Great Gothic Cathedrals of France: A Visitor's Guide (Paperback)

by Stan Parry (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Paperback size for travel, French Gothic Architecture is a celebration and an education in one, a tour of twelve French cathedrals that embody one of the major glories of Western civilization. From the massive façade of Reims to the transcendent beauty of the stained glass at Chartres, it clarifies every significant element of their architecture in text and image-even how to "read"a stained-glass window. Also including Amiens, Notre-Dame in Paris, and Sainte Chapelle, St. Denis, Laon, Noyon, Soissons, Sens, Beauvais, and Bourges, this is the first handbook to bring so many of them together and with so many illustrations. In an appendix there is specific travel information for each cathedral. A herald of the summer vacation season, it begs to be kept long afterward as a luscious souvenir.

About the Author
Stan Parry, a retired public health and medical-research executive, has been travelling to France for fifteen years to pursue his interests in Gothic architecture and World War I.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: Studio (April 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140297073
• ISBN-13: 978-0140297072
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #746,219 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Guide to Great Cathedrals, September 21, 2001

By A Customer

Stan Parry has done a fantastic job of tying together the history and architecture of the great Gothic cathedrals of France. He has meticulously researched the material and has included many amazingly beautiful and detailed photographs. His expertise and great enthusiasm are clearly evident throughout. Truly a pleasure to read and a volume to treasure.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Gothic Cathedrals of France, September 27, 2003

By A Customer

For those who like Gothic Cathederals and plan a trip to France this book is an excellent guide. The book is not only a great detailed guide to all the major Cathedrals in France but it also gives a very good history of Gothic Cathedral building. It also nicely compares the different cathedrals and places them sequentially in the Gothic period timeframe. It is obvious the author is enthusiastic about the history of the architecure and I think that any person interested in Gothic architecture will appreciate this.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Cathedral Guide for New and Experienced Viewers, April 4, 2006

By	Ray "A Reader" - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Stan Parry's book reads like a book of love, and in a sense, it is. The book does a remarkable job of introducing, describing, and illustrating many of France's greatest gothic cathedrals (particularly those in the north and north-central regions) in a style that is as lively and engaging as it is informative. My wife and I used this book to help craft our original cathedral "hunting" trips in France during the past decade, and it served us well not only in determining which edifices to visit, but also in providing some wonderful background and insights into each of the locations. I feel greatly enriched by having gone through this book, and it would be wonderful to see if Mr. Parry would consider extending the work to a new volume that might cover some additional locales in France. But for anyone interested in gothic architecture, particularly those just starting out on first trips to actual locations, this volume is a no-brainer, and my congratulations to Stan Parry for putting his "labor of love" into print for others to use.

Read the book first, before you travel, and then make your choices after having considered everything you have read. To make it easier, remember that every structure Parry covers in this book is easily and quickly reachable by train from Paris. Make Paris your base of operations, then pick up the train at one of the major train stations in the city (Gare de Lyon, Gare Montparnasse, Gare du Nord, etc.), leave early in the morning, and you'll be able to reach your cathedral destination in 90 minutes or less. Return back to the city in the later afternoon, and you'll be ready to visit a new place the next day.