Chartres on a Monday in March

On a trip to France last month, we spent one night in Chartres and it was a Monday. We didn't expect to do a lot of sightseeing in Chartes, given that we weren't arriving until evening. We were driving up to Paris after spending time in the Dordogne region, and Chartes was just a stopover where we could sleep, then return our rental car in the morning and continue on by train. Our only plans were to have a nice dinner out and hopefully enjoying seeing "Chartres en Lumieres"--many buildings and historical sites around Chartres beautifully illuminated after about 10 p.m. After checking into the hotel, we were pleased to find out that the cathedral was open until 7:30 p.m.. We spent about an hour in there, then had a nice dinner in the outdoor seating area of a restaurant right across the street. As we were finishing dinner, the light show on the facade of the cathedral, set to music, was just starting. On our walk back to the hotel, we saw many of the other illuminated buildings. Chartres en Lumieres may be done for the year by now. I noticed that the Rick Steves "Loire to the South of France" tour always starts on a Sunday and the first two overnights are in Chartres. I'm assuming that plenty is open there on a Monday or the tour wouldn't choose that day to be there.

I can't remember if it was a Monday, but I went there in March 2016 for the day.
It was very cold!!, and windy, so wrap up warm!
Chartres is charming and lots to walk about and see.
Inside the Cathedral was even colder!
I had a nice lunch to warm up halfway through my day, in a little restaurant just to the left of the Cathedral, down a couple of steps.

Monday will be fine. Paris keeps about half the sites open on Monday so there's never a really bad day to tour (except crowds). The main sight is the Cathedral and that is open every day. If you wanted to see any other sights in Chartres, you might not be able to visit. Smaller cities regularly close attractions on Monday.

The In'tl Stained Glass Center in Chartres is also open Mondays. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is closed but you'll have so many more important art museums to visit in Paris, any way.

I noticed that the Rick Steves "Loire to the South of France" tour always starts on a Sunday and the first two overnights are in Chartres. I'm assuming that plenty is open there on a Monday or the tour wouldn't choose that day to be there.

I have taken that tour. Just about the entire town is shut down on Monday. You can walk around the pedestrian only area and look at the windows but just about every shop was closed, even many restaurants.

I think the tour starts there on Sunday because they want to be in Sarlat on the market day, so working backward from Wed given the itinerary they use gives them the start date.