The New York Times has an article about the recently-finished restoration of Chartres Cathedral. For the first time in a decade -- no scaffolding inside!
The Cathedral has been restored to the way it would have looked in the 13th century and is quite white, bright and light. Some stained glass windows have not been cleaned (yet?) and show the contrast. In 2019, the restoration of transepts will begin, and scaffolding will once again show up inside.
Thanks for the article. Note to self, go NOW while the scaffolding is down. Now if the chairs will be off of the labyrinth I'll be all set.
Thanks for this info. I was there in 2012, when a little of the restoration was done. I'll really try to get there again next year.
Thanks for posting, great to see those pictures. I'm with the restorers -- remove the dirt to see what it really looks like. On the other hand, to truly restore the medieval look, shouldn't they turn off the electricity too?
Great timing! We'll be there in October!
there is an article on the restoration in the NYT today Sunday Sept 3. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/arts/design/chartres-cathedral-restoration-controversial.html?_r=0
apparently many people are upset with its pristine shiny surfaces and colors which the restorers claim are what it was like when new and others are fussing about. For example the famous 'black Madonna' is now all pink and shiny as apparently it was originally. (just noticed that the Op included the link so feeling dumb, but it is an article worth reading)
I remember when the restoration of the Sistine Chapel was done there was the same furor. When we first saw it, it was dignified and muted and the second time I saw it, it was in blazing cartoon colors. When I saw one of Michelangelo's rare paintings at the Uffizi -- the holy Family tondo -- I realized the restorers got that one right too. It is positively garish in use of color.
This gives me chills! After my undergrad I lived in France for a year near Chartres, so I was there many, many weekends and days off. The photos look so vibrant! I am definitely going to make a point to get back there next summer. Wow.
We haven't been in years either Alexander and it is on our list for next spring when we get back to Paris for a month.
Actually statutes were painted in vibrant colors too, skin, clothing. The Chartres sound and light show in the summer months projects the colors onto some of the statues outside. If you look closely, once in a while you can still discern traces of polychrome on Medieval church statutes found inside churches or museums. Seeing religious statues that resemble shop displays can be a bit jolting to modern sensibilities.
Bets Does the light show occur at a time that makes it possible to catch the train back to Paris?
Don't know. It started around 10pm when the sun set, and we stayed the night on our way back north.
Wonderful information -- thanks for sharing this!
I'm putting Chartres on my list of day trips from Paris for my next visit.
Janet, no. If I remember correctly the last train from Chartres was around 9-10 PM
thanks. Well no light show for us then. I am not that big a fan but thought it might be interesting once. The Cathedral in the day will have to suffice.
No scaffolding, sounds good. I will be there either at the beginning of Sep or at the beginning of Oct 2018. When I was in Paris in 2014, the Rose window in St. Chapelle was covered for restoration. But when I returned in 2016 it was open and made the visit that much better.
I'm deciding between a day trip in mid September or early October this year as those are the two times I'll be in Paris. September 16 would be a great day to spend a night, because there's a lot going on, but I have to get back to Paris because I'm leaving for Lyon in the morning.
