History has not been kind to the cathedrals at Beauvais. Tradition suggests that a cathedral has been at Beauvais since the third century, but the carolingien one dates from about 950. Parts of the nave still exist. Following the second major fire, it was decided to build a magnificent new cathedral and work started on the choir in 1238.The choir reached a height 158ft/48m and is still the highest Gothic vaulting in the world. The first service was held in 1272, but the design proved over-ambitious, the bays being too widely spaced and part of the vaulting in the right hand bays collapsed in 1284. Forty years of work were required to add more flying buttresses, strengthen the buttresses and double the number of bays and when this was completed, the Hundred Years War broke out. The transept was finally started in 1500 and completed fifty years later when a tower and spire were added over the new crossing. Without the support of the nave, however, the tower collapsed in 1573. The crossing and choir were repaired and part of the first nave bay completed but the work on the rest was (like Narbonne) never completed. Today there are major reinforcing ties and props insert into the transept. The cathedral remains a stunning "might-have-been"

Michelin rating: ***