Exclusive Visit to Chartres Cathedral: February 12–15, 2025

American Friends of Chartres invites you on a remarkable journey to the renowned Chartres Cathedral, offering an unparalleled opportunity to experience its artistry, history, and conservation efforts up close.

This trip provides the last opportunity to see the stained glass and other restoration works of the north transept up close, before the scaffoldings are removed.

We will be observing the work of the stained-glass artists (Maîtres Verriers) from the renowned ateliers Pinto. As they

• install the restored stained glass (Repose de vitraux),
• install the metal fittings (Pose de serrureries), and
• install protective glazing (Pose des verrières de protection).

on bays 117 (financed by AFC) and 115.

You will also be able to see up close the Rose of the North transept, a marvel of medieval craftsmanship and craftsman/women finishing the restoration of the painted décor, namely the keystones.

Highlights of the trip include:

• A private tour of the Cathedral with renowned expert Malcolm Miller*, whose insights bring the Cathedral’s history and architecture vividly to life.
• A guided visit of the choir screen led by Félicité Lagier*, who will provide a detailed exploration of its artistry, historical and spiritual significance.
• An exclusive viewing of the Treasury (Trésor) with Irène Jourdh’heuil and Fabienne Audebrand from the Regional Directorate for Culture (DRAC), who will reveal the rich legacy of the restored St Piatus Chapel and treasures housed within the Cathedral.
• A rare opportunity to examine medieval manuscripts at the Médiathèque de Chartres with the curators* of the Medieval and Renaissance Collections.

Each of these specialists (* to be confirmed depending on availability) will illuminate the Cathedral with their profound knowledge, offering unique perspectives and fine-grained understandings of its many facets.

Before or after the Chartres visit, depending on tour availability, this trip includes the possibility of visiting the newly re-opened Notre-Dame de Paris, providing a broader experience of France’s unparalleled Gothic heritage as well as witnessing first-hand the amazing restoration of the cathedral after the 2019 fire.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to engage with the past and present of these iconic landmarks.

For more details and to reserve your place, please contact Dominique Lallement and Claire-Noëlle Simon at friendsofchartres@yahoo.com.

We look forward to sharing this extraordinary experience with you!