Gothic Cathedrals of France

Paris, Rouen, Reims, Chartres and more...

Please note that this is a "suggested" private group tour itinerary, which can be changed to suit your interests. The tour price will depend on the number of participants, travel dates, type of hotels, etc.

There is no better place than the heart of France for a tour of classical Gothic architecture. Within a few hours' drive of Notre-Dame de Paris you can easily reach several more cathedrals such as Reims, Rouen, Chartres, Beauvais, Amiens - to name but a few of the many crown jewels of France's treasure trove of Gothic architecture.

At Notre-Dame de Paris you may not run into Esmeralda or Quasimodo, as Victor Hugo would have you believe, but you will discover many surprising facets of this ornate 12-14th century Gothic cathedral:

• The exterior with a three-portal façade covered in detailed bas-relief; up above, the gallery of the kings, the stained-glass rose window and the two towers, one of which houses the famous fourteen-ton bell.
• The interior with a nave that can accommodate up to 6,500 people, the lateral chapels, the transept lit by glorious stained glass windows, and the choir decorated by order of Louis XIII.
• Finally, the Museum Notre Dame de Paris, showing the transformations and restorations that have been made to the cathedral, as well as the major events of French history it has witnessed over the centuries.

The Rouen cathedral is a wonderful masterpiece in the Gothic style known as "lanceolate" (architectural details shaped like a lance head). This grandiose edifice was also made famous by the painter Claude Monet, the grand master of French Impressionism, who was fascinated by the luminous changes on its façade. He produced some twenty different canvases of the front view showing the building at various times of the day or year and under a variety of weather conditions.

Rouen is the capital of Normandy. It is very proud of its Gothic cathedral, of course, but it has more to offer. A walk down its narrow cobbled streets lined with ancient timber-framed houses takes you back to medieval times, all the way back to 1431 when Joan of Arc was burned at the stake on the Place du Vieux Marché. Her statue can be found in a corner of the square.

In Reims, premier center of the Champagne region (the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site) a winery tour is "de rigueur," of course.

At Notre-Dame de Chartres (another UNESCO World Heritage Site), widely considered the "prototype Gothic building," the creativity and skill of medieval church builders and architects is absolutely amazing. This cathedral inspires superlatives. It is considered the finest example of the "high Gothic" style of architecture: soaring aisles, delicate carvings, flamboyant spires, complex flying buttresses, high pointed arches and the vivid colors of the superb stained glass windows (152 of which have survived the centuries).

Along with some of the most daring and beautiful architecture ever developed for cathedrals and religious purposes, this custom tour delivers enlightenment and fascination.

There are many more possibilities on this tour route: Noyon, Laon, Senlis, Amiens, etc. Let us know where and when you want to go. We will create a custom program that fits your interests and requirements.

    

Cathedrals on this route we have personally visited: Paris, Chartres, Rouen and Reims. We have also visited the cathedrals of Strasbourg, Vezelay and Amiens. See pictures from our trips:

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