The famous Chateau de Rambouillet was just adjacent to our hotel. Amazing manicured grounds and meticulously kept "everything" surrounded us.
Renata remembered tales of the bloody French Revolution because a tiny fraction of the population lived like this while the masses suffered in poverty. England didn't suffer this fate, in significant part due to the Methodist revival which reformed society without the tragic consequences that French history witnessed.
Ducks and geese ate fresh baguettes for breakfast, brought to them by the French local visitors. We are the only ones speaking English around here, and the only Asians for miles!
Goodbye Rambouillet! Thanks for the lovely stop! We now press on towards Chartres...
Our first time cycling through such grand surroundings! Renata noted how mankind liked to tame nature by planting all the trees in a straight line and even trimming them cubical! Was this particularly part of the Rennaisance?
Soon the manicured lawns gave way to rustic countryside.
Which gave way to paths through the forest. It was much easier than yesterday, and while all other riders were on mountain bikes, the Brompton standard tyres was just fine.
We were hoping for a nice place to stop to eat the mid-morning snack we were carrying, but what we found totally exceeded our expectations.
We laid out our stash which included fresh baguettes, cured duck breast, and orange juice!
An extremely chatty and friendly young boy joined us, though he didn't want any of our picnic which we offered him. He didn't seem to mind that we couldn't understand his banter!
More than satisfied, we pressed on and passed through a small suburb with lovely open fields.
Then crossed a rustic bridge over the TGV railway.
Renata was very pleased that today's ride was easier than yesterday! She said that she signed up for "easy" and that's what I gave her!
The last leg into Chartres passed through idyllic bike paths through the park. Bridges cross-crossed the flowing stream, beckoning boys who leapt in with gleeful abandonment.
Did I mention I was so proud of Renata? Her legs didn't even hurt from yesterday. I do take some credit for that though, as I have her quads a good massage last night!
Open spaces seemed far from any civilization, but my GPS told me it was just 1.5km to go! We were certainly enjoying our rambling tour...
Finally we arrived at Ibis Chartres, right in the middle of town. Check-in was fast and friendly, as in all of the places we stayed so far. Our folded Bromptons easily came up to the room with us!
After a good shower we hit the streets and walked to the Chartres Cathedrale. The streets were beautiful and you can feel the pride that he city and each resident takes in their home. Evident not only the well groomed gardens, the spotless streets, and neat facades of private homes that surround the cathedral similarly testify to how the residents loved to live in Chartres.
The cathedral itself is of course magnificent. The stained glass is extremely intricate.
Till today no one knows how the medieval artists made the the rich blue in the stained glass - it is a mysterious and lost art!
We dined just beside the cathedral on the left in the picture above. We were hoping for French onion soup, but perhaps that's too mundane for we haven't seen any restaurants serving it! Instead we were rewarded with scallops and tuna so fresh and raw that they could have been sashimi in another land.
Renata enjoyed her foie gras pate, with side servings of caremelized onions and a lovely crunchy salt.
Renata had an excellent cod with chorizo sausages (a surprisingly good pairing), while my guinea fowl was tender and juicy with delicious mushrooms and a broccoli gratin.
The night views of the cathedral and the surrounding grounds turned our to be more spectacular than we imagined.
Photographs cannot convey the intricacy, wonder, and creativity in the moving images and colours entwined with the music. To be clear, the images below are of the same ancient brown cathedral in the picture above. The lights are projected, but they are not static. They move and pulse in perfect alignment with every ridge and sculpture on the cathedral. The apostles are garbed in colour and the facade constantly changes. The light is a work of art in itself.
The cool night air caressed us as we watched the detailed sculptures and reliefs on the cathedral facade, once monochrome by day, come alive by night. It was breathtaking and inspiring.
The spectacle was not limited to one part of the cathedral but on three sides and also on other buildings surrounding the cathedral, each with its own narrative to tell. Renata stands enthralled.
The climax with the largest display and magnificent motion of light was on the front of the cathedral.
Completely satiated, we walked sleepily down the cobblestone paths and retired to our warm beds.
Our GPS Track today: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/585452822
very nice entry and it must be wonderful experience to be riding france!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the next day!