Paris has a long history with Christianity.

After uniting the Frankish tribes and turning them into what became France, Clovis I was baptized a Christian in 496, with most of his subjects following suit. Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism, was a major driver of France’s history, and this heritage continues to be felt today.

Over the centuries, Parisians built magnificent churches, honoring the Virgin Mary and various saints, some to house precious relics, all to express their faith and glorify God in the most tangible way. After all, one of the ideas of church building is to give a taste of heaven on earth.

Here’s a look at some of the most beautiful and historic churches of Paris!

1. Notre Dame Cathedral

The very heart of Paris is this, its most famous cathedral.

Begun in 1163, the cathedral’s fortunes have waxed and waned over the centuries. It was desecrated during the French Revolution. Napoleon crowned himself emperor here in 1805. It was saved from decay in the 19^th century thanks to Victor Hugo’s bestseller The Hunchback of Notre Dame. On April 15, 2019, a devastating fire destroyed the roof and a large part of the cathedral. After five years of renovation and reconstruction, Notre Dame reopened its doors in 2024.

Today it is one of Paris’ most popular tourist sites and remains the seat, and a functioning parish, of the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris. It is home to some of the most important relics of Christianity, which are also considered part of the crown jewels of France: the Crown of Thorns and a sliver and nail from the True Cross.

2. Sainte-Chapelle

King Louis IX – the only French king to be declared a saint – ordered the construction of Sainte-Chapelle in 1238. Its purpose was to act as a living reliquary, the repository of the Crown of Thorns, which Louis had acquired from the Latin emperor of Constantinople.

The chapel was damaged during the French Revolution, but restored in the 19^th century. Its stunning 13^th century stained-glass windows recount the stories of the Bible, but also depict Louis triumphantly bringing the Crown of Thorns into Paris itself.

3. Basilica of Saint-Denis

France is known for its stunning Gothic cathedrals (think: Notre Dame Cathedral, further up on this list). The church that started the Gothic craze? None other than the Basilica St. Denis, the first Gothic cathedral.

Located in a northern Paris suburb (but still easily accessible by metro), not only is the Basilica Saint-Denis the first Gothic cathedral, it’s also the burial place of the kings and queens of France – including the executed Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.

Want to learn more about the Basilica of Saint-Denis? Check out my article here!

4. The Dome of Les Invalides

In 1676, King Louis XIV ordered architect Jules Hardouin-Mansart to create a church complex for the disabled veterans’ home at Les Invalides. Hardouin-Mansart built two churches – the chapel for the veterans known as Saint-Louis-des-Invalides and the impressive Église du Dôme for the king’s private use.

While it is also the tallest church structure in Paris, the Dome is best known for housing the tomb of the Emperor Napoleon I, whose body was returned to France in 1840.

Napoleon might be the most famous person buried at Les Invalides, but you can find other illustrious military figures or members of Napoleon’s family buried here as well, including Napoleon’s only legitimate child, Napoleon II, WWI hero Ferdinand Foch, and Marshal General of France Turenne.

5. La Madeleine

A few churches have stood on this site, but the present building was begun on the orders of Napoleon – not as a church, but as a monument to the glories of his army. After the emperor’s fall and the restoration of the Bourbons, the building was again converted to a church, dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene.

From the outside, the church doesn’t look much like a church. It was constructed in a Neoclassical style, meant to resemble an ancient temple. Inside are three large domes, not visible from the outside. The impressive half-dome over the altar depicts the history of Christianity, including a scene of Napoleon and Pope Pius VII signing the Concordat of 1801, which restored the place of Christianity in France after its decimation during the French Revolution.

The church was popular among Parisian elites – Chopin, Charles Gounod, Coco Chanel, and Josephine Baker all had their funerals here.

6. Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Saint-Germain-des-Prés has a long history – and is considered to be the oldest church in Paris. It was founded in the 6^th century by King Childebert I, who was buried in the church, along with other members of the Merovingian dynasty. (The tombs were later removed.)

