CHARTRES CATHEDRAL

Note that the headline only says "Chartres Cathedral," and not "Chartres Labyrinth." I have been going to Chartres far longer than I have been involved with labyrinths. My first visit was in 1965. I have visited 49 times in 40 years.

I have a great love for Chartres Cathedral, about which I intend to write volumes.

If you are wanting to know how to get to Chartres or where to stay, here are some of our tips:

If you want an interpreter or a private guide to the cathedral, be sure to contact Carolyn Malcolm. Her email address is: caroline.malcolm@neuf.fr There is a name confusion, as the famous English guide to the cathedral is Malcolm Miller. No relation.

If you are going to Chartres, I suggest that you consider staying at Maison Saint Yves, the pilgrim's lodging owned by the church. It is very close to the cathedral and inexpensive. Of course it is simple, and without the amenities of a hotel. But the rooms are clean and there are private baths.You can find information on the Chartres Cathedral website. The opening page is in French, but you can recognize the link to Maison St. Yves. Once there, you will find a choice for information in English .www.diocesechartres.com

This is a German labyrinth site, which has an English section. It has many links to sites related to Chartres. Very interesting. www.mymaze.de.

The work I most admire about Chartres has been done by John James, the Australian architect who spent six years in Chartres plus the past 30 years researching more than 1500 extant Gothic structures. His website contains a growing amount of fascinating (to me, anyway) information: www.johnjames.com.au

The building blocking some of the cathedral, in the lower part of the photo, is Maison St. Yves, the pilgrimage quarters.

The Chartres labyrinth surrounded by candles.