Chartres or Reims?

Chartres is the classic cathedral. I'm not necessarily saying it is more beautiful, but it seems to be the one by which all others are judged. The town is wonderful. Canals with much of the Bruges type charm. It is much smaller than Reims so there is probably less to do, but it is more charming. If you have a full day and do choose Reims, I would recommend renting a car for part of the day and driving to Laon, another wonderful cathedral.

Will you be based in Paris? If so, there is no need to visit Chartres or Reims just to view a classic Gothic cathedral, as those cathedrals are very similar in style to Notre Dame, which to me, is more beautiful. I have not seen Chartres in person, but we did visit Reims last spring in conjunction with a trip to the Verdun battlefield and the historic castle at Sedan. We skipped the champaign tours and still had a good time, but I would not have gone to Reims just to see a beautiful cathedral, not after Notre Dame. But if you have an interest in French history, have time for a two-day excursion, and combine Reims with other stops, it is worth the trip. The town itself is mostly 20th century architecture and there is not a lot of local color, but you can get good food and wine there for a lot less than in Paris.

Chartres Cathedral is magical, IMHO. (I'm not religious, either.) I was lucky enough to score an EXCELLENT guide, an ex-Oxford Don, of all things, who carefully explained the stained glass. (The Tree of Jesse window blew me AWAY.) The Cathedral has most of its original 12th and 13th century glass, which is really a marvel, if you think about it! The cathedral is in a remarkable state of pristine preservation - not a lot of add-ons, re-builds, etc., so it is architecturally fantastic. You can spend a couple of hours just checking out the doorways - the sculptures over the north portal, etc. - so much symbolism and Biblical and historical information packed in! The town is charming, too. Well worth a post-cathedral ramble. I vote for Chartres!

The guide at Chartres Cathedral is Malcolm Miller. I thought the town of Chartres was charming - but then I haven't made it to Reims yet. I also climbed the tower - lovely view and you can see the gargoyles up close too.

Thanks for all the helpful comments. I should have mentioned that this will be our 3rd trip to Paris. We have been to Notre Dame twice already and looking for a new adventure.
In the s, RS states that Malcolm Miller now only give tours to groups of at least 12 people. I am leaning toward Reims because I'm into good food more than stained glass.

Chartres. But Reims is interesting too "Korbel" ????????? Now thats a challenge- Go to Reims and see what real champagne is like. Trying to be polite. But Korbel is about the bottom of the list of California "champagnes".

Notre Dame is beautiful but Chartres is beautiful and magical. Been there three times and I'm sure I'm not through going there. If you have a chance to tour the cathedral with Malcolm Miller, that is not to be missed. BTW, I've been to the Reims cathedral as well and while it is interesting and historical because it's where French kings were crowned, it did not have the ethereal, magical beauty of Chartres, IMO.

I have never been to Reims, but Chartres Cathedral is amazing. The town is also very pleasant and like most of France accommodates the tourists without spoiling the character of the town. Sounds like you are only going for a day trip, and I am not sure what time of year. We were there in May 2010 and they have this great display they call Chartres en Lumieres. At night they project whimsical visual displays onto city landmarks, including the cathedral. At the same time they play music from French composers. It was one of those magical things that keep us going back to Europe again and again.

Chartres is the better cathedral and has almost all of its original glass. They've been cleaning the stone too so it looks fantastic. The town is nice but nothing exciting. Reims has a very nice cathedral but much was rebuilt after WW1. The city has more to do and the Champagne tours are interesting. The food would probably be better here. Kudos if you know how to pronounce Reims... Please do not compare Korbel to Champagne... A note to the previous poster, though Notre Dame de Paris is pretty, it is largely a late-1800s reconstruction. Almost all of the ornament, inlcuding the famed gargoyles, and the glass is only about 120 years old.

I've only visited Chartres. Rather than repeat what the others have said (to which I agree), I'll add a few other details that I liked. Foremost in my mind is the impressive manner in which the cathedral dominates the otherwise flat landscape for kilometers. From a distance, it almost seems to hover above the town like a ghost. If you're there in the evening, there's a nice light show projected onto the facade. "Canals with much of the Bruges type charm." Huh? Although I was last there in 2006, I don't recall a single canal.

@ Tom to explain the site, it's built over a Celtic holy site. The chevet hovers at the edge of a cliff, and there is a small neolithic standing stone next to a well in the crypt. This has been a holy site since way before Christianity. The sisters who run the crypt tours told us the stone just appeared one day. Either they don't know about the pre-Christian usage of the site or they'd rather not explain it. I don't remember canals either and I've been there a few times.

There ain't no canals, just the split in the Eure and an almost drainage ditch type thing to the east of them. Above information first acquired in 1964 and updated numerous times, the last in 2010.

Interesting choices. However, why not do Chartres, and then also do Beauvais? It's only 30 minutes north, and has the tallest vault of all Gothic churches. The choir and transepts were the only parts completed as it kept falling down. It's also an interesting study in remediation, as it has several structural supports (that Reims sorely needs, with cracking at the transept). Look at some photos online. I'm a cathedral fan and have seen all the French cathedrals except for Sens, and would rate Beauvais above Reims.

BTW, if you choose Chartres, invest in Chartres: The Masons Who Built a Legend, by John James. It's the current authoritative book on it's construction by an architect who has examined the construction sequences of French cathedrals in great detail. You can obtain a paperback copy on Amazon.

I vote for Chartres! I lived there for a year and would move back in a heart beat! There is a lot to do. The cathedral, of course. The Musée des Beaux-Arts is fantastic and right next to the cathedral. The walk next to l'Eure is charming and the park behind the cathedral is one of my favourite spots on the planet. I had many a good picnic there. (That's an idea! Pick up a sandwich from La mie caline or or another bakery and take it to eat behind the cathedral. If eating at la Mie caline (which is a French chain), I suggest la tarte Normande!)) The centre ville is charming and just having an ice cream cone near the ground fountains on Place des Épars is a thrill. Chartres is not a big city, but rather a small town (with a somewhat city feel). You can easily duck away and find some charming streets with exposed wood. As for restaurants, there are many and I can offer suggestions for any budget (I had a student budget but did splurge)