Chartres offers a blend of medieval cobbled streets, large squares and old buildings. It is one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Paris and the Loire Valley. The Chartres Cathedral is the city's main attraction, so make sure you go inside to appreciate some of the most beautiful stained glass windows in all of France. Another interesting attraction that draws many to visit Chartres is La Maison Picassiette, a home, which is now a museum, completely covered and decorated in pieces of broken crockery that once captured the work of artist Pablo Picasso.

Being so close to Paris, Chartres experiences about the same weather as the capital city with hot, humid summers and cold, sometimes snowy, winters. The hotels tend to be fully booked during high season in July and August, so make your reservations in advance. Summer has its bonuses, especially when buildings all over the city are beautifully lit during Chartresen Lumière. When the evening skies grow dark, don't miss the sound and light show on the west and south sides of the Chartres Cathedral. Children may also enjoy riding the small train that runs in the summer throughout the city until late at night.

Chartres is perfectly doable as a day trip from Paris with the train taking just over an hour. Chartres station is very close to the Cathedral. We do recommend you stay the night to watch the colored lights play on the front of the cathedral - it's quite spectacular!

For the best shopping, head to place des Epars, a pedestrian area home to most of the apparel shops and even some haute couture boutiques. Many shops selling regional items line the narrow streets that stretch out southeast from the cathedral. Along rue Noël-Balay is a small mall with about 15 interesting shops, which can also provide a dry respite if it’s raining.

There are food markets on Place Billard near the Cathedral in the center of Chartres. From 7am to 1pm on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, the market is buzzing with stalls piled high with delicious local produce and items to buy, great for picking up some souvenirs. If you happen to be in Chartres in December, stop by the Christmas market in the Place des Epars.

The Loire Valley is more rural which means it is less common to find people that speak English. Most often English (or broken English) may be spoken at your hotel and in the tourist area, but not everywhere. We suggest you get a good English-French guidebook or app and familiarize yourself with common phrases such as hello, goodbye, excuse me and numbers 1-10.

Chartres has a good variety of restaurants, from fine dining to crêpes, tacos and burgers. Note that many restaurants close on Monday, so you will have fewer dining choices on that day.

For specialties in the area, try the Chartrenser, this looks like two small shortbread pastries stuck together with salted caramel butter. This delicacy is made fresh each day by the Arnaud Ioos bakery. Macaroons are also a local favorite. Made from a crushed almond paste, sugar and egg whites, this delicious round cake can be filled with cream of any flavor. Another tasty treat is the Mentchikoff, a chocolate-coated praline and Swiss meringue, created in 1893 during the Franco-Russian alliance. Nowadays, many confectioners in Chartres make this delicate sweet that delights gourmets everywhere.

You should try some of the local brew, a beer called Eurelienne. There are 4 sorts - white (blanche), "blonde", red (rousse) and brown (brune). It is brewed just outside town, in Chandres, by a local farmer and the "brewery" can be visited during the first weekend of every month. Unfortunately, the beer is difficult to find, although some shops do a "tourist" package. The Eurélienne regularly receives awards at the International Exhibition of Agriculture.

The currency of France is the Euro. US dollars are not accepted. Please be sure to have the correct currency on hand or be prepared to exchange your dollars for euros upon arrival. Currency exchange desks can be found at the airports and train stations. For more detailed information, consult our guide to tipping in France by clicking here.

In an emergency dial 112 is the general emergency services number or 114 for hearing assistance.