There are a number of ancient and a growing number of modern labyrinths that can be visited and walked in France. This page is in process. Check the World-Wide Labyrinth Locator for up to date information.

Chartres Cathedral Labyrinth

©Jill K H Geoffrion, email for permission to copy.

12th century 11 circuit stone church labyrinth. One hour from Paris.

Orléans, Modern 11 Circuit Labyrinth outside the Cathedral

Outside the south door of the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Orléans is this small scale 11 circuit modern labyrinth. It is next to the car park on the south side. You can "walk" it, but you will discover that as the path gets close to the center there are misplaced pavers.

Ouzouer-Sur-Trézee Labyrinth at Pont Chevron

This Roman mosaic labyrinth can be visited by appointment during the summer months.

St. Quentin Labyrinth

This cathedral and labyrinth is an easy one hour train rise from Paris. The labyrinth is generally open and can be walked.
It is in need of repairs as can be seen by the photo on the left.

List as found in Saward, Jeff. (1997). Ancient Labyrinths of the World. Thundersley, England, Caerdroia. See page 12, 15.

• Amiens (reconstructed 1894, destroyed 1825)
• Bayeux (13th century, survives but difficult to see)
• Chalons sur Marne (mid 16th century, decorative tiles)
• Chartres (usually covered with chairs)
• Genanville (stone carving, 12-wall medieval, 14th century medieval, 14th century octagonal)
• Guingamp (pavement, 7 wall unique design, late 19th century)
• Mailly-Maillet (constructed 1927, copy of St. Omer)
• Mirepox (floor tiles; St. Omer type, early 16th century, 9 tiles form the labyrinth.)
• Orléans (still exists?)(***13th century, St. Omer type)
• Pont L’abbaye (floor tiles, late 15th/early 16th)
• Rheims (destroyed 1779)
• St. Omer (destroyed 18th century)modern version
• St. Quentin (pavement, 15th century copy of Amiens)
• Toulouse: floor tiles, 15th century, similar to Mirepox
  
  

“Let us mention, if only for memory’s sake, several remaining labyrinths, far too different to be comparable: The Chapter Room of Bayeux, of later date and only four meters (13 feet) wide; the cathedral of Mirepoix, also of later date and very small; the chapel of Prévôte at the cathedral of Toulouse, which is similar; Genailnville (Val-d’Oise), of equally diminished dimensions; and finally the labyrinth at the Cathedral of Poitiers, a simple but crudely engraved line on the wall of the north aisle. There is a well that is mistaken for a labyrinth at Saint-Euverte d’Orleans, that may be little more than a decorative paving stone*.” Pages 6-7. Villette, Jean. Translated by Robert Ferré and Ruth Hanna. (1995). The Enigma of the Labyrinth. St. Louis, MO, One Way Press.

*Jill's note: This is a 43 x 43 tile black and white maze pattern that includes the tomb of St. Euverte. An organ covers part of the pathway. Villette's original text reads, "Enfin, ce que l'on prends parfois pour un labyrinthe à Saint-Ouverte, n'est peut-être qu'un pavage décoratif. (L'enigme du labyrinthe, Notre Dame du Chartres (Chartres: 1983), page 5.)

                                         Maze in the nave of St. Euverte

For more information see Kern, Hermann. (2000). Through the Labyrinth. Designs and Meanings over 5,000 Years. New York, Prestel.

"Translated into English, this visually gripping and wide-ranging interdisciplinary study... Kern's text remains largely unaltered, but a series of addenda written by two leading scholars in the field, Robert Ferré and Jeff Saward, acquaint readers with the latest developments in labyrinth research. 360 pages with 732 black-and-white and 17 color illustrations." Publishers.

Please contact Jill if you have a labyrinth to add to this page. Feel free to email photographs if you would like them uploaded.

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