Day 26 Monday 14th June:
Decamped this morning heading for Chartres. Stopped at Chevreuse but only a weak signal which allowed us to check email but that’s about all.
Headed south through heavy rain to Maintenon for lunch. After lunch we took a walk around the Chateau de Mainteron. This has importance in French history as the residence of Madame de Maintenon where the liaison between her and the Sun King, Louis XIV, took place. Madame de Maintenon, “whose eternal youth seduced the all powerful monarch. As she grew in favour with the King and became his secret wife, so the chateau and the town grew in importance”.
Left Maintenon and finally arrived in Chartres - had great difficulty in finding parking around narrow streets. We finally succeeded and made our way to the perhaps the most important and impressive cathedral in France, if not in Europe.
It is listed on the World Heritage Register. The cathedral is undergoing a cleaning program and the difference is amazing – from dark brown/black stone and marble to a creamy white and glowing after the cleaning. This is what it would have looked like when first built. I climbed the 300 plus steps to the spire of the cathedral which provided a magnificent view of Chartres and the flying buttresses of the cathedral. I can understand why people marvel at this accomplishment – not having mentioned the sculptures and paintings.
Drove about 20 kms for our nights stop in Courville-sur-Eure – to an Aire listed in TomTom – for dinner and the night. It turns out to be a beautiful spot near the River Eure. We took a walk around the river and its bridges passing some great gardens. So ended another day on the road!
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