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Chartres runs two headline events a year: the free Chartres en Lumières light show that runs for nine months, and the summer International Organ Festival. Between them sits a packed calendar of pilgrimage, music and markets. This events and festivals guide gives dates, locations and what to expect, so you can line a visit up with the best time to visit Chartres and the rest of the Chartres guide.
Chartres Events in Spring
Chartres en Lumières (April to January)
The biggest event on the calendar is a free after-dark light show that begins in April and runs through to early January. Around 28 monuments, including the cathedral, the fine arts museum and riverside wash houses, are illuminated with projected colours and patterns every evening from nightfall to about 1:00. The route is signposted, takes roughly 90 minutes, and winds through several Chartres neighborhoods from the cathedral down to the river. It is busiest on Saturday nights in July and August.
Notre-Dame de Chrétienté Pilgrimage (Pentecost weekend)
Over the Pentecost weekend, which falls in late May or early June, around 10,000 to 15,000 pilgrims walk the roughly 100 km from Paris to Chartres over three days. The procession arrives at the cathedral on the Monday, filling the nave for a closing Mass. Book accommodation well ahead if you are visiting that weekend, using our where to stay in Chartres guide, as rooms sell out.
Chartres Events in Summer
International Organ Festival (July to August)
The Festival International d’Orgue runs through July and August with weekly recitals on the cathedral’s grand organ, an instrument of about 4,000 pipes. Most concerts are free or under 15 euros and start in the evening, when the nave is cooler. The festival has run since 1974 and draws organists from across Europe.
Les Soirées Autrement (July to September)
On selected summer evenings, Les Soirées Autrement opens parts of the cathedral normally closed to the public, such as the crypt and the upper galleries, with guides. Tours run after the last regular visitors leave, around 21:30, and cost about 12 euros. Book in advance at the cathedral welcome desk or tourist office.
Fête de la Musique (21 June)
On 21 June, free concerts take over the squares and streets of the old town for the nationwide Fête de la Musique. Stages around Place des Épars and Place du Cygne host local bands from late afternoon to midnight. It coincides with some of the longest daylight of the year, part of the appeal of a summer Chartres weather visit.
Chartres Events in Autumn and Winter
European Heritage Days (third weekend of September)
On the Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, the third weekend of September, most museums and the cathedral tower open free of charge, and normally closed buildings such as the old bishop’s palace throw their doors open. It is the best weekend of the year to see the things to do in Chartres list without spending on entry fees.
Chartres Christmas Market (December)
The Marché de Noël sets up on Place des Épars from late November to late December with about 40 wooden chalets selling mulled wine, local honey and crafts. A skating rink appears beside it in some years. The cathedral hosts Advent concerts, and the Christmas edition of Chartres en Lumières keeps the facade lit through the holidays. For practical arrival and transport details, see our Chartres travel tips page.
