Churches & Cathedrals in France

A masterpiece of French Gothic architecture on the Île de la Cité, Notre-Dame's flying buttresses, rose windows, and twin towers have inspired awe for nearly 700 years. After the devastating fire of April 2019, a massive restoration was completed in 2024, returning the cathedral to its former glory.

Chartres Cathedral (Notre-Dame de Chartres) is universally regarded as the finest and most complete surviving example of High Gothic architecture. Built primarily between 1194 and 1220 — one of the fastest construction programmes for a major medieval cathedral — it replaced an earlier Romanesque building destroyed by fire in 1194. What makes Chartres exceptional is its unrivalled completeness: 176 stained glass windows survive almost entirely in their original medieval state (most cathedrals lost theirs to wars and revolutions), making it the world's finest collection of 12th–13th century stained glass, bathing the interior in deep blues, reds, and golds. The famous rose windows (north, south, and west) are masterworks of medieval design. The labyrinth set in the nave floor — whose winding path spans 262 metres — has served as a prayer walk for pilgrims for 800 years. The cathedral's two mismatched towers — one Romanesque, one Flamboyant Gothic — give it an instantly recognisable silhouette on the Beauce plain.

Perched atop the highest point in Paris at Montmartre, the brilliant white Romano-Byzantine basilica offers panoramic views of the city. Its Great Mosaic of Christ in Glory is one of the largest in the world at 475 square meters.

The tallest complete cathedral in France at 42.3 meters to the vault. Its interior volume is vast enough to contain two Notre-Dame de Paris cathedrals. The west facade features one of the most complete collections of Gothic sculpture.

Considered the birthplace of Gothic architecture, Abbot Suger's revolutionary redesign introduced pointed arches, ribbed vaults, and vast stained glass windows that flooded the interior with light. The royal necropolis contains the tombs of nearly every French king.

The coronation cathedral of French kings — 33 monarchs were crowned here from 1027 to 1825. Its west facade features over 2,300 statues, including the famous Smiling Angel. Despite heavy damage in WWI, it was meticulously restored.

At 142 meters, it was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874. Its single spire (the south tower was never completed) rises from an elaborately decorated pink sandstone facade. The astronomical clock dates from the Renaissance.

Originally the royal chapel of the Hôtel des Invalides, its distinctive gilded dome — covered with 12 kg of gold — stands 107 meters tall. Napoleon Bonaparte's tomb rests directly beneath the dome in an open circular crypt.

The second-largest pilgrimage site in France after Lourdes, built to honor St. Thérèse of Lisieux. The Art Deco-Romanesque basilica features stunning mosaics and is the largest 20th-century basilica in France.