Chartres day trip from Paris
A day trip to Chartres from Paris: the collegiate church of Saint-André and the Eure river walk in the lower town, the Museum of Fine Arts in the bishops' palace, then Chartres Cathedral with its medieval stained glass, the International Stained Glass Centre, the church of Saint-Pierre and the mosaic house of Maison Picassiette. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
Chartres in 1 day
Day 1
Collegiate Church of Saint-André and the Eure river walk
Romanesque church by the Eure, now used for exhibitions, where a path follows the river past old wash-houses with views up to the cathedral.
Museum of Fine Arts of Chartres
Art museum in the former bishops' palace beside the cathedral, with Renaissance enamels of the apostles and gardens over the lower town.
Chartres Cathedral
Gothic cathedral built mostly in the decades after 1194, famous for its deep-blue medieval stained glass, carved portals and floor labyrinth.
International Stained Glass Centre
Exhibition centre on the art of stained glass in a medieval cellar near the cathedral, with windows to see up close.
Church of Saint-Pierre, Chartres
Former Benedictine abbey church in the lower town with tall Gothic windows of medieval glass, and far fewer visitors than the cathedral.
Maison Picassiette
House and garden covered inside and out in mosaics of broken plates and glass by Raymond Isidore, a cemetery sweeper, from 1938 into the 1960s.
Getting there
Regional trains from Paris Montparnasse reach Chartres in about an hour, and the cathedral is a walk of about 10 minutes from the station. By car it is about an hour and a half from central Paris, depending on traffic.
Staying in Paris? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to Chartres
Spring to autumn is the best time, with the river walk green and Chartres en Lumières on in the evenings from about April. Weekends and summer bring tour groups to the cathedral, so a weekday morning is quieter. Winter is cold and grey but uncrowded, and the cathedral is open all year.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Chartres on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Chartres on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Chartres on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for France from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Chartres
- Bring binoculars or a zoom lens: the best of the cathedral's medieval stained glass is high up.
- The north tower climb and the crypt are visited at set times; check them when you arrive and plan the day round them.
- The floor labyrinth is usually covered by chairs and is cleared only on certain days, mostly Fridays in the warmer months.
- The Museum of Fine Arts is closed on Mondays, and Maison Picassiette is usually closed on Mondays and in winter.
- From about April to early January, Chartres en Lumières lights up the cathedral and other buildings after dark; stay for it if you can.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Chartres Cathedral: Olvr, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Church of Saint-Pierre, Chartres: Poulpy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Collegiate Church of Saint-André and the Eure river walk: Poulpy, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Maison Picassiette: Julien Chatelain from Paris, France, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Museum of Fine Arts of Chartres: Romainbehar, CC0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
