FAMILY AND FUN - PART TWO

Our first full day together was an out-of-Paris day.  Nikki has always wanted to go to Chartres,  about 50 miles southwest of Paris,  and walk the labyrinth in the Chartres cathedral.  So we were up and out for a 10:00 train.  The day was sunny and clear but cold...brrrrrr!!!

The cathedral was mostly constructed between 1194 and 1220.  It became a popular pilgrimage during the end of the 12th century when people came to view the tunic that it was believed Mary wore at the time of Christ's birth.  The labyrinth, a representation of the spiritual quest of the pilgrim traveling to the holy land, was most likely constructed early in the 13th century.  For thousands of years pilgrims have come to walk the labryrinth and, while it is partially obscured by chairs, it is traditionally uncovered every Friday from the end of February to the first of November.

Entrance to the city square

I never tire of the sight of these old churches

Sorry for the blurry pic-this is a pensive walk-I found myself humming some old hymns

We didn't realize there was an outdoor labyrinth as well so we set out to find it.  It took a little walking and some stairs to find it, but we did and walked it too.

This was easy!

Levi walked alone!!!!

Sam, Levi and me

Chartres is a nice, quaint little town, and we enjoyed walking around it stopping into various little shops (santons were purchased!) until finally we all were ready for lunch.  After a great lunch at Le Serpentine (where David and I had lunch when were in Chartres in 2017), we searched out a stained glass museum Nikki had read about.  It was a quiet, out-of-the-way little museum where we got a close-up look at some beautiful stained glass.  It was a nice respite from the crowds at the Cathedral.

Not a bench in sight, but the edge of a large planter works fine for a brief rest!  It had been a long day, and we were all ready for the train back to Paris.

And we've just begun.....