Chartres sleeping and eating

I remember his book having recommendations.

My suggestions are:

Hôtels:
A more old-world experience: Le Grand Monarque (4 stars)
A very French, no frills but clean and well placed: Le Bœuf Couronné

Restaurants:
Café Bleu is fantastic, innovative, and well priced.
Le Bœuf Couronné has gastronomical delights for an elevated experience
La Pasacaille is great for pizza
La Picoterie has some of the best crêpes I've ever encountered
Le Moulin de Ponceau is extremely innovative, modern French cuisine. I preferred their first incarnation to the modern one, but it's an experience worth having.

If you're game for a bit of authenticity, consider the Hotellerie Saint Yves: https://maison-st-yves.com/en. It's practically next to the pilgrim cathedral.

Saint Yves was a monastery for centuries, housing monks, priests, pilgrims and other religious folk. Now it's a hotel.

In 2012, I stayed there: It still ranks as among my favorite experiences over three visits to France. You'd be staying in a place that has housed pilgrims for centuries. It's modest, but comfortable, clean and quiet.

We stayed over night last fall for the illuminations

We stayed at the very old traditional Parvis. https://www.le-parvis-chartres.fr/fr. Right at the Cathedral hence its name. We like old traditional. Our room had a sitting room and bedroom which we like since my husband sleeps later than I do. but ancient place. Not a hint of modern hotel.

Don't miss dinner at: https://restaurant-moulin-ponceau.fr/fr/ with stunning views right onto the picturesque little river below the Cathedral. Impeccable service, food, ambience. We ate here 25 years ago when it was 'gourmet' but not very good. This time under new ownership it was just excellent.

If you time dinner to end after dark, you can stroll by the illuminations along the river as you then wend your way up to the Cathedral for the light show there. Worked for us in Fall -- probably not practical in summer when the sun sets very late.

Hi, joefollman:

Welcome to the Forum.

We were in Chartres a few years ago, and stayed at a lovely little B&B. I thought I had posted a review of it, but evidently hadn't. Here's a thread that does talk about the B&B, and includes some of my comments from a trip report:

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france-reviews/b-b-in-chartres

The longer trip report from that year should also mention some places to eat in Chartres. We had a great time there, and would love to return some day. https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours/better-late-than-never-loire-to-the-south-of-france-tour-report

I really liked the St Ives-it's so close to the cathedral when you're out at night to see the light show. The room and shower were small, but inexpensive enough to get our daughter her own room.

Another vote for Le Grand Monarque, which Alexander mentions above.