We are pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Anne-Marie, a member of the Solo Travel Society on Facebook. Anne-Marie lives in Belgium and submitted the following report about Chartres. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend? Submit your description here, along with a few photos, and share it with fellow travelers!
Solo travel rating: 1 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult. Please see chart below)
Languages spoken: French
Tranquil, historical Chartres
Reasons to Visit Chartres
Staying in Paris, but longing for a day trip to the countryside? In less than an hour the train will take you from Montparnasse station through an undulating landscape to the picturesque Chartres.
Exiting the train station the spires of Chartres Cathedral beckon. A short walk – uphill, though – brings visitors to the old quarter. Pop into the Tourist Center where the friendly staff will provide you with a map and mark out a route so that you can discover the charming old center at your own pace.
Having survived several fires, a French revolution, and two World Wars, the cathedral is the main draw for today's tourists. My visit, however, was inspired by a stained glass workshop I did. The stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are predominantly an intense blue, the secret of which for centuries was guarded by history itself. Most of these windows date back to the 13th century and are actually the original windows of the cathedral. In 1939, just before the German invasion, many of the classified windows were taken out. This not only saved them from destruction, but also offered specialists a unique opportunity to study each piece of art at short range. A half-timbered 13th century tithe barn next to the cathedral was turned into an International Stained Glass Center to keep this ancient art form alive.
Enough of the blues? Wander through the steep narrow streets. Sip “un café.” I defy you to resist one of those macarons in pistachio green or raspberry pink. Then make your way to the river where wash houses for fullers and tanners and mills beg to be photographed.
On the outskirts of Chartres the Bel Air housing estate looks the picture in quite a different way. Four thousand square meters of this post-war housing block was covered with trompe l’oeil paint effect in 2008. Each of the four apartment buildings now reflects the identity of the region. The residents were very much involved in the project, they were consulted and asked to choose the themes. In fact, some of them even stood model for the characters in the scenes.
Architectural detail on the cathedral
Gorgeous stained glass.
Trompe l'oeil on the apartment buildings of Bel Air
Solo Travel Destination Rating System
Safety – 1 (1 very safe, 2 safe in most areas, 3 be cautious at all times.)
Language – 2 (1 English is first language, 2 English speakers easy to find, 3 English speakers rare)
Navigation – 1 (1 easy to navigate by transit or car, 2 poor transit, car necessary, 3 not easy to get around)
Culture – 1 (1 Similar to North America or Western Europe, 2 Different from above but relaxed and easy, 3 Challenging)
Average Rating – 1 (1 is easiest, 3 is most difficult)
