8h

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Chartres Cathedral is the most impressive gothic cathedral of France. A high place of worship and christian pilgrim. Chartres is situated in the heart of the Beauce valley, corn attic of the Île-de-France region. The region holds a very important place in the French religious history.

The cathedral built in the early 12th century is famous for its three portals of which the royal portal with its incomparable architectural masterpiece of the roman art. The other gorgeous specific characteristic of the monument is the wonderful stained glass windows from the 12th & 13th centuries with its unique blue colour called “the blue of Chartres”. This is the most important collection in France our guide will describe. Radiantly colourful, exceptionally expressive, there are 172 stained glass windows covering a total of 2600 sq meters.

Inside you will discover a mysterious circle labyrinth inserted in the pavement. This is a witness of the medieval time.

The cathedral is a symbol of the gothic architecture recognised as a Unesco World Heritage but the city of Chartres is a charming small city with its old narrow paths and museums.

Your guide will invite you to follow a walking guided signposted itinerary around the cathedral which will make you appreciate the charm of this magnificent site with its churches, its medieval houses decorated with wooden sculptures. There are also some nice craft shops, shops and markets maintaining the lively and picturesque charm of the medieval past.

In the afternoon, you will visit Versailles Palace.

With its three chateaux, gardens and parks, Versailles is an immense estate. Louis XIV, called the Sun King, is the creative force of Versailles. He turned Versailles into a sumptuous estate and the symbol of absolute monarchy in the 17^th century.

Louis Le Vau and then Jules Hardouin-Mansart and Charles Lebrun are the main architects both Versailles and the Grand Trianon and André Le Nôtre for the gardens.  

You will visit the State Apartments with its 8 rooms, the Hall of Mirrors, the King and Queens’ apartments and since July 2006 some new rooms recently renovated, the Royal Chapel and the Royal Opera.

Your visit in the castle is with an audio-guide in your language. After this visit which lasts around 1 hour and 10 minutes, our guide will accompany you to the gardens.

Beyond the chateau, stretch the gardens and the park. At the foot of the chateau, Le Nôtre created the parterres, designed to be viewed from the terraces. You will see the Grande Perspective which draws the eye to the horizon with its Latona and Apollo fountains. You will stroll to the north and south parterres full of flowers. You will see the various groves in the gardens : the Baldroom and the Colonnade, the Enceladus…and some others our guide will let you discover.

Our guide will drop you off at your hotel after this very intensive visit which will throw you back to the century of lights.