There’s plenty to do and see in Paris, but I would argue that no trip is complete without a visit to at least one of the city’s nearly 200 churches. Why? Religion aside, so many of these are architectural and artistic wonders. You can see a wide range of styles in a small area, from Gothic to Roman-Byzantine, and admire everything from frescoes to stained glass. With so much to choose from, here are some of the best of the best — starting and ending with the heavy hitters and including other fabulous places in between.

Sainte-Chapelle

The lines to get in are long and it’s filled with tourists, but all of that will fall away as soon as you walk up the long, winding staircase and enter the chapel — because you will never see stained glass windows like this anywhere else. Sainte-Chapelle boasts one of the largest and most significant collections of 13th-century stained glass windows in the world — and when the light streams through them, it’s magical.

Take your time here, and consider bringing binoculars. Each row of windows tells a story, some from the Old Testament and some from the New, all crafted centuries ago to give glory to King Louis IX’s collection of Passion relics (including the Crown of Thorns).

Compared to most Paris churches, Sainte-Chapelle feels quite small. This is largely because the church was built in two levels; the upper was reserved for the royal family and their guests, and the lower was for everyone else (it seems fitting that this area is now home to things like ticketing and a gift shop for the hoi polloi). But if you keep your eyes above the crowds, even the lower level remains beautiful in its own right.

Sainte-Chapelle Fun Fact: The stained glass windows portray 1,130 different people.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica

Sitting high up on a hill in Montmartre, Sacré-Coeur is a relative newbie on the Paris church scene: it’s only been around since 1914. But its prominent placement and amazing architecture have made it an incredibly popular site. Before you even get inside, it’s all about the steps — sitting on the steps, taking pictures of Paris from the steps, Instagramming from the steps … and maybe none of these activities is about the church itself, but Sacré-Coeur is always in the background.

Secondly, Sacré-Coeur has become the place to be: with Notre Dame currently closed, this is the single most-visited religious building in France. And there are good reasons for this, among them the fact that this is an architectural anomaly in Paris. Built in a neo-Byzantine style, it has more in common with the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople than its Gothic neighbors right down the street. It’s also the second-tallest building in Paris (after the Eiffel Tower).

Inside, there’s plenty to see, including some pretty impressive mosaics. These include the largest mosaic in France, all 25,000 pieces hanging vividly over the choir …

… and my personal favorite, the mosaic of the North Dome.

Sacré-Coeur Fun Fact: In addition to housing the country’s largest mosaic, Sacré-Coeur is also home to the largest bell in France.

Notre-Dame-de-Lorette

At first glance, Notre-Dame-de-Lorette feels a bit staid and blocky. Built in the 1820s and 30s, it has the neoclassical hallmarks of columns, geometric forms, and a triumphal arch. So why is it so wonderful? In one word: paintings.

Notre-Dame-de-Lorette is covered in murals, many of which use bright colors and a whole lot of gold. It’s decorated all over, and not just by one individual; the church brought in a number of artists to festoon the walls. It’s a wonderful sight.

Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Fun Fact: Both Georges Bizet and Claude Monet were baptized here.

Church of Saint-Germain-des-Prés

Founded in 558, Saint-Germain-des-Prés is the oldest church in France. Of course, the church building does not date to the sixth century — it’s a mid-12th-century creation that’s had a number of additions and restorations since then. One of these was the 1843 interior redecoration by artist Hippolyte Flandrin, who installed his own (incorrect) reimagining of what a medieval church might have looked like. So the whole thing is more colorful than you might expect.

Much of the original art has been either moved (for example, the column capitals are now in the Cluny Museum) or destroyed (the French Revolution took a significant toll). So if you’re looking for a very old feel when you reach the interior, you probably won’t find it. But Saint-Germain-des-Prés is still a remarkable place.

Saint-Germain-des-Prés Fun Fact: The very first church to stand here was destroyed by Vikings — twice — at the end of the 9th century.

Saint-Denis Basilica

Sticklers will say that Saint-Denis isn’t technically in Paris — it’s in a northern suburb — but this church is so important, interesting, and easy to access by the Paris Metro that I cannot possibly leave it off the list. Saint-Denis has two incredible things going for it. Architecturally, it lays claim to being the first structure to employ all of the elements of Gothic architecture —even some of the stained glass windows remain from the basilica’s 1144 build date.

