The most beautiful cathedrals in France

Marked for centuries by the Catholic religion, France has a multitude of cathedrals across the four corners of its territory. Discover twenty of them that you absolutely must visit!

Among the most visited monuments in Europe before the terrible fire of 2019, Notre Dame in Paris remains a masterpiece of Gothic architecture through its balance purity, and symbolism of the national culture.

In the heart of the large island of Strasbourg, this cathedral is spectacular for its bell tower and its pink color made from Vosges sandstone. Built over several centuries and long the tallest building in the world, it houses a famous astronomical clock.

Built between the 13th and 16th centuries, the Reims Cathedral is famous for having been the place of the coronation of the kings of France. It is also renowned for its numerous sculpted figures.

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Damaged several times, the Notre Dame in Rouen remains one of the most beautiful cathedrals in France. Its architecture encompasses the different Gothic periods. Its choir houses the tombs of the Dukes of Normandy and the heart of Richard the Lionheart.

Visible from several dozen kilometers in the Beauce Plain, Chartres Cathedral is 115 meters high and is considered the most representative of the French Gothic style. Go see its stained-glass collection!

Less known to the general public and a little more recent than those of Paris or Chartres, the Notre-Dame d'Amiens is the largest in France with its 200,000 cubic meters. It is considered a completed model of Gothic in which the magnificent 13th-century sculptures should not be missed!

Among the very first Gothic-style cathedrals in the country, Notre-Dame de Laon stands out for its Romanesque heritage and its massive towers whose facades are decorated with stone oxen.

Not far from Paris, the Saint-Pierre de Beauvais cathedral is splendid despite its unfinished character, with a Gothic choir of almost 50 meters – the highest in the world.

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Still in the Paris basin, Saint-Étienne de Sens is one of the first cathedrals in the Gothic style. From the 12th century, this masterpiece by Guillaume de Sens inspired the construction of new religious buildings.

Another Saint-Étienne cathedral, this time in Metz, in eastern France: built of golden yellow stone (nicknamed "stone of the sun"), it houses an impressive quantity of glass and stained glass windows.

Built in old Lyon between 1175 and 1480, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral presents a rich variety of architectural styles. She has the rank of primate, in reference to the title of 'primate of the Gauls' of the archbishop of Lyon.

In Marseille, Sainte-Marie-Majeure (nicknamed 'La Majeure') is the only cathedral in France entirely built in the 19th century. Located near the Old Port, it is remarkable for its Byzantine style which recalls the Mediterranean roots of the city.

Begun in the 13th century, the cathedral of Clermont-Ferrand was only completed in the 19th century by Viollet-le-Duc. Located in the heart of the country of volcanoes, the building gets its black color from the lava used for its construction.

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At the start of the paths to Santiago de Compostela, the Romanesque cathedral of Puy-en-Velay, in the south-east of Auvergne, is unique for its position on its rock. Its black virgin is the subject of a procession every year on Assumption Day.

Built to impose Catholicism in the heart of the Cathar country, Sainte-Cécile d'Albi is the largest pink brick cathedral in the world. The building, whose style is described as 'Southern Gothic,' was for a long time the home of the bishops of Albi.

Consecrated in 1096 and rebuilt in the Gothic style until the 16th century, Saint-André de Bordeaux Cathedral hosted the wedding of Kings Louis VII (1137) and Louis XIII (1615).

A superb Romanesque-style cathedral, Saint-Pierre d'Angoulême has a facade evoking different Christian scenes. Its dome was rebuilt in the 19th century in the Byzantine style.

An architectural jewel in the heart of the country, Saint-Étienne de Bourges has a simple structure but great aesthetics. This cathedral is also notable for its asymmetrical towers.

Typical of flamboyant Gothic with its two square towers whose Spiers were completed in the 19th century, Saint-Corentin de Quimper is worth the detour. The most important reason is the statue of King Gradlon, the legendary founder of the city, between the two Spiers, as well as the cathedral's superb portal.

Not a cathedral but absolutely worth a visit! Bearing the name of the first bishop of Paris, the Basilica of Saint-Denis is mainly famous for being the necropolis of the kings and queens of France for fifteen centuries.

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