France: Chartres, 1-3 days, car-free, Loire Valley
The Basics
🚂How to Get There: Take the TER train from Paris Montparnasse to Chartres. You’ll be greeted by literally sparkling pavement when you exit the train station!
⏱️Time from Paris: 1h-1h15min.
💸Cost: <40EUR per person, round trip.
👌Pro Tips: Because this is so close to Paris, you can visit Chartres as a day trip. I strongly encourage staying one night though because of the light show! Staying two nights felt a little too long, but it allows for a very leisurely pace and you can really see everything.
👌Pro Tips (with a grain of salt): There is a free bus that goes around the periphery of the city. Grab a map of its circular route at your hotel or at the tourist office.
"Four vehicles with 12 seats and 14 standing places circulate in both directions, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Monday to Saturday (except public holidays) all year round. Each free shuttle runs every 20 minutes."
The grain of salt: In my 3 days in Chartres, staying one block away from the shuttle route, I did not see a single shuttle... so while it sounds great, it might not be the most reliable option.
