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Chartres

France

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Traditional houses in Chartres, the Eure-et-Loir department of France

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Overview

Step off the train in Chartres, 91km southwest of Paris, and the two very different steeples – one Gothic, the other Romanesque – of its glorious 13th-century cathedral loom above. Follow them to check out the cathedral’s dazzling blue stained-glass windows and its collection of relics, including the Sainte Voile (Holy Veil) said to have been worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus, which have lured pilgrims since the Middle Ages.

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Cultural Pillars of Paris and the French Countryside

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  1. 1Cruising through Paris on a scenic, sightseeing boat tour that winds up and down the Seine River
  2. 2Shopping at Parisian neighborhood markets and cooking French fare with a local chef
  3. 3Basking in the cultural charm of Mantes-la-Jolie and Pont-Audemer in the French countryside
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