Chartres

There are many treasures to be seen outside of Paris--interesting villages, imposing châteaux, and magnificent cathedrals. One of the most breathtaking of these is the cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres, whose two towers rise majestically to dominate the wheat fields of the surrounding countryside. A Gothic masterpiece built eight centuries ago to honor the Virgin Mary, Chartres cathedral is only an hour's train ride from the Gare Montparnasse in Paris.

 Crowds of visitors come to Chartres to see the cathedral and peer through the dark, vaulted space at the world-famous stained glass, admiring especially the "Chartres blue," which has not been duplicated in modern times.


 
The town of Chartres was a center for the cult of the Virgin throughout the Middle Ages, as it possessed a statue of Mary reportedly carved by St. Luke, as well as the "Sacred Tunic," supposedly worn by the Virgin at the time of the birth of Christ. Now it is one of most famous cathedrals in France, a splendid example of the "High Gothic" style of architecture. (The facade, however, is early Gothic; it was rebuilt after a fire.) Visitors will see that the floor of the cathedral slopes down near the front entrance; pilgrims slept at the cathedral, and the floors were washed off afterwards, the water flowing out the door.

Embedded in the cathedral's stone floor is one of the world's most famous labyrinths, a winding path that stretches the width of the cathedral's nave and twists and arcs through 11 concentric circles. The labyrinth at Chartres was built around 1200 and is laid into the floor in a style sometimes referred to as a pavement maze. The original centerpiece has been removed, and other areas of the labyrinth have been restored.

This labyrinth was meant to be walked. In the past it could be walked as a pilgrimage and/or for repentance. As a pilgrimage it was a questing, searching journey with the hope of becoming closer to God. When it was used for repentance the pilgrims would walk on their knees. Sometimes this 11-circuit labyrinth would serve as a substitute for an actual pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and as a result it came to be called the "Chemin de Jerusalem," or Road of Jerusalem.
 
In walking the Chartres style labyrinth one meanders through each of the four quadrants several times before reaching the goal at the center: a rosette design that is rich in symbolism, including that of enlightenment. The four arms of the Christian cross are also visible. Those interested in walking the labyrinth today must do so on Fridays, when all of the chairs that cover it are removed.
 
Visitors can also explore the subterranean chapels and crypt; tickets for guided tours are available at the bookshop outside and toward the back of the cathedral. Just beyond the bookshop are the cathedral's apse and a pretty garden overlooking part of the old town.
 
 One of the best ways to see the cathedral is to take one of two tours offered by Malcolm Miller. An Englishman, Mr. Miller has lived in Chartres for many years, making the study of the cathedral his life's work. He has been conducting tours for more than four decades, enlightening many thousands of visitors about the cathedral's history, archicture, and treasures. The tours, which run an hour and a quarter, are given daily except Sunday at noon and at 2:45 P.M. To Mr. Miller, "Chartres is like a modern public library except that the texts are in stained glass and sculpture instead. No one person can claim to have read all the books in a library! Almost 70, and having guided here for 45 years I am still learning!" Mr. Miller came to Chartres as a student and returned to teach, never dreaming he would someday be giving daily tours and would have written five books about the cathedral. You can tell, while taking one of his tours, that he loves to teach. It is wonderful to sit in an area of the church and have Mr. Miller point out different architectural components of the church or "read" an ancient stained glass window, top to bottom, left to right.
 
After the tour, you will be tempted to stroll around the church, check out the bookstore and look at the books that Mr. Miller has written, then perhaps meander around the village but, if you want to eat lunch, you must immediately set off and find your restaurant as they close very early by French standards. There are bistros here and there with one in particular across the way from the cathedral where later meals can be obtained.

The town of Chartres itself is a nice bonus; narrow, winding streets head downhill from the cathedral to the river, where ancient stones can still be seen standing. A map obtained from the tourist center gives an interesting, self-guided walking tour of the village. 

