It's a perfect companion for weekend city breaks to Chartres. Once you've been you can add your own tips and suggestions to help other visitors. |
| Top 10 Things in Chartres on a Short Break |
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 Musee des Beaux-Arts de Chartres - Cutural Attraction |
29 Cloitre Notre-Dame. This is one of the highlights of any visit to Chartres. The museum is housed in a former Episcopal palace, one part of which dates back to the 15th century. The museum's collection covers the 16th to 20th centuries, and includes the work of masters like Zurbaran; Watteau; and Brosamer.
The museum is open October to May Wednesday to Monday from 10h00 - 12h00 and 14h00 - 17h00; and June to September Wednesday to Monday from 10h30 - 18h00. Admission is $3 for adults and free for children under 12. |
|
 Le Grand Monarque Best Western - Hotel |
22 place des Epars. This is Chartres top hotel and is housed in a mid 19th century building, which is around a courtyard. The hotel is filled with old charm, with Art Nouveau stained glass and Louis XV chairs in the dining room. It offers a range of facilities, including a restaurant; a bar; room service; laundry/dry cleaning; and a brasserie. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, with TV; minibar; telephone; and a full bathroom.
For more information visit the hotel's website: www.bw-grand-monarque.com |
|
 Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Chartres - Cutural Attraction |
| 16 Cloitre Notre-Dame. The cathedral that stands there today dates back to the 13th century, and is one of the world's greatest high Gothic cathedrals and was the first to use flying buttresses to support the dimensions within. The North and South Portals of the cathedral show biblical scenes like the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. Other attractions of the cathedral include the wooden Notre-Dame du piller; Our Lady of the Crypt; New Bell Tower; and the Episcopal Gardens. The cathedral is open everyday from 08h30 - 19h00. Admission is free. |
|
 La Vieille Maison - Restaurant or Cafe |
| 5 rue au Lait. This is one of the best restaurants in Chartres, and is housed in a historic 14th century building. The dining room is decorated in the Louis XIII style and is centered on a narrow ceiling vault, which was crafted of chiseled white stone blocks during the 800s. They serve a wide range of modern French cuisine, including foie gras of duckling; roasted crayfish with Indian spices; and Profiteroles stuffed with a mixture of snails and frogs' legs served with a parsley-flavored cream sauce. The restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 12h00 - 14h15 and Tuesday to Saturday from 19h00 - 21h15. Reservations are recommended as the restaurant tends to get very busy. |
|
 Les Chalandises - Local Festival or Holiday |
Chartres Expos, La Route de Paris. This is one of the highlights on the Chartres events calendar, and attracts many visitors from all over France and the whole world. This is the place to buy fashion; furniture; gourmet food; and wine at very good prices. This annual festival is held in April or May, and is open everyday from 10h00 - 18h00.
For further information call: 33 (0) 2 37 28 29 37 |
|
 Hotel Chatelet - Hotel |
6-8 av. Jehan-de-Beauce. This modern, yet traditional, hotel is another one of the top hotels in Chartres. The comfortable rooms are furnished with reproductions of Louis XV and Louis XVI furniture. Some of the windows of the rooms on the back garden side of the hotel open onto views of the cathedral. The hotel only serves breakfast, but there are many excellent restaurants close to the hotel. The rooms are all comfortable and cozy, with TV; telephone; minibar; hair dryer; and a full bathroom.
For more information visit: www.hotelchatelet.com/ |
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 Centre international du Vitrail - Cutural Attraction |
| Cloitre Notre-Dame, near the cathedral. This centre is a cultural centre and a workshop museum about the art of stained glass. The centre is designed to educate; encourage; and protect the art of stained glass. The workshop museum and documentation centre provides information on the different stages of the designing of stained glass and the history behind the art. There are demonstrations; exhibitions; guided tours; conferences; workshops for children; heritage classes; and training courses for adults. The centre is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10h00 - 18h00. |
|
 Le Grenier de l'Histoire - Cutural Attraction |
| 1178 devenue Villa Franche. This is one of the most interesting museums in France, and is well worth a visit when in Chartres. The museum has many exhibits, including historical events shown with models from the time of St. Louis up to the present; a 1900 school; historical scenes with costumes, helmets documents and arms; and a collection of helmets from armies, police forces, civil service; as well as flags and weapons. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday from 14h00 - 18h00. Admission is $5.20 for adults and $3 for children and seniors. |
|
 Le Buisson Ardent - Restaurant or Cafe |
| 10 rue au Lait. This excellent restaurant is housed in a beautiful 16th century house in the historic section of Chartres. They serve a range of delicious traditional French food, including escalope of foie gras with apples and Calvados; and emincee of roasted pigeon with sweetbreads and honey sauce. For desert try the crispy hot pineapples with orange and passion fruit salad. The restaurant is open Thursday to Saturday and Monday, Tuesday from 12h00 - 14h00 and 19h30 - 21h30; and Sunday from 19h30 - 21h30. |
|
 Comfort Inn Chartres - Hotel |
Za Forum Du Coudray Beauce. This hotel has the right name: it is one of the most comfortable and relaxing hotels in Chartres, and a little more affordable than most other top hotels in town.
The hotel has a number of facilities, including room service; meeting rooms; laundry services; room service; and family rooms.
The rooms are comfortable and stylish, and all have TV; in house movies; telephone; hair dryer; and a full bathroom. |
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