Lunch With Friends in Chartres, France

Chartres is famous for its stunning cathedral, Cathédrale Notre Dame de Chartres. It is majestic, magnificent, stately, and as my dear friend Tim says, all the superlatives apply to this stunning, elegant cathedral. It is one of the best preserved examples of Gothic art with statuary and stained glass from the 12th and 13th centuries, and many other special features.

This masterpiece has survived multiple fires, wars, revolutions, and is still standing tall today. This impressive cathedral, a true masterpiece, is worthy of our devotion and attention. We visited in May of 2023 with our friends Tim and Lisa, when they were visiting from the states. I’m not going to spend much time on the vast, lengthy history of this UNESCO Heritage Site (1979) since it is incredibly detailed, but click here if you want more information.

However, when we visited Chartres last month, we went to visit dear friends, Nikki and Alun, and of course, Rosco, rather than le cathédrale. Nikki and Alun were neighbors of ours when we lived at LaThebauderie in Normandie, and we quickly became good friends. Since leaving France, we have kept in touch frequently via WhatsApp and video calls, but those will never replace an in-person visit.

They met us at the train station and of course, we had to greet Rosco first, who was wiggling, yipping, and squirming with delight once he saw us. Nikki says we received his family greeting. We haven’t seen them for two years, but he remembered us. Animals are truly amazing.

It was an extremely hot day during the canicule (heatwave) that hit France in mid-June, so we slowly strolled in the direction of their vacation apartment, enjoying the sights and a cool beverage along the way.

It was surprising that there were no crowds in front of le cathédrale as we walked past, most likely due to the extreme heat. Once we arrived at their vacation apartment, Nikki prepared a delicious lunch which we thoroughly enjoyed as we continued our nonstop talking, laughing and reminiscing.

We enjoyed the coolness of their apartment along with the views of the surrounding area.

After enjoying a wonderful visit and saying à bientôt, we slowly strolled back to the train station where we found a much needed air-conditioned restaurant while we waited for the train back to Paris. Spending time with friends is always special.

Later that evening, Nikki sent these photos from the nightly light show.

Photos and videos by Nikki Burton:

Thank you Nikki, for these beautiful photos.

Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints on your heart. Eleanor Roosevelt

It was a special time with dear friends and we look forward to seeing them again someday in the future.

As always, I would love to hear from you, so leave a message if you’d like.

Wishing you dear friends and grand adventures,

Tricia