Destroyed twice by Viking raids, it was eventually rebuilt. The church still retains some Romanesque elements, and Gothic features, such as flying buttresses, were added in the later Middle Ages.

An abbey was attached to the church from its founding to the French Revolution, when the abbey was closed and several of its priests killed during the September Massacres. Restoration of the church took place in the 19^th century and again in the 21^st century.

7. Saint-Étienne-du-Mont

Located in the 5^th arrondissement near the Panthéon, the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont also has a long history. A basilica was built here by Clovis, the first Christian Frankish king. The founding of the church dates to 1222, when a new church was granted to serve the students and faculty at the University of Paris.

Construction of the current church begun in 1494. Its most distinctive feature, which has survived to this day, is the ornate rood screen, an element of late medieval church architecture and the only existing example in Paris.

Saint-Étienne-du-Mont is perhaps best known to contain the shrine of Saint Genevieve, patron saint of Paris. She lived in the 5^th century, where she was known for her piety. She saved Paris from the ravages of Attila the Hun through her prayers and assistance with finding provisions. A friend of Clovis (who founded the church), she was buried in the church. While her remains were lost during the French Revolution, the current shrine houses the tombstone in which her body had rested.

8. Sacré-Coeur Basilica

Located atop the butte of Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur Basilica is a Roman Catholic church dedicated the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is the second-most visited tourist site in Paris, after the Eiffel Tower.

The church was first proposed after a French defeat during the Franco-Prussian War, although rumors persist that it was built as reparation for the sins committed during the Paris Commune.

Its beautiful exterior is made from local limestone. The church was constructed in the Romano-Byzantine style.

Thanks to its location, you can get some of the best views of Paris from the basilica.

9. Saint-Sulpice

Saint-Sulpice is one of Paris’ largest churches, only just slightly smaller than Notre Dame. Construction began in 1646 and wasn’t completed until a century or two later – this might account for its somewhat eclectic appearance.

The church is perhaps best known for its organ, once described as one of France’s finest. Since the 18^th century, talented organists have played at the church. Regular concerts are given before or after Sunday Mass.

One of Saint-Sulpice’s chapels is decorated with three murals by the great Romantic painter Eugène Delacroix, which he completed between 1855 and 1861.

10. Saint-Séverin

The church of Saint-Séverin once served the spiritual needs of the students of the University of Paris during the Middle Ages.

The hermit Séverin lived on the site in the 500s; one of his students was the Merovingian prince Clodoald, better known as Saint Cloud, who survived his uncles’ nepoticidal rampage that saw his brothers murdered.

Construction of the current church began in 1230 and has continued through the centuries, giving the church a bit of a confused appearance. One fun feature is the many gargoyles on the exterior. Inside, the church organ, which was build in 1745, is a French Historic Monument.

11. Saint-Julien-le-Pauvre

Built on former Merovingian burial grounds, this church is one of the oldest churches in Paris, with construction on the modern church having begun in the 12^th century.

Situated in the Latin Quarter, the church played an important role in the lives of the University of Paris’ students during the Middle Ages. Assemblies of the university took place here, and faculty and students of the university, including the great Catholic saint and one of the foremost medieval philosophers Thomas Aquinas, heard Mass here.

Today, the church belongs to the Greek Catholic rite.

12. Saint-Pierre de Montmartre

While famous for the stunning Sacré-Coeur Basilica, right next door is the historic church of Saint-Pierre de Montmartre. Built in the 12^th century, this Romanesque church is one of the oldest churches in Paris.

The church is said to have been built on site of the martyrdom of Saint Denis, Paris’ first bishop and patron saint. Having escaped destruction a couple of times, including during the French Revolution, the church was restored in the late 19^th century.

In addition to being one of Paris’ oldest churches and the site of Saint Denis’ martyrdom, Saint-Pierre de Montmartre has another claim on history: it was here a student from the University of Paris, Ignatius Loyola, and six companions took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience – founding the Jesuit Order of Catholic priests.

There you have it! Some of Paris’ most beautiful and historic churches. Have you visited them all? Did I leave out your favorite? Let me know in the comments!