Europe is known for Gothic style cathedrals as when in doubt one must flock for a spiritual renewal…read moreand pilgrimage. La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres (Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres) resides in the town of Chartres, the heart of the Beauce region, which enlists in UNESCO World Heritage List. Here a shroud veil said to be worn by the Virgin Mary. The famous labyrinth is visibly seen in the main hall. The monumental screen around the choir is plastered with statutes, which I found rather frightening for its dark Gothic architecture. High cathedral arch ceilings, and abbey stone arch doorways. Victor Hugo would be cultivate the gothic architecture experience. Upon departure from Chartres, in a past life, my former love and I leave not with only memories of what physically seen but the feeling of being in a place of great spirituality and healing. Visitors flock to La Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres for a pilgrimage at free admission. It was here where my frustration from life's daily deal of bedlam are released and highly recommend a visit.

This past weekend on a Saturday, we were lucky enough to have a car at our disposal so we decided…read moreto take a road trip outside of Paris. We decided to go see Vaux Le Vicomte at night lit by candles and see Chartres by day. What a fabulous idea! Driving up to Chartre, the site of the church in the distance is breath taking and exciting. We actually stopped at a panoramic view across from the church in order to take pictures (keep an eye out for the signs and see my pic). We arrived in Chartre at around 3 pm and parked on Boulevard du Maréchal Foch which is below the old city (pay parking underneath trees and besides a b -there are pay stations every several meters). We walked over the bridge (Pont Bouju) into one of the most beautiful villages I have seen in Europe. And of course we arrived very hungry. So as we went uphill towards the church, we kept an eye out for a restaurant. There was nothing open or if they were open the kitchen was closed. That is until we reached the church square and found that all the restaurants there were open and serving. Check out my review for Café Serpente. They were setting up for a music festival and finishing a stage. The church itself is an amazing work of art. From the flying buttresses, gargoyles, and stone work on the exterior to the labyrinth, the stained glass windows, and Catholic iconography you can spend hours taking it all in and still only see a fraction of its beauty. You might consider getting a tour guide from next to the church to explain more of important points. Also, take some time to walk around the grounds of the church where you will find the Fine Arts museum and a spectacular view of the surrounding area including the panoramic view of the church where I took the picture. When looking up more info about Charte, I came across this event in September: http://www.chartresenlumieres.com/en/chartres-en-lumieres.html I will definitely be going back for that!

Sacre Couer on the hill of Monmartre provides the best 360 degree views of the city of Paris,…read moreparticularly if you venture to climb the 300 steps to the top dome (for 7 euros). Entrance to the basilica is free, and it's opened from 6am until 10:30pm. It was built with the "self cleaning" Chateau-Lando stone from France, and the rain and weathering keeps it white. Crowds linger on the steps and around the overlook areas. Vendors try to sell you cheap locks to put on the surrounding fencing (the locks covering the fences-even with signs saying "no locks permitted" are an eyesore and should be removed). Security line checks are long and in February 2026 we waited about 30 or 40 mins to enter. I can only imagine what chaos it is in the high season. The basicalla is beautful inside and well worth checking out, although quiet and repect are required as there are masses going on. For this visit the crypt was not available to enter, which was highly disappointing There is also a small train trolly like vehicle right outside that will take you on a 30 minute ride around Monmartre for 12 euros. We thought it was a bit cheesey and touristy at first, but it really was worth it! Sacre couer is majestically beautiful!

Free to visit, lots of people, the line to get in looked long but it went fast. Beautiful basilica,…read morenice view, I heard this was a great place to watch the sunset. You can take a taxi & get dropped off at the top, right at the entrance. If you take the metro, you'll have to walk up 222 steps or pay a few euros to take the Montmartre Funicular up, a 2 min ride. We spent about 30min there.

The town of Maisons-Laffitte is only about 35 minutes away from the Champs-Elysées by the RER A…read moretrain, and the Château de Maisons is a small and unusual chateau. Regular entry is 7.5 Euros or about $9 USD and includes a 2 hour guided tour during certain times (in French). The entrance looks perfectly symmetrical because it was built a bit like a Hollywood facade, with the outside built first and the inside built around the outside. This meant that some rooms have half a window, and walls are not where they might seem to be on the inside. The original entrance was built to receive royalty on the chance that they might come visit (which they did on occasion) so the marble sculptures in the portico and on the columns were carved to impress. Even the trompe d'oeil staircase gives the illusion of several stories even though the entire chateau is only two stories. The "third" story was hidden quarters for the servants under the "roof", which gave them a view of the royals entering and leaving the royal chambers on the second floor. The ground floor was where the actual owners lived and although the columns here look like marble, they are actually painted wood because the original ones were sold to pay off debts long ago. The most ornate part of the chateau is of course where the royals ate and slept and even the original parquet floors show the work put into pleasing them. The dining area had a middle entrance reserved for the King, while the side entrances were for everyone else; any pushing or shoving was punishable by fines. The King's bedroom was only used by the king on a handful of occasions but had the rare modern convenience of its own private entry with an adjacent bathroom. The women's quarters on the other side had a distinctly more feminine style. Most of the grounds were parceled off and sold to rich Parisians for weekend homes in the "country", but the bit that remains looks out towards Paris and the Seine as a reminder that a few minutes away is a place where you can leave the noise and intensity of city life behind.

Looking for something to visit not far from Paris and you've already done Versailles? Chateau de…read moreMaisons is your place. On RER A direct from Paris and a short walk through the charming town of Maisons Lafitte, you'll find this gorgeous castle. Gorgeous interiors for this castle nestled amongst suburbia. Entrance was 7,50€ for adults or free for 18-25 EU Recommend a visit!