Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts)

The Musée des Beaux-Arts de Chartres occupies the former bishop's palace, the Évêché, right beside the cathedral. It was the residence of the bishops, built mostly in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in a stately, classical style, and it looks out over a terraced garden toward the north side of the cathedral. The building and the garden, which is open to the public and has fine views of the cathedral's flying buttresses and spires, are among the pleasures of the visit.

The museum was founded in the early nineteenth century from works seized during the Revolution and from donations, and its collections cover painting, sculpture, decorative arts and archaeology, mainly from the sixteenth century to the modern period. The paintings include works of the Italian, Flemish, Dutch and French schools, with religious scenes, portraits and landscapes, and the museum has an interest in artists with local connections. It also holds Limoges enamels, tapestries and furniture, which give a sense of the taste of the local clergy and nobility. The modern collection includes works by Maurice de Vlaminck, the Fauve painter who lived and worked in the countryside of the region, and the museum often shows temporary exhibitions that bring in works from elsewhere.

The archaeological objects trace the long story of the area, from prehistoric times to the Gallo-Roman period, when the town was called Autricum, and into the Middle Ages. Because Chartres was a pilgrimage centre for centuries, with the relic of the Virgin's veil attracting visitors, some of the objects reflect the religious life of the town.

The museum is a good complement to the cathedral, which is the main reason for most visitors. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres, with its twelfth- and thirteenth-century stained glass and its labyrinth, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the International Centre for Stained Glass nearby explains the technique and history of glass. The Old Town, or Vieille Ville, descends in steep lanes to the Eure River Banks, where old wash houses and bridges form a picturesque scene. The Place du Martroi and other central squares are within walking distance.

The museum suits art lovers, culture seekers and those who want a quiet break from the crowds at the cathedral. Allow about an hour. Check opening days, since many French museums close on Mondays or Tuesdays, and confirm ticket prices on the official Chartres tourism website.