Though the cathedral is the focus of a visit to
Chartres, there are a few other attractions. The Musée des Beaux Arts (Wed-Sat:
May-Oct 10am-noon & 2-6pm; Nov-April 10am-noon & 2-5pm; closed Sun am;
E1.50), in the former episcopal palace just north of the cathedral, has some
beautiful tapestries, a room full of Vlaminck, and Zurbaran's Sainte Lucie, as
well as good temporary exhibitions. Behind it, rue Chantault leads past old town
houses to the river Eure and Pont du Massacre. You can follow this reedy river
lined with ancient wash-houses upstream via rue du Massacre on the right bank.
The cathedral appears from time to time through the trees and, closer at hand,
on the left bank, is the Romanesque church of St-André, now used for art
exhibitions, jazz concerts and so on. Crossing back over at the end of rue de la
Tannerie into rue du Bourg takes you back to the cathedral through the medieval
town, decorated with details such as the carved salmon on a house on place de la
Poissonnerie.The memorial on the corner of rue Collin d'Arleville and
boulevard de la Résistance is to Jean Moulin, prefect of Chartres until he was
sacked by the Vichy government in 1942. When the Germans occupied Chartres in
1940, he refused under torture to sign a document to the effect that black
soldiers in the French army were responsible for Nazi atrocities. He later
became de Gaulle's number one man on the ground, co-ordinating the Resistance,
and died at the hands of Klaus Barbie in 1943.
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