"Life is about the journey and not the destination. So is a trip to Beauvais." My favorite quote from yesterday when a friend stood looking around at the nondescript town which just so happens to contain one of the great Gothic cathedrals of France, Cathédrale Saint-Pierre de Beauvais. While it's true, the town itself is a pretty standard mid-sized French city, the cathedral is an impressive distinguishing characteristic. The Cathedral is still unfinished, so the exterior is covered in scaffolding, but the interior is a sight to behold with the tallest ceiling I have ever encountered in a church (including Notre Dame and Chartres). Although, on the flip side, in exchange for being declared the highest-vaulted cathedral in Europe, the structure has collapsed and been rebuilt many times since its beginning in 1255, and is still considered incomplete today. But if you don't mind some wooden support beams and scaffolding, you can check out beautiful stained glass, some nicely preserved painted ceilings, and a very cool astronomical clock. I knew of Beauvais beforehand as the alternate airport city out of which many cheap flights like Easy Jet and Ryan Air take off. Although at almost 2 hours from Paris, I'm not sure the discount you are saving on your ticket is worth the cost and hassle of making it all the way out there. But on the other hand, you could check out the cathedral and then jet-set on your way. Not too shabby. Plus, if a friend happens to have a motorcycle, the ride there is half the fun. 
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