The glass we have seen in Paris gives but a hint of the richness of this
period exemplified elsewhere in France. How much or how little we shall
see depends upon the reader. If he has time or inclination for but one
example, he should visit Chartres. In giving this advice we solemnly
warn him that if he has even a faint idea of seeing more than one, then
he should defer Chartres until the last. It so far surpasses the others
that they must be seen before it or they will suffer by comparison. If
the reader can only visit a few towns, then he will doubtless wish to
consider what else they contain besides glass, as these other features
may influence him in making his selection. For example, if he is
interested in tapestry it is clear that he will prefer Rheims and Angers
to other churches equally important in their glass, but lacking such
additional attractions. Then, too, nearness to Paris may decide him in
favour of one cathedral instead of another requiring a longer journey.
With each of our towns we will mention any such extra inducement as
tapestry, paintings, etc. At the back will be found a table of
distances, not only from Paris, but also from each town to the next. If
the reader has plenty of time, we suggest three pilgrimages. If his time
is in any way limited, he can either take one or more of them, or else
make such adjustment of them as best suits his convenience. It must,
of course, be understood that there is some thirteenth century glass
which will not be visited by us, but any one who has followed these
itineraries will have seen all of the best. When we reflect how fragile
is a glass window, it is really marvellous that we shall find so much of
this easily destroyed beauty after the stress of centuries. Only a few
churches can show anything like a complete series of windows, and fewer
still a series all glazed during the same period. Chartres, that
treasure-house of glass, is the nearest approach to a perfectly complete
example. Le Mans, perhaps, is next. Bourges is splendid in its
thirteenth century glory, but there the hypercritical may find that the
fifteenth century glazing of the nave chapels interferes with the
earlier effect. The clerestory of Rheims Cathedral boasts row on row of
gorgeous kings and bishops, but there we look in vain for the medallion
windows to give us the usual glowing chapels below. These differences
are not mentioned to criticise, but to point out that we shall find a
variety and not a monotony of beauty. Now for the three itineraries:
(_a_) Our first tour is the longest, starts at the point most
distant from Paris, and then works back to that city. We begin
at Bourges, 4-1/4 hours by railway, 227 kilometres by road. From
Bourges we go to Poitiers, then to Tours, to Angers, to Le Mans,
and end at Chartres. Chartres is only 1-1/4 hours from Paris, 88
kilometres by road.
(_b_) Before starting on the second tour we must consult
time-tables in order to make connections for Auxerre, which is
35 minutes beyond La Roche, a station on the main line to Lyons
and the south. If we could take a through train from Paris, the
journey would be under three hours. By automobile it is 168
kilometres, leaving Paris by the road to Fontainebleau. From
Auxerre we come back to Sens, then to Troyes, to
Chalons-sur-Marne, and lastly to Rheims, two hours from Paris
(145 kilometres). If the time or inclination of the pilgrim
makes it expedient that this trip be shortened, then, if he is a
railway traveller, let him begin by Troyes and come around by
Chalons and Rheims. If, on the other hand, he is travelling by
automobile, he might as well see Sens just before Troyes,
because by road Sens is not much off the line from Paris to
Troyes and is well worth that small detour. The railway journey,
however, between Sens and Troyes is a tedious one of more than
two hours, because it is a branch line where there are no
expresses.
(_c_) The last tour is most convenient to Paris, and although
clearly secondary in importance as a glass pilgrimage, the
scenery is so very attractive that it will particularly appeal
to the automobilist and bicyclist. We begin by visiting
Soissons, an hour and a quarter by train (95 kilometres by
road), then Laon, next St. Quentin and last Amiens, an hour and
a quarter by train (131 kilometres) from Paris. If he is "en
automobile," the pilgrim may return to Paris by way of Beauvais,
for it is not much out of his way. If, however, he is travelling
by railway, then he should omit Beauvais, for he will find only
exasperatingly slow trains from Amiens to Beauvais. The
thirteenth century glass there is unimportant, and, besides, we
shall later visit it for that of the sixteenth century.
If the reader intends to take all of these three tours he should begin
with (_c_), then take (_b_), and lastly (_a_). If he can take but two,
then begin with (_b_) and end with (_a_). If there is time but for one,
(_a_) is the best. The automobilist may unfold his maps and prepare a
combination trip if he likes, for that is one of the licensed joys of
automobiling. The old-fashioned traveller by railway will, however, find
the order here set out the most convenient one.
There is a splendid series of medallion windows around the choir chapels
of the Cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand, but it is too far out of our way
to be properly included in any of the above tours. Rouen, too, has fine
medallion work of this period in its cathedral, but the later glass
there is so much more interesting that we will not include it in these
groups. Both these towns will be visited later in their appropriate
order, and we shall then have an opportunity to enjoy their delightful
thirteenth century windows.
[Illustration: 13TH CENTURY TOURS.
(_a_) _Bourges_, _Poitiers_, _Tours_,_ Angers_, _Le Mans_, _Chartres_.
(_b_) _Auxerre_, _Sens_, _Troyes_, _Chalons_, _Rheims_.
(_c_) _Soissons_, _Laon_, _St. Quentin_, _Amiens_.
(_For table of distances, see Page 295._)]