I visited this site on September 11, 2010, a pleasant day trip from Paris with frequent trains both ways. There is no problem getting to the cathedral; its towers dominate the town. The cathedral's stained glass is certainly the highlight though scaffolding and sheets covered several of the windows. The soaring rib vaults are also spectacular.

The cathedral is smaller than others when inside, and it can get crowded. It is well worth it to climb the north bell tower not only for a view of that countryside but also for a look at the many architectural details that can only been seen from above. As mentioned before, the labyrinth is covered by chairs.

A great guide, in fact it probably will tell most visitors more than they ever wanted to know about Chartres, is Henry Adams' 19th century work.