What to do · Chartres
Chartres Cathedral, its stained glass and the labyrinth
Information
- Price
- Free
- Duration
- 1 h 30
- Season
- All year; the labyrinth can be walked on Fridays from Lent to All Saints' Day
- Who it's for
- Everyone
Notre-Dame Cathedral is the reason for the trip. Gothic, built for the most part within a few decades after the fire of 1194, it keeps almost all its original stained glass, with its famous blue, and a Romanesque royal portal from the mid-12th century. Its two towers are not alike: one is Romanesque and austere, the other has a flamboyant Gothic spire. It has been a World Heritage Site since 1979.
The visit
Open every day from 8:30 to 19:30 and entry is free. Look first at the west façade and the royal portal; inside, the stained glass (bring binoculars if you have them), the sculpted choir screen and, on the floor of the nave, the 13th-century labyrinth: on Fridays from Lent to All Saints' Day, from 10:00 to 16:45, the chairs are removed and you can walk it. Audio guides can be rented in the shop. Every day at 15:00 there is a public guided tour, in French only, and the tourist office organises others by booking.
Respect the services
It is a working cathedral: there are Masses every day in the crypt and in the nave (at 18:15 on weekdays and several on Sunday mornings). During Mass you don't stroll through the nave.
Tips
- Early morning or late First thing, the light comes in through the eastern windows and there are fewer groups.
- Labyrinth Fridays If you can choose a day between spring and autumn, make it a Friday.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to enter Chartres Cathedral?
Nothing: entry is free.
What are the opening hours?
Every day from 8:30 to 19:30.
When can you walk the labyrinth?
On Fridays from Lent to All Saints' Day, from 10:00 to 16:45.
Are there guided tours?
Yes, every day at 15:00, in French; the tourist office organises others by booking.
As a familyWith teenagers
