Back to Show
Rick Steves' Europe
Chartres, France: Pure Gothic Cathedral
A great side trip from Paris is the city of Chartres — and its famous cathedral, arguably Europe’s best example of pure Gothic architecture. It was built quickly, so the cathedral has a unity of architecture, statuary, and stained glass that captures the spirit of the Age of Faith like no other church.
Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Support Provided By

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:04
San Gimignano’s medieval towers, Cortona’s charming lanes and Orvieto’s papal intrigue.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:04
Tuscany's "sweet life": truffle hunting, an artichoke festival, the Leaning Tower of Pisa

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:04
Milan's fashion, delis and opera house, and Lake Como, where Italy meets the Alps.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:05
Positano, Sorrento, the ancient temples of Paestum and the Blue Grotto beneath Capri.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:05
We’ll climb to the top of nearby Mount Vesuvius, then wander through the ruin of Pompeii.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:05
Edinburgh is the historical and cultural heart of Scotland.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:04
From Mount Snowdon, to sweeping Victorian promenadades, to the Beatles' Liverpool.

Unlock with PBS Passport
25:05
Medieval York and Georgian Bath pack an exciting pair of sightseeing punches.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:03
Sevilla is the flamboyant city of Carmen and Don Juan.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:03
Experiencing the best of Portugal, we start in Lisbon, then head for the Algarve.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:03
Budapest feels like the capital of Eastern Europe.

Unlock with PBS Passport
26:03
Poland is ready to be rediscovered as the old “east” transforms into the heart of Europe.