You can take a 3 Km walk to explore the sites of ancient Chartres; signs are posted to lead visitors along the way. The stroll begins at the cathedral; turn left, and you will find the Centre International du Vitrail (an exhibition and research center of stained glass). Go back to the cathedral, and behind it you will find the Musée des Beaux-Arts, a museum housing 12 paintings of the apostles by Leonard Limousin. Continue through the gardens and you will reach la Fontaine de St.-André, which was once the main water supply for the city. Then you follow the river until you reach the Reine Blanche, which is famous for its sculpted wooden staircase. Nearby is the Eglise de St.-Pierre with its wonderful stained glass windows. Next, follow the hill to the Maison de l'Archeologie and then to rue de la Poissonnière before returning to the cathedral.
Practical information:
 
Reservations are not needed for Malcolm Miller's public tours--just wait by the bookshop at noon or 2:45. Information: (33-2) 37.28.15.58, fax (33-2) 37.28.33.03. Cost: 10 euros, and more than worth it. He is occasionally out of town so you might want to call before going if you want one of his tours.
 
Trains to Chartres from Paris leave the Gare Montparnasse at least once an hour. The fare is approximately $14, and the trip typically takes a little over an hour. The walk from the train station in Chartres to the cathedral takes just about ten minutes.
 
The noted restaurant La Vieille Maison is on one of the narrow streets near the cathedral, in a historic building dating from the 14th century. The food is wonderful. 5 rue au Lait (tel. 02-37-34-10-67).
 
Moulin de Ponceau, on the river below the cathedral, is a great place for lunch (if you arrive before the 2:00 p.m. closing).
 

England's Side Roads in the Spring

I think it was T.S. Eliot who said, “April is the cruelest month…” He was writing in England, and about England, and I think must have had some terrible personal experience when he wrote it. I visited England one year in February, another year in March, another in April, and several times have traveled the back roads of both England and Ireland in May, and I have seldom been anywhere more beautiful. In February, the crocuses sprinkled “The Backs” of the colleges along the Cam in Cambridge. In March, the daffodils were clouds of yellow blowing in the breezes in St. James Park in London and even broke through the snow in Wiltshire. In April, flowering trees brought surprising color to even the dreariest subdivision, and May was an explosion of yellow broom and white hawthorn. June may be best of all, with rhododendron hedges embracing the roads all over southeast England, and the roses climbing over doorways and spilling into tiny streets in villages everywhere.



Recently talking with a group of friends planning to visit Britain, I suggested that they drive themselves through parts of the country. They were immediately against the idea, expressing nervous fears of driving on “the wrong side of the road.” I know this is a daunting idea to many Americans, sadly. It is only with the independence that a car permits that some of England’s best rewards can be found. Driving through Britain in the Spring is perhaps one of the most intoxicating travel experiences one can have.



Backroads travel is hard to do by train or by public transportation, and hiring a driver with a car can be prohibitively expensive. But for a price that will be more cost effective for two or more even than the train, even with Europe’s gas prices-- nowadays not much more frustrating than America’s—and a few days taking careful practice on back country roads, travelers willing to launch themselves into the countryside will be richly satisfied. Driving allows pub lunches and cream teas unobtainable in the larger cities, sojourns in smaller, friendly, locally-owned Bed-and-Breakfast guest houses, and visits to hard-to-access tourist sites.

Our most memorable travel experiences have been in staying with folks all over Britain who not only served exceptional breakfasts but accompanied them with insight into the history of the region, told us of sites we would otherwise have missed, and generally introduced us to the real culture of Britain. A brief online or letter request to the tourist authorities in the region you plan to visit will bring all the information you need about lodging options, restaurants, and local landmarks. Taking to the low road—the not-so-beaten-path, is the best way to feel a part of the place. And driving through arches of rhododendron or fields of hawthorn simply can’t be experienced any other way—nor can staying in a rose-bowered guest house.

