Hotel Sugggestions - Chartres, Versailes, Paris - Bordeaux, too.

In Chartres in 2019, I booked a beautiful B&B, Le Jardin Cathedrale, that was just two blocks from the cathedral. The beautifully decorated French home was lovely, and my gray decorated room was just as perfect as the photos. Yet, my favorite was her garden – lots of overflowing white flowers and greenery and an inviting patio table. It's handy to go see the light shows at night illuminated on the cathedral. There's also some on various buildings to stroll and see.

Our favorite hotel in Paris is Hotel Sainte-Beuve. The hotel and rooms are beautifully decorated and have bathrobes. The lobby has complimentary coffee which we enjoyed one afternoon with some chocolates we purchased while shopping. It's near the Luxembourg Garden which is my favorite! Also, we just ride the RER to the airport, and there's a stop near the Luxembourg Garden to catch it back to CDG.

I have also stayed at hotels near Rue Cler, St. Germaine and near the Tuileries Garden.

In Chartres I suggest either Le Grand Monarque (Best Western) located right near Place des Epars smack-dab in the centre ville or Hotel Jehan de Beauce located right next to the train station but about a 6 min walk to the cathedral. I don't suggest the Mercure as it has never felt very clean and it perhaps one of the ugliest rooms I've ever slept in.

Merci a tous

Another shout-out for the Grand Monarque in Chartres! I've stayed there three times already. Standard rooms are a tad small if you have significant luggage; the approx €30/night upgrade to the category right above is well worth it. Spa facilities cost extra (€15 pp) but are top-notch if they interest you.

Balso,

As a frequent visitor to Chartres, what do you enjoy doing or visiting there? One can only spend so much time in a cathedral.

And as a Parisian, what suggestions do you have for restaurants, as well as off-the-beaten-track wanderings or visits to your city? Ten years ago, we found our way into a lovely restaurant in the 11th Arr. As the Maitre d' was turning us away because we had no reservation, the chef came out and ushered us in if we were willing to limit our dining to an hour and a half - which we were. Two hours later, as we were finishing our meal, the restaurant remained not quite full. We had a lovely meal that we literally wandered into. Yet I also know that reservations are a must at many restaurants - often well in advance.

My wife can suffer from museum fatigue. Ten years ago we visited many sights over the course of the week. Le Tour, the Louvre, d'Orsay, Orangerie, Notre Dame, Ste. Chapelle, Sacre Coeur, Eglise St. Pierre de Montmartre (a gem), Centre Pompidou, Jewish Museum, Carnavalet, Luxembourg Gardens, Pantheon, Champ de Mars, Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees. Then, we stayed in Le Marais, so we wandered that neighborhood quite a bit.

We have decided on 4 nights in Paris, so a truly long weekend and we will be staying near the Luxembourg Gardens/Sorbonne. We don't need to go back and see many of the big sights again, though we will certainly want to wander by Notre Dame and see what we can of the reconstruction. I am intrigued by the covered walkways, les passages.

Que faire d'autre?

Merci.

Fred, from Seattle

Fred, I am also going to reply as I am a self-proclaimed Chartres expert.

I have ties to Chartres because I used to live in the area. And I tend to go back once a year just to revisit my favorite haunts. What I love about it is that it's a tiny town (not that tiny) with some big city amenities. But it's small enough to see everything on foot, do some great shopping, eat some amazing food, and see some unique culture.

Chartres is not just the cathédrale. There are some great museums. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is quite a jewel. There's also a stained glass museum. If you suffer from museum fatigue, it's hard to suggest too much in French cities. Walking along the river in the old town is a thrill. There's also the quirky Maison Picassiette nearby.

In smaller cities like this, restaurant réservations are paramount. The demand is higher, so you want to make sure you've got a spot.

Keep in mid, day trips via train are quite easy from here. You can easily visit the Château de Maintenon, the Château de Rambouillet, take a day trip to Le Mans, or also see an example of an old, old château (when they were made for defense) in the quaint city of Nogent-le-Rotrou (where I used to live - the castle is worth the trip and the center of town is cool, but not lots of sights).

Thank you Alexander,

This sounds like a good transition as we head from more rural France to more urban France. You have several suggestions of interest, here. BTW, do you recommend going to the Museum of Glass before the Cathedral?

Fred, only if you find it something that interests you. I took a friend the first time who loathed every moment of it. I learned that trip that my museum adventures are better spent alone.