b. By lowering the height of the arches as they approach the choir. c. By reducing the width of the arches as they approach the choir. The result of all these asymmetries is to create an impression of elasticity in place of rigidity; an impression, in fact, of life; of the flexible, varied movement of organic growth. [Illustration: PLAN OF AMIENS PLAN OF NOTRE DAME The Perfect Plan of French Gothic BOTH PLANS ARE BASILICAN AND HAVE DOUBLE AISLES AND CHEVÊTS. BUT IN AMIENS NOTE THE SERIES OF APSES AND THEIR COMPLICATED VAULTING. THE NAVE VAULTING OF NOTRE DAME HAS SIX DIVISIONS IN EACH DOUBLE BAY; THAT OF AMIENS IS TREATED IN A SINGLE BAY WITH FOUR DIVISIONS BY MEANS OF GROIN RIBS AND POINTED ARCHES. P. 281] [Illustration: NOTRE DAME, PARIS EARLY TYPE] [Illustration: AMIENS CATHEDRAL TRANSITION TO RAYONNANT] [Illustration: RHEIMS CATHEDRAL UPPER PART MARKS TRANSITION TO FLAMBOYANT] [Illustration: ROUEN CATHEDRAL FLAMBOYANT] [Illustration: INTERIOR OF NOTRE DAME NOTE THE CLASSIC CAPITALS. P. 281, ET SEQ.] [Illustration: INTERIOR OF AMIENS CATHEDRAL NOTE THE INCREASED SENSE OF ELASTICITY, GRACE AND SOARING. P. 281, ET SEQ.] [Illustration: HOTEL DE BOURGTHEROULDE, ROUEN LATE FIFTEENTH CENTURY. NOTE HEXAGONAL TOWER] [Illustration: INTERIOR OF RHEIMS CATHEDRAL] [Illustration: HOUSE OF JACQUES CŒUR NOW THE PALAIS DE JUSTICE, BOURGES. P. 286] [Illustration: SAINTE CHAPELLE, PARIS OWING TO THE SIZE OF THE WINDOWS, THE WALL SPACES ARE VIRTUALLY PIERS, SUPPORTING THE VAULTING. P. 285] CHAPTER III GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE The Early French Gothic dates from about 1150 to 1275. It is the period in which most of the great cathedrals were created and in most instances with money contributed by the laity. Roughly speaking it begins with =Notre Dame=, in =Paris=, and ends with the =Cathedral of Amiens=.