'Overnighter' Chartres: 28 - 30 April 2023

Chartres: Weekend 28-30 April 2023

Emile Male, the famous Art Historian, claims: “Chartres is the mind of the Middle Ages manifest”.
Suffice to say, it is the very first World Heritage site created by UNESCO and is one of the most picturesque medieval cities in Europe with its spectacular Gothic Cathedral Notre-Dame. This has the most complete set of original medieval stained glass windows of any cathedral in the world. But the town, also, is a delight. As one of the first urban conservation sites in France, Chartres is a success story. Quirky half-timbered houses abound along its cobbled streets. The town is abundant in mills, medieval tanneries, humpbacked bridges and wash houses. It is the perfect place for a Weekend Fly-In – one which I recently organised via the ‘Pilots & Friends of Rochester Airport’ and PPL/IR.
Although the weather initially worked against us (especially as Chartres airfield is VFR only), some 9 planes & 17 people enjoyed a wonderful relaxing weekend together.
Because LFOR Chartres Metropole airfield – like so many French airfields – is non-Customs/Immigration, clearance was made either via Le Touquet, Le Havre or Deauville. It is also français seulement. [If the Club President is on duty, he is very strict about this. But if, though, you do your best using a French aide memoire he will come out as you are parking and congratulate you in English!]
Although the field is VFR only it has had millions of €uros spent on it and its new hangars & Clubhouse would make any Flying Club envious. It has an 840 metre brand-new paved runway. And all this for NO Landing Fees, and NO Parking charges! There is plenty of room for parking on the well-kept grass parking area; but only about 6 places on the apron by the fuel pump. [With prior negotiation, it is possible to arrange to park outside some of the (brand new) hangars; but in such a way that it continues to allow free movement.] Runway 09 (hard) is preferred if winds allow. There is often intense glider activity, so listen carefully to the r/t and only use the hard runway.
During our weekend (when arrivals were spread out over two days, and departures likewise over another two), unless I had pre-arranged for an attendee to be there for our arrival, no one was around within the pristine aero club which was open to all.
Fuel: This is available on a Total card; but check the Notams as sometimes this is limited to home-based aircraft only.
Taxi: Details are on a board in the club house; but we used Taxis 2000 tel: 02 37 36 00 00 who came quickly. The main gate should be open during day hours but, if need be, the Code is: 28000.
Chartres: To orientate oneself and to get an insight (forgive the pun!) I would encourage taking a ride on Le Petit Chart’Train which goes from just outside the Cathedral. Although spurned by some as being ‘too touristy’, it actually fulfils a useful need. The day time trip at €7 is an easy way to experience the layout of the city and its sites; whilst the evening tour at €8 is a ‘must’: The whole town is then enveloped in a ‘sol et lumiére’ show which culminates at the Cathedral itself when the tour finishes. People are often so overwhelmed by the lights on the West end of the Cathedral that they fail to walk round to the North Door entrance which is equally stunning. (see attached pictures.)
The Stained Glass – the best in the world – and the architecture of the Cathedral is overwhelming. From previous visits, I had befriended the Englishman, Malcolm Miller, THE authority, writer & broadcaster on Chartres. Although he is now 90 (he migrated to Chartres when he was 22), I managed to persuade him to come out of retirement to give us a guided tour. Even after 2½ hours, our group wanted him not to stop!
Hotels: We stayed at the Mercure Chartres Centre Cathédrale Hotel which was very central and convenient. Being part of the Accor Group it allowed cancellation till 19.00 on the day of arrival – very useful for pilots and was used extensively by some who came on this recent trip. They were grateful for having been advised to book this way. The hotel doesn’t have a restaurant or even a bar – one had to ask the receptionist for drinks; but because Chartres has an abundance of these, it didn’t matter.
Restaurants & Bars: The centre of Chartres abounds in a multiplicity of choice and quality. From a local resident’s recommendations to me, we used at different times over the weekend: La Passacaille, 30 rue Sainte-Meme, a friendly and very reasonably priced Italian; Cafe Bleu, place de Cathédral; Le Partis, 13 place de Cathédral; Le Moliére, 26 place Jean Moulin; Espirit Gourmand, 6 rue de Cheval blanc. All good.
Jean Moulin: We were fortunate to be in Chartres on the Sunday when he is commemorated by the town. He was prefect of Chartres during the German invasion on 8 June 1940 and, despite being tortured, he resisted the enemy and refused to sign a document claiming that the French troops had committed a series of atrocities. As he was afraid of being unable to withstand further torture, he attempted to commit suicide by cutting his own throat. He was resuscitated by friends but – for obvious reasons thereafter – was always portrayed wearing a scarf. He was dismissed by the Vichy government in November 1940 and from then on he planned and coordinated underground resistance, working in close collaboration with General de Gaulle. He was betrayed at a national meeting of the Resistance in Lyon on 21 June 1943; but did not survive the brutal treatment he received under ‘the butcher of Lyon’, Klaus Barbie. Our hotel was in the square which is dedicated to him and we watched, in glorious sunshine, the ceremonies (see pictures): Bands, Speeches, singing with gusto The Marseilles + the honouring of (the last?) two Resistance men of Chartres.

Clearly Chartres is a wonderful destination for a ‘Weekend Away by Air’ at any time of the year. The fact that many of the Group stayed on an extra day on the Monday speaks legions . . .
Go on . . . Give yourself & your friends that break which you have always promised!
Peter Geldard