97km (58 miles) SW of Paris, 76km (47 miles) NW of Orléans

You’ll spot it long before you see the actual town: the spire of the cathedral of Chartres rising above a sea of wheat fields. About an hour from Paris, this stunning church and its inspiring stain-glassed windows are easy to tour and still have enough time to wander through the narrow streets of the ancient (and beautiful) town.