After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Christianity brought a sort of unity and calm to France. As witnessed by the multitude of churches, religion was omnipresent during these turbulent times of Barbarian invasions. The churches of this era, inspired by Roman architecture (thus the name romanesque), are charaterized by round arches, barrel-vaulting and large walls, a simple but heavy style. In Paris, the Benedictine Abbey of Cluny built in 910, is a perfect example of the romanesque grandeur designed to accomodate large crowds of pilgrims and worshippers.

Gothic - 12th to 14th century

During the Middle Ages the fortress style of the romanesque buildings was refined and improved by French masons and architects. The first Gothic buildings appeared in the late 12th with the rebuilding of the Basilica Saint Denis.

The main structural improvement of the gothic style lies in the use of arches to distibute the weight outward rather then straight down as with romanesque structures. As a result, Gothic buildings are taller with larger stain glass windows (hence brighter interiors) and highly ornamented. Notre-Dame Cathedral of Paris is a perfect example of the Gothic style.

Renaissance - 15th to 16th century

The Renaissance style refers to the style of the historic period primarily marked by King Francois I. Italian artists such as da Vinci and Cellini were invited to grace France with their talents in France, notably to improve his castle in Fontainebleau and to build his fabulous Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.

Many aristocrats followed the monarch to the Loire Valley to escape poverty in Paris and to enjoy the pleasures of country life. The Châteaus of Azay le Rideau, Chenonceau and Blois are perfect exemples of the Renaissance style.

Neoclassicism - 18th century

After the Revolution of 1789, architecture in France found inspiration in classic Greek and Roman models. Both the Arc de Triomphe and the Arc du Carrousel are examples of the Napoleonic inclination for Classicism.