The Golden Gates of the Palace of Versailles |
Back on track with our itinerary, and due to have a whirlwind day thanks to our Disney detour. Our first stop was the palace of Versailles. The visit turned out to be somewhat disappointing, though not the fault of Versailles, but rather the weather. Overnight, a wild weather system had descended upon France. The wind was fierce! Instead of walking from the parking lot, we blew from the car to Versailles. We’re not talking about a little breeze. Boys were actually blowing off their feet.
Fighting the wind to enter Versailles |
Once inside, we enjoyed the opulence of the palace, especially the Hall of Mirrors. Disappointingly, we could not tour the famous grounds because of the weather, so our visit inside was somewhat short. We scrambled back to the car, holding onto one another to keep our balance and we were off to our next location.
Ryan in the Hall of Mirrors |
Visiting Chartres Cathedral is like stepping back in time. While Notre Dame is old, Chartres is very old. Chartres Cathedral is located in the tiny town of Chartres, about 45 minutes from Paris by car. Notre Dame is more literarily popular and a perennial tourist attraction. Chartres, although more unknown, is infinitely more beautiful, and even more spiritually moving.
The exterior of Chartres Cathedral |
Chartres Cathedral is visit worthy because it contains the most complete collection of original stained glass, with many pieces dating from 1200. Chartres is also a major pilgrimage site. The faithful flock journey here to view the Sancta Camisa, the robe reported to be worn by the Virgin Mary during the birth of Jesus.
A beautiful Rose Window in Chartres Cathedral |
Inside the cathedral, both adults and children will be captivated by the dazzling colors that dance on the floors like sparkling gems. Because Chartres is somewhat off the beaten path, the cathedral is rarely crowded. In fact, we were the only visitors in the Cathedral during our visit. It was easy to lose ourselves in wandering from panel to panel.
Before we left the Cathedral, we were able to walk the labyrinth in the center of nave. The labyrinth is a series of stones laid into a maze that wanders in and out until it reaches the center. The labyrinth was used in the Middle Ages for meditation, prayer, or acts of penance. We were told that it is rarely used today, except by tourists. The boys enjoyed walking the maze, and instead of running, walked quietly and reverently, as though they were aware that they were joining in history with the pilgrims that had walked before them.
The rest of our day was spent driving. We stopped briefly in Waterloo and had a short history lesson about Napoleon. I also entertained the boys with my rendition of Waterloo by ABBA, at which time they properly rolled their eyes and pretended to be terribly embarrassed by their uncool mother.
Lion Hill sits above the battlefield of Waterloo |
We reached Brussels by dinner and found a lovely pizzeria to stop and enjoy dinner. Because we are early diners, we were the only people in the family owned restaurant. We have found that many in European countries treat young families and children with honor in a way that is not present in the States. The restaurant owner and his family were thrilled to have us dining with them, and treated us as though we were guests in their home. They were especially delighted to have the boys, offering to make them special drinks and special dishes. The owner even offered us an impromptu singing concert, and the boys laughed and clapped along with his raucous Italian melodies.
With full hearts and bellies, we continued from Brussels into Amsterdam, where we were treated with a family suite, giving us plenty of room to stretch out and relax from a day that stretched into three different countries.