Nick Inman, author of Mystical France reveals some of the secrets of the famous cathedral labyrinths of France...
Step into the great Gothic cathedral of Chartres and you literally step on to a mystery. Set into the paving stones of the nave floor is an extraordinary black and white design contained within a circle. Unfortunately, it is often covered with chairs so you can only see parts of it and not get an impression of the whole but you will see diagrams of it everywhere.
This is the only undisturbed medieval labyrinth left in a cathedral nave in the world - although there is also an authentic labyrinth in the chapter house of Bayeux cathedral. There were other labyrinths in other churches but they were torn up in the 18th and 19th centuries. That of Reims, for example, now only exists as the logo on the “monument historique” (ancient monument) signs to be seen around France.
The great labyrinth of Chartres