Chartres & Paris, France
In the final days of our trip to France, we drove north to Chartres to see its cathedral and then on to Paris where we would return our rental car and eventually depart for home from Charles de Gaulle Airport.
It seemed wrong to drive past Chartres without stopping to admire its magnificent cathedral. Mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220, it was a masterpiece of Gothic architecture. All those flying buttresses allowed room for bigger windows which were filled with stained glass. Most of the glass was original which was a rarity considering all the turmoil this country has seen.
In World War II, the city suffered heavy damage by bombing but the cathedral somehow escaped a direct hit. During the battle of Chartres in August 1944, the cathedral was spared destruction by an American Army officer.
Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. personally searched the bell towers for German snipers and finding none, had the order to destroy it overturned. Sadly, Griffith was killed later in the day but was honored posthumously for saving one of the most important monuments of medieval civilization.
We drove on to Paris, checked into our hotel and bid farewell to our little rental Fiat. There were plenty of times during the trip we were thankful for having a tiny car to squeeze into parking spaces. I didn’t appreciate the frugal engine going uphill but I appreciated it at the gas pump.
We had a free day in Paris before our flight so I bought a transit pass and road the train into the central part of the city. I emerged from an underground metro station into the sunlight at Notre Dame.
I was interested to see the restoration progress on the church after the massive fire in 2019. I remembered watching live news coverage as its iconic timber flèche toppled into the flames. Evidently the government of France hopes the reconstruction can be completed in time for the opening of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
I walked west along the River Seine and then crossed a bridge over to the north side to pass through the massive courtyard of the Louvre. I’d last been in Paris in 1997 in this very spot waiting to go inside. This time, I hiked around its glass pyramids and continued on my way.
I crossed the river back to the south side and enjoyed strolling through the leafy 7th arrondissement toward the Eiffel Tower. It seemed like every street in Paris was lined with beautiful buildings and timeless sycamore trees.
After gathering a few picnic supplies at a small boulangerie, I soon spotted the tip of the Eiffel Tower and headed for the park at its base. I claimed a bench with a view between the trees and watched the elevators curve up the tower’s base, taking visitors to the observation decks.
After lunch, I bought a ticket to see the inside of Sainte-Chapelle, something I’d missed on my last visit. Consecrated in 1248, this chapel was located within the medieval Palais de la Cité, the residence of the Kings of France until the 14th century. Again, I marveled at massive stained-glass windows (which had been removed for safekeeping during World War II).
The carvings on the front told biblical stories visually, designed for a time when the vast majority of people were illiterate. I remembered this was also why most medieval shops had metal signs hanging above the doors to provide visual indication of what they sold inside.
How can you not be awestruck at the creative genius of people from so many years ago? What we appreciate today may be the only testament to their time on earth. It’s something I never tire of contemplating.
We’ve appreciated our time in France even more after being denied travel due to the pandemic. Despite added regulations, vaccines, tests and mask-wearing, it’s only strengthened my conviction that travel is vital for the soul.
……….
Thanks for coming along on the trip. If you have questions or suggestions, tweet @JasonRMatheson. Missed an entry? Click here.
