Our guide, who has in depth knowledge of ecclesiastic architecture and decoration, and who speaks English as natural first language, will share with you a great deal of interesting information on the way so that you fully appreciate what you see when you arrive at the two destinations.

Our private tour begins at Sainte Chapelle, which was erected in only 33 months and consecrated in 1248. In the upper level there are 1,134 scenes in the stained glass, which is the oldest collection in Paris, of which 720 are original. Craftsmen for the windows at Chartres contributed to making many of them, which explains the remarkable similarities of the glass in both structures. Here your guide will explain that “Stained glass is supposed to reflect the soul of man,” At Chartres you will be confronted with a remarkable selection of 13th century glass along three levels of the choir, as well as some 14th century stained glass in the west façade and later works in the chapels added in the 15th and 17th centuries. This is the home of ‘Chartres Blue’ stained glass, so well represented in the Royal Entrance, and in the Notre Dame de le Belle Verrière window.

The full range of early stained glass styles, from small modestly ornamented, to elongated clerestory windows, and vivid coloured rose windows are present here. This cathedral is also one of the first places where the ‘silver yellow’ style of ‘grisaille’ stained glass appears in France, and includes some 14th and 15th century windows.