Not quite off the Chartres + French men part 2 of 3

My first night in Paris I was doing my usual nightly routine of removing my makeup...when I realized I hadn’t put any on that day. That was when I knew it was time for a break. So the next day I got myself off to Chartres, which is a place I’ve wanted to visit ever since I read about it in a History of Civ class at BYU.
Chartres is a smallish town (population 40,000) about an hour southwest of Paris. It’s built around a cathedral with possibly the most beautiful stained glass windows in the world. (Every time I’ve seen such things, I’ve always thought “Yes, but this can’t be as beautiful as Chartres...”) I was excited to go and find out!

Marc Chagall, one of my favourite artists because of his use of colour (among other things), had designed the windows of the Chartres Cathedral. At least that’s what I’d thought. When I arrived I spent a while walking around the outside, admiring the look of things, but also mentally preparing myself for what was sure to be one of the best artistic experiences of my life!

Here's a bit of what I saw:





Beautiful, yes, but, I was not blown away. “Mysterious colourful half-light...light transformed by the stained glass, linking humanity to the divine....” I liked the description, and I kept wandering around, but I was still not blown away. By the time I got back to the entrance, one hundred and seventy-six windows later, it was clear: Chagall had not been here. I hoped the women at the gift shop didn’t think I was a complete idiot when I casually inquired, as if I was making polite conversation, where Marc Chagall had worked. Turns out he was in Reims and Metz, each a couple of hours from Chartres. Zut alors!!

But I’m still glad I went to this city. It was a lovely town and a nice break from the bustle of Paris. And there was a fantastic moment with a French man. He was about 80. With a small dustpan and hand broom he was sweeping the street as I crossed the street from my hotel. All he said was that it was a beautiful morning and very windy; but his smile was radiant and his face was full of joie di vivre. It was the best conversation of the day.