The labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral is an integral part of the stone floor in the main nave, of which it takes up the entire width and forms a circular stone drawing, more than 12 metres in diameter.
In order to reach the centre, you must follow a tortuous path 261,55 metres long: enough to give you time to meditate on the way!

Very few mediaeval labyrinths have been preserved in France. This is the largest.

Until 1792, there was a copper plaque in the centre of the six petal rose, figuring Theseus and the Minotaur, symbols of Christ and the Devil, doing battle.

The labyrinth is an impressive and mysterious work which, over the centuries, has lost its original meaning.
It has been interpreted in many different ways, some of which have been extravagantly fantastic. But recent research has revealed the true role it played in the religious life of the Middle Ages.




To learn more about the Labyrinth, click on "Video".

You can walk the labyrinth every Friday between the first Friday of Lent and the last Friday of October, when the chairs are cleared from the area.

The aerial view of the labyrinth is taken through the hole in the keystone.

Chartres Cathedral is one of the buildings affiliated to the Centre for National Monuments.