Dressing Up On Holiday: Chartres

Hi all – sorry it’s been such a long time since my last post, the end of my time in Paris is fast approaching and it’s been a busy busy couple of weeks. Anyway, I wanted to share some pictures with you from the mini-holiday I took this weekend and tell you a bit about the first place we visited: Chartres.

Chartres is a small town about 50 miles/80km outside of Paris and, fun fact, it is twinned with both Chichester in the UK and Cusco in Peru. Although a lovely and thriving little town in its own right, Chartres is most famous for its incredible cathedral, which was the backdrop for one of this week’s photoshoot.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres was mostly built between 1194 and 1250, and is widely regarded as the finest example of French gothic architecture there is. The building you see there today has changed very little since the 13^th century and still boasts much of its original stained glass.

Not only that, the cathedral has also been a site of pilgrimage because it houses what is believed by many to be the Sancta Camisa, the tunic worn by the Virgin Mary when she gave birth to Jesus. It also boasts a large “labyrinth” in the floor of the nave, which is uncovered once a month to allow pilgrims to practice the devotional ritual of slowly walking around it, praying.

Chartres cathedral has escaped not only the ravages of time (hey, 763 years leaves a scar or two, y’know) but also a couple of attack by the French themselves. During the Revolution, an angry mob started destroying many of the statues and the building only escaped after a concerted effort made by the townspeople to protect it. Then, during the Second World War and the German occupation of France, the French were all set to blow up the cathedral, believing it to be acting as an observation post for the Nazis. Only the bravery and initiative of a US Army Officer saved it, with Colonel W. B. Griffith offering to go behind enemy lines and verify that the cathedral was not being used. This he duly did, and this magnificent structure was saved.

Top - ASOS
Skirt - H+M
Shoes - Vintage Louboutin, Rokit London
Necklace and Earrings - Oxfam
Sunglasses - Marks+Spencer

And thank goodness it was, because it really is beautiful inside and – at less than an hour from Paris by train – well worth a visit. That’s all for tonight folks, stay tuned for another exciting holiday post this weekend.