From medieval Gothic architecture to sky-high castles that marked historical milestones, fall in love with the most stunning churches and cathedrals in France. Churches, cathedrals and any form of religious building are great ways to delve into the local history, while also giving perspective on a wider national level. They give context to the places you pass through, the people and generations before them. They give insight into historic art, social structure, the impact of wars and religious persecution and all the things that shape your chosen destination. Discover our list of the 8 most beautiful churches and cathedrals in France.
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral is one of the most emblematic monuments of Paris and of France.
It is linked to many episodes in the history of France. Royal parish church in the Middle Ages, it hosted the arrival of the Holy Crown in 1239, then the coronation of Napoleon the first in 1804, the baptism of Henri d’Artois, the Duke of Bordeaux, in 1821, as well as the funeral of several presidents of the French Republic (Charles de Gaulle, Georges Pompidou, François Mitterrand).
The cathedral inspires many artistic works, in particular the novel by Victor Hugo Notre-Dame de Paris published in 1831 and which partly influences its history. At the start of the 21st century, Notre-Dame was visited by some 13 to 14 million people each year. The building, also a minor basilica, is thus the most visited monument in Europe and one of the most visited in the world until 2019.
The violent fire of April 15, 2019 destroyed the spire and the entire roof covering the nave, the choir and the transept. This is the most important disaster suffered by the cathedral since its construction. Notre-Dame has been closed to the public for an indefinite period since that date. Its identical reconstruction is decided in 2020 by President Emmanuel Macron, who has promised its reopening to the public for 2024.
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre located at the top of the Butte Montmartre, in the Clignancourt district of the 18th arrondissement of Paris (France), is a major Parisian religious building, “sanctuary of Eucharistic adoration and divine mercy” and property of the Archdiocese of Paris.
The construction of this church, both a political and cultural monument, follows the post-war period of 1870 and was officially completed in 1923. Its location at an altitude of 130 m near one of the highest points in Paris, and its dome which rises to 83 meters, make it visible from a great distance. With nearly eleven million pilgrims and visitors per year, it is the second most visited religious monument in Paris after Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral.
The Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde basilica, often nicknamed “the Good Mother” is a minor basilica of the Catholic Church dating from the 19th century. Emblem of Marseille, it dominates the city and the Mediterranean Sea from the top of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde hill.
Straddling the districts of Roucas-Blanc and Vauban, on a limestone peak 149 m above sea level raised by 13 m thanks to the walls and foundations of an old fort. Built on the foundations of a 16th century fort, the basilica has two parts: a low church, or crypt, carved into the rock and in Romanesque style, and above a high church in Romano-Byzantine style decorated with mosaics.
True palladium of the city of Marseille, Notre-Dame de la Garde has been considered since the Middle Ages as the guardian of sailors and fishermen.
The Abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel is entrusted to the monastic fraternities of Jerusalem. Classified as a historical monument, it is located on the islet of Mont Saint-Michel, which is itself on the territory of the French commune called Le Mont-Saint-Michel, in the department of Manche in the Normandy region. The abbey is the subject of a classification as historical monuments by the list of 1862.
The site is doubly inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List: the first time in 1979 as the well-titled “Mont Saint-Michel and its bay” and a second time in 1998 as a component of the serial property “Chemins de Compostela in France ”. With more than 1.355 million visitors per year in 2010, the abbey is one of the first cultural sites visited in France.
The Notre-Dame de Fourvière basilica has been overlooking the city of Lyon from the top of the Fourvière hill since the end of the 19th century. It is built roughly on the site of the ancient forum of Trajan, Forum vetus. Following a vow made in 1642 by the aldermen of Lyon to ward off a plague epidemic from the city, an annual pilgrimage was formed. In the 19th century, a golden statue of Mary was erected on the bell tower, enhanced and reinforced by the chapel.
Its neo-Byzantine style architecture is the work of Pierre Bossan. The very particular architecture of the building has earned it many admirers, but also very strong criticism. The basilica is one of the most visible landmarks in the city, and one of the symbols of the city of Lyon. Around two million tourists are welcomed to the basilica each year.
The Saint-Étienne de Bourges cathedral is a Catholic cathedral built between the end of the 12th and the end of the 13th century. Architecturally, the building is remarkable both for its harmonious proportions, linked to the unity of its design, and for the quality of its tympanums, sculptures and stained glass windows. Exceptional case in France for a Gothic cathedral, it does not have a transept. It is located in the historic center of Bourges, a protected area since 1965.
The Saint-Sernin basilica is the most important Catholic religious building in Toulouse. It is one of the largest preserved Romanesque churches in Europe, along with the Cathedral of Speyer, in Germany, and the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. The importance of Saint-Sernin is felt, from the Middle Ages, in the place it occupies in the power struggles that cross the city, but also in its considerable influence on the growth and town planning of Toulouse, and again on the flowering of the arts.
Its architectural plan makes it the archetype of the great pilgrimage churches, where pilgrims can go to venerate the relics without disturbing the mass held in the nave. The basilica, which preserves 260 Romanesque capitals, remains one of the most beautiful witnesses of southern Romanesque architecture.
The Saint-Sernin basilica remains the most visited monument in the city, recognized for its exceptional heritage value. It is also always at the heart of debates about its development. It is also famous for its some two hundred relics (including those of six apostles), which make it the church in France with the largest number of relics.
The Sainte-Cécile cathedral is built on a rocky peak which dominates the Tarn. Two centuries were necessary for its construction, from 1282 to 1480. The building surprises with the contrast between its austere exterior appearance of a military fortress and the pictorial and sculptural richness of its interior. Unparalleled monument, it asserts its power through a style typical of the southwest of France.
