There is a town nearby that is famous for it's cathedral which is a significant point on the Saint Jacques de Compostelle trail. In my opinion, the cathedral of Chartres rivals Norte Dame de Paris in it's grandeur, and because it's in a small country village, you can see it from miles (or rather kilometers) away as it sits at the top of a hill with a magnificent view of the countryside. Also, there are no crowds, so you can actually experience the quiet majesty of the cathedral.
I've been there several times to visit the cathedral, but I recently learned that there's a whole medieval village that still exists at the base of the cathedral which I had never seen; and, during the summer they have a special
light show,
every single night, all summer long. I love lights! The little twinkle lights at Christmas, the antique chandelier hung from a tree over a garden terrace, the flickering candlelight at dinner, the quirky lamp at the local coffee shop, the sunlight filtering through the trees, the moonlight shining in my window..... really, I LOVE lights! And so, I have been waiting with great anticipation for this opportunity to see the lights of Charters.
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| The cathedral of Chartres by day |
The medieval village of Charters is picturesque and offered a wonderful start to the evening. While we waited for the sun to set we walked through the tiny streets, following the winding river towards the cathedral.
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| A tiny little restaurant overhanging the river |
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| That's the cathedral in the background |
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| Chartres en Lumieres - Charters in Lights |
The pictures can't even begin to capture the beauty of the light show, but I tried to take a few to share with you. The lights are animated and tell a story of each of the historical monuments in the village that are part of the light show.
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| The cathedral in the midst of the show |
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| The side entrance of the cathedral |
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| Another side of the cathedral |
This church was one of the many monuments that were part of the light show. When we arrived at dusk, I snapped the first picture, and at the end of the night, from the same spot, I took the second picture.
It was a spectacular evening that delighted my senses. The beauty of the village was idyllic, the lights were beyond anything I had imagined, the music complimented everything nicely, the night was warm and cloudless with nearly a full moon, and the company was lovely!
