# Chartres Cathedral



## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

Just back from our autumn tour and thinking about next spring when we'd like to visit Chartres cathedral.

Does anyone know what the parking arrangements are like (for motorhomes) for visiting the cathedral please? Or perhaps sites/aires within easy walking distance........

Ray


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## sylke (Sep 10, 2007)

rayhook said:


> Just back from our autumn tour and thinking about next spring when we'd like to visit Chartres cathedral.
> 
> Does anyone know what the parking arrangements are like (for motorhomes) for visiting the cathedral please? Or perhaps sites/aires within easy walking distance........
> 
> ...


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

rayhook said:


> Just back from our autumn tour and thinking about next spring when we'd like to visit Chartres cathedral.
> 
> Does anyone know what the parking arrangements are like (for motorhomes) for visiting the cathedral please? Or perhaps sites/aires within easy walking distance........
> 
> Ray


Hi, We visited this year and stayed at the very good campsite Les bords de l'Eure. This is a relatively short stroll to the town centre and cathedral about 1km each way.
The one abiding memory of the visit was that it was a Saturday afternoon and the Cathederal was busy with visitors. There was a wedding to take place and a small section at the front was cordoned off with flowers and the guests were seated. Suddenly the organ struck up " Here Comes the Bride" and a very elegant bride, accompanied by her Mother, entered the main door and walked down the long aisle smiling and nodding to the visitors who all smiled back with hundreds of photos being taken.
The wedding continued with all free to witness it. The Bride was French and the Groom British - it almost bought a tear to my eye. 

Ray www.auxbordsdeleure.com/indexgb.html


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## homenaway (Jul 27, 2005)

Hi,

We stayed at the campsite in May this year. It was in the ACSI discount book €13 + tourist tax. Limited facilities especially accessible water taps but a borne at the entrance - for extra payment  

We walked to the city centre one evening to see the amazing illuminated buildings especially the cathedral once it was dark at 10pm! We didn't walk back through the park late at night though  

Worth a visit and we found most cathedrals in France were free to go in with a donation requested.

Steve


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## sylke (Sep 10, 2007)

homenaway said:


> Hi,
> 
> We stayed at the campsite in May this year. It was in the ACSI discount book €13 + tourist tax. Limited facilities especially accessible water taps but a borne at the entrance - for extra payment
> 
> ...


Hi Steve,
Did you try the borne because we used it for water and didn't pay anything.We found the same at other sites in France.
Regards 
Sylke


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

Please excuse my ignorance; what is a borne?

Graham


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

zappy61 said:


> Please excuse my ignorance; what is a borne?
> 
> Graham


A MH service point. an example of an entry for one is below:

la Mailleraye-s-Seine Aire 
P free
S jeton Rouen
Seine-Maritime
76 small aire in town centre alongside River Seine. some grass and gravel Occasional barges pass by Sewage works adjacent *Services borne* jetons from local bars


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

rayc said:


> zappy61 said:
> 
> 
> > Please excuse my ignorance; what is a borne?
> ...


Thanks Ray.

Graham


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## rolyk (Aug 24, 2007)

We went to the cathedral last year. Quite an amazing building and be sure to do the guided tour which includes the medieval crypt. The only problem being that the guide only spoke French but in our group there was a friendly Dutchman who translated!

We also stayed at Les Bords de l'Eure and walked into town along the river.

Roly


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## hblewett (Jan 28, 2008)

We wildcamped behind the large railway viaduct, which was on our right as we drove into town. The viaduct hardly seemed to carry any trains, so it was nice and quiet. It was beside a sports ground, mostly tennis IIRK, and we stayed on the side where there is a little stream where we watched a family of water voles busy with their lives. There is a meadow on the other side of the stream where there were horses grazing. All very pleasant if that's what you like to do, and about 10 mins from the catheral.

Located on Route des Grands Pres - here on Google Maps

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=48.460923,1.4874951&z=16&t=h&hl=en-GB


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## b16duv (Feb 14, 2006)

I used to travel down from Le Harve in a lorry, and used the N154 through Evreux and Dreux.

The relevance to Chartres is that early in the morning as you came over the hill from Dreux, all you could see was a blanket of mist with Chartres Cathedral sitting on top of it. It was a wonderful sight and visible from many miles away.

The road is different now, with new dual carriageway sections, so I don't know if the view is the same, but it's definitely worth a look.

HTH

David


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## rayhook (May 15, 2005)

To all of you many thanks. Looks like we'll get out the ACSI book again next year and go to the site; we'd been put off by mention of the lack of water taps (in the Caravan Club book) but if water's available at the borne then that's just fine.

Again, thanks to everyone.

Ray


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## hymerowner (Sep 10, 2006)

Got water from the borne for nothing earlier this year. Site was deserted. Easy cycle ride or walk into town.
through woodland.


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