The Coolest Thing I Have Ever Done

The Coolest Thing I Have Ever Done


I'm in Paris, full of marvelous things to see and do. Treasures and history are on every corner. I'm with a group of people and a man turns to me and says, with his eyes lit up like a kid at Christmas, "This is the coolest thing I have ever done!" What was he talking about? Walking down the Champ-Elysées? Looking at Paris spread out at his feet from the highest level of the Eiffel Tower? Maybe a meal at Tour d'Argent? He probably had done all of those, but none of the above was what he was talking about. So what was it?

It was a ride on a Segway, a new-fangled mode of transportation that had people stopping and staring, pointing and smiling. It is a human transporter allowing people to go up to speeds of 12 miles an hour in any pedestrian environment. I suspect it was first invented to help people with limited mobility, but it is so much fun that everyone wants to hop on and try it.



The only place in Paris that you can rent a Segway is at Fat Bike Tours, an American owned and run operation, owned by David Mebane. He has the exclusive contract with Segway as the only tour operator to have these machines.

I joined a group one day for a trial run. A quick orientation is needed before you set off. There are three keys for starting a Segway, each producing a different speed. The red key, being the fastest, is no longer available to tourists after two couples left a guide in the dust speeding for the fun of it, not as tourists getting a look at Paris. Our great guide, Brittany, had to hold on to our Segway when we first stepped on because at first you wobble back and forth, then suddenly you are balancing-- some sort of gyroscope system underneath the machine keeps you balanced. Then you just lean forward and pull back on the handles to stop or to reverse if already stopped. The turning device is on the left handle. This is the part I enjoyed most, as you turn very quickly and easily and maneuver like something out of Star Wars. The Segway was easy to ride and great fun.

Then we were off on our tour, seeing the Eiffel Tower, Invalides, the Louvre, Ecole Militaire, Alexander III bridge, Place de la Concorde and more. We were covering ground 2 to 3 times faster than the pedestrians we whizzed by on the sidewalks. We could go up or down small curbs easily and quickly come to a stop. I imagine that those who have a little trouble with mobility would love the Segway. All that is necessary physically is being able to step up and down. Plus, you must weigh at least 70 pounds.

Part of the fun of the tour on the Segway is the attention we attracted. As we drove by, people stared either with a smile, because they could see how much fun it was, or with a frown, wondering what in the heck this new-fangled contraption was (however you say that in French). Bikes aren't allowed in parks, and we saw security men and policemen trying to decide if we should be made to dismount and walk our Segways. We found that as long as we didn't go right up to the Pyramid at the Louvre they would let us continue to ride.

When we stopped there to take a look at the Pyramid from a distance, people surrounded us and asked, "Where can you rent these?," "How do these work?," "What are these?," "Can you buy them here in Paris?," and on and on. I have a feeling that Madonna gets this kind of attention when she goes out for a walk. For just a few hours on one day, it was a rather heady feeling. We saw a bike tour go by us and I saw the riders look at us with envy.

David, the owner, told me that after a Prince of Saudi Arabia tried the latest Segway, he immediately went and ordered 30 of them for his use back home, as well as for his family and employees. Plaza Athenée has struck a deal with David to put carrying bags with their name on them for groups coming from this prestigious hotel to do the Segway Tour.

I asked David why this tour has become so wildly popular and he said he thought it was because it was so new--the latest rage. Maybe in a year or so the fad will pass, but it sure is a draw at the present time.



Is it potentially dangerous? I guess it could be. The Segway stops so quickly and easily that I don't think it would be easy to run into a pedestrian. It is possible to fall off, and I'm sure a few people will run into a wall or get a wheel caught in some gravel. No one in my group had any problems once we became familiar with our Segways. All I know is that it was a really fun thing to do and, possibly, "the coolest thing I have ever done."

These tours are very quickly booked. Call or email ahead of time to book.

Fat Bike Tours-Paris
Dates : Every day March 1st-October 15th
Times: Day tour at 10:30am, night tour at 6:30pm
Prices: Day tour 70 Euro, night tour 70 Euro, both tours 125 Euros
Meeting Point: Both tours meet in the area under the Eiffel Tower
Phone : 01 56 58 10 54
Web site :http://www.fattirebiketoursparis.com/
email: info@FatTireBikeToursParis.com