The Most Magical Town

Chartres, France

If ever there was to be a town straight out of Disneyworld, it would be Chartres. Located about 50 miles from Paris, Chartres is a beautiful French town. The town is most famous for its Cathedral, Cathedral Notre-Dame de Chartres. It is one of the best preserved Gothic cathedrals in Europe with a rich history. On top of that, at night the Cathedral is lit up with the most incredible light show. The show lasts about 10 minutes with music, graphics, and pizzazz enough to make Walt Disney’s head turn. 

It is not just the Cathedral, but much of the town is lit up at night. Lights projected onto the sides of houses and buildings create this fairytale like environment. I had never experienced something like that before and it was truly incredible. 

Chartres has other amazing things to offer, as most French towns do. Which is good food and wine. We stopped for dinner and dessert at a restaurant right next to the Cathedral so that as the sun set, we got to watch the lights go on. We all had traditional French cuisine and ended the meal with more wine and some desserts (crème brûlée and chocolate mousse to be exact).

The best way to get to Chartres from Paris is either driving (rent a car or ride-share) or train. Personally I would recommend taking a train. There is a train about every hour and it is about the same time as driving. Europe has an incredible train system, and as long as there are no strikes, it is fairly reliable.