Maison Ailleurs

Glimpsed above the rooftops from the garden, the cathedral's spires are the first clue to where you are. Maison Ailleurs occupies a former bishop's residence on a pedestrian street in old Chartres, a stone building with clay floors and a winding stair that predates most of what surrounds it. Five suites fill the house, each with its own character, a private bathroom, and a kitchenette stocked for breakfast. The Bleu de Chartres suite looks over the garden and keeps its original fireplace. It is a short walk from the train station. Behind the house, a walled garden runs quiet and green, closed off from the street noise despite sitting in the town centre. Guests can borrow bicycles for the ride along the river Eure, or simply take tea under a blanket on the terrace. Parking sits inside a closed courtyard, free of charge. The rooms mix old stone and timber with modern fittings, and the owners keep a short list of restaurants and market tips close at hand, including the Saturday market behind the cathedral. Chartres itself holds more than its cathedral, though that is reason enough to come. At night, the light projections on the west front are visible from nearby streets, a short stroll from the front door.