Chartres en lumières - 2024 season - Chartres en lumières

Chartres en lumières returns for its 21th edition with 21 sites illuminated 7 nights a week, from 5 April 2025 to 4 January 2026. The 2025 season has some surprises in store for you: several emblematic sites will be hosting new scenographic displays. Rendezvous in front of Saint-Pierre church, the Chartres theatre and the Minimes bridge.

With Chartres en lumières, plunge into a colourful fairytale world and discover in an atypical way the essential sites in the heart of Chartres from dusk to 1am (11.30pm after the 26 October).

Enjoy the stories that are told at your own pace and according to your wishes: you are free to choose your own route and stroll around the centre of Chartres.

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Saint-Pierre's Church

Prévisualisation de l'illumination "Mille pierres" sur les murs de l'église Saint-Pierre

Philosopher's stone, rock , precious stone or desert sand, a thousand and one stones will be on display in this building in Chartres's lower town.

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Theater of Chartres

Prévisualisation de la scénographie "A l'italienne" sur la façade du théâtre de Chartres

The ornate facade of the theater is the setting for an enchanted, artistic interlude of travel, art and colour.

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Minimes bridge

Prévisualisation de la scénographie Résonance sur le pont des Minimes

A rich palette of geometric motifs highlights the bridge, the water and its reflection, deceiving the spectator to no end. The show is a poetic visual metaphor for change that can lead to new forms of beauty and harmony.d'harmonie.

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Others scenographies

Le portail royal de la cathédrale de Chartres — Chartres cathedral : the royal portal

The royal portal of the Chartres cathedral (2 scenographies)

The north portal of the Chartres cathedral

The rose of the south portal

Museum of Fine Arts : the façade of Honor

Hôtel Montescot - Pierre, feuille, ciseaux — The Montescot Hotel

The Montescot Hotel

The Fresco of Lattre de Tassigny

The Place Billard

The theater of Chartres

The Eurelium - the county's archives

La collégiale Saint-André - Faune et flore - M2 Creative — The Collegiate church of Saint-André

The Collegiate church of Saint-André

The Saint-Hilaire arcades and bridge

The Saint-Hilaire bridge

The Wash house of the Grenouillère

The Foulerie Wash House

Le pont de singes - Pont Bouju - Chartres en lumières — The Bouju bridge

The Saint-Pierre's Church

The Minimes bridge

The Bouju bridge

The Mill and Saint-Père bridge

The Gloriette quay and wash house

Activities

Trail in Chartres en lumières

As every year, the Trail will accompany the launch of Chartres en lumières.

The runners will run all over the city centre around the most beautiful illuminations of Chartres en lumières, under the encouragement of their supporters!

> Date : Saturday 13 April from 7.30pm

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Guided tours in Petit Chart'train

Set off on a luminous journey without tiring yourself out. From April to January, the Petit Chart'train winds its way through the city centre in the evening from one illuminated site to the next, commenting on the treasures and mysteries of the old town of Chartres.

Guided canoe tours

Take a canoe trip down the Eure and enjoy a unique view of the illuminations at Chartres en lumières. This magical trip will reveal the colours and movements of the various displays.

> Dates : coming soon

Guided tour by C'Chartres Tourisme

The tourist office offers guided tours and will reveal details, anecdotes and secrets. A suspended moment where the scenographies take all their meaning.

These guided tours are only available in French

Next dates : coming soon

Find out more

The Christmas illuminations

Rivière des lutins - illuminations de Noël - Lavoir Grenouillère — Wash House ot the Grenouillère - December 2022

Ten or so sites will be decked out in Christmas colours from the end of November. Gifts and snowy landscapes will return to the façades of Chartres cathedral, the Saint-André collegiate church and the bridges and wash houses of the lower town. A family will gather around a Christmas feast on the façades of the Montescot Hotel.

> Dates : From the end of November.

Practical informations

Dates and times

The 21 sites of Chartres en lumières are illuminated EVERY, night from dusk to 1am (11.30pm from the 26 October), until 4th January 2026.

The lighting of the illuminations varies according to the time of nightfall.

April: around 9.30 pm / 9.45 pm
May: around 10 pm / 10.15 pm
June: around 10.30 pm / 10.45 pm
July : around 10.45 pm / 10.30 pm

August : around 10.15pm / 9.45pm
September: around 9.30pm / 9.15pm
October: around 9pm / 6.30 from 27 October

November: around 6.15pm / 6pm
December: 5.45pm
January : 5.45pm

Find the detailed timetable day by day

Free route

Enjoy the stories that are told at your own pace and according to your desires: you are free to design your own itinerary and stroll through the city centre of Chartres.

Geolocate all the illuminated sites on the Chartres en lumières map