Saint-Denis also doubled as a royal necropolis: it was the burying place of almost every single French king from the 10th century through the end of the royalty. Vandals tore the church apart during the French Revolution, but some monuments were preserved, and the remaining tombs are well worth a visit today.

Saint-Denis Fun Fact: This basilica is named after Saint Denis, the patron saint of France — and he is known as a “cephalophore,” a saint who is depicted carrying his own severed head.

Saint-Sulpice

The third-largest church in Paris, Saint-Sulpice is a bulky, solid example of Baroque architecture. Started in the mid-1600s, the building underwent a dizzying number of changes and architects over the course of the subsequent century and a third — so many that the church ended up with mismatched towers. The interior is vast and very grey, a late-1700s do-over after the first chapel was badly damaged by a fire.

The real star of the show at Saint-Sulpice are the huge murals added by painter Eugène Delacroix in the mid-1800s.

Saint-Sulpice Fun Fact: The holy water fonts at the front of the church are formed from two halves of a giant clam, which was given to King Francis I as a gift by the Republic of Venice.

Saint-Eustache

Here’s the second-largest church in Paris, a vast, part-Gothic, part-Renaissance, part-classical conglomeration built in the hundred years between 1532 and 1632. It’s a little bit of everything, and while it’s not very long, it’s quite tall (33.45 meters) — which you feel from the minute you look up.

As with the architecture, the art at Saint-Eustache feels like a mish-mash, cobbled together from different periods and styles. Unfortunately, as of spring 2024, a number of the side chapels — and some of the most important paintings and sculptures — are under construction tarps (which is ultimately for the good, because Saint-Eustache looks like it could use a little TLC). But you can still poke around and find a number of items of interest.

Saint-Eustache Fun Facts During the French Revolution, the church was turned into a “Temple of Agriculture” and used as a place to store food supplies.

Saint-Pierre de Montmartre (Paroisse Saint-Pierre de Montmartre)

It doesn’t get much attention, but this little church is the second-oldest in all of Paris. Founded in 1133, the building went through a host of troubles in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. First it was turned into a “Temple of Reason” during the Revolution, and then it was abandoned. Napoleon next decided to use it as a barracks, but he eventually abandoned it as well. So what we see now is an early-1900s rebuild. But it’s still true to its Romanesque origins, and it’s lovely in its simplicity. The stained glass windows are more modern replacements.

It’s easy to miss Saint-Pierre de Montmartre — the church’s simple 1775 facade is dwarfed by the towers and domes of Sacré-Coeur in the background — but I recommend seeking it out.

Saint-Pierre de Montmartre Fun (and Less-Fun) Fact: It’s believed that, in 250 C.E., St. Denis was beheaded where the church now stands. Nearly 1,300 years later, Ignatius Loyola and his followers founded the Jesuit order here.

Église du Dôme des Invalides

This building didn’t have a long life as a church — it only functioned as a place of worship between 1706 and 1800. It was originally built as part of Louis XIV’s grand plan to create apartments and a hospital for retired soldiers. While the king was being generous to these old and wounded military men, however, he didn’t want to pray with them — so he ordered up this massive, domed, baroque chapel where he could attend worship services all on his own.

In 1800, Napoleon took this whole thing and turned it into a military necropolis, and the ex-church is now the much-visited site of the emperor’s grand red quartzite tomb. You’ll learn a lot more about military history than churches if you visit the domed hall, but it’s still a beautiful place.

Dôme Des Invalides Fun Fact: There are all sorts of Bonapartes buried underneath the dome today, but a few people rest there in pieces. You’ll find only the hearts (and no other parts) of both Théophile Corret de la Tour d’Auvergne and Catharina of Württemberg, and Napoleon II is buried there minus his heart and intestines.

Notre Dame Cathedral

It doesn’t feel right to put Notre Dame last, since this cathedral is both a Paris icon and the largest church in the city. But Notre Dame has been closed since the tragic 2019 fire, and it’s not on track to be reopened until December 2024 at the earliest. Still, if you’re reading this after the reopening, make sure to go — it’s worth the hype!

Want to add a few museums to your church visits? Don’t miss these lesser-known Paris gems.