Chartres

Chartres is a town about 2.5 hours North of us. We visited on Saturday as we needed to pick up some snow tyres for our upcoming trip to Switzerland. To make the most of it we visited the local homeshow - very similar to those in NZ but on a much bigger scale and with lots of food and craft stalls added in. We bought a brilliant art work of the Chartres cathedral to bring home with us. We then at eat a little traditional French eatery with the set menu. Absolutely delicious and a great cosy atmosphere. We must have been in a touristy area though because everyone in the restaurant spoke English, It was weird knowing that our conversations would be understood by everyone for a change.

Then it was on to what we really came for - Chartres en Lumieres (Chartres in Lights). Every night from April to January to city lights up its historic monuments with colourful moving projections. We had been to this once before last time we were in France but the kids were too young to remember. It was a late night as the lights didn't turn on until 9pm (and went until 1am as everything seems to do in France but well worth it.