During the Middle Ages Prosperous French cities competed to build the largest cathedral or the highest tower.
One of the drawbacks of French Gothic architecture was its immense cost; it required small armies of skilled craftsmen working intently for decades.
Due to downturns in the economy, a notable number of French cathedrals were begun but never finished.
They also sometimes suffered when the ambitions of the architects exceeded their technical skills.
One example was Beauvais Cathedral.
Its patrons and architects sought to build the tallest church in the world.
with a vaulted choir 48 meters high, taller than its nearby competitor, Amiens Cathedral, at 42 meters.
Work began in 1225 but the roof of the vault was too heavy for the walls, and partially collapsed in 1272.
They thickened the walls and rebuilt the vault and in 1569 they completed a tower, 72 meters high, which from 1569–1573 made Beauvais Cathedral the tallest structure in the world.
However, in 1573, the new tower collapsed, fortunately without any casualties.
The church remains today as it was, with the choir, some of the ambulatory, apse, some chapels, but no nave or tower.

Beginning in the 1530s, the Flamboyant Gothic style of French religious and civil architecture also began to show the influence of the Italian Renaissance.
Charles VIII of France and Louis XII of France had both participated in military campaigns in Italy, and had seen the new architecture there.
Large numbers of Italian stonemasons had come to Paris to work on the new Pont Notre-Dame (1507–1512) and other construction sites.
The Fontaine des Innocents, built by sculptor Jean Goujon to celebrate the entrance of Henry II into Paris in 1549, was the first Renaissance monument in the city.
 It was soon followed by the new facade of the Cour Carré of the Louvre, also decorated by Jean Goujon.
The new Paris Hotel de Ville  (1533–1568) was also constructed in an Italianate rather than Gothic style.
 Most important of all, the new Tuileries Palace by Philippe Delorme, built for Catherine de' Medici, begun in 1564, was inspired by Italian palaces.

Religious buildings were slower to change.
The Church of the Carmes-Deschaussé (1613–1620) on rue Vaugirard in Paris, and especially the church of St-Gervais-et-St-Protais by Salomon de Brosse (1615–21) with a facade based on the superposition of the three orders of classical architecture, represented the new model.
However, the Gothic style remained prominent in new churches.
 The Church of Saint Eustache in Paris (1532–1640), which rivaled Notre-Dame in size, combined a Gothic plan with Renaissance decoration.

In the course of the 17th century, the French classical style of François Mansart began to dominate; then, under Louis XIV, the grand French classical style, practiced by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis Le Vau, and Claude Perrault, took center stage.
Landmarks of the Gothic style, such as Notre-Dame, were modified with new interiors designed in the new style.
 Following the new fashion of his patron, Louis XIV, the poet Molière ridiculed the Gothic style in a 1669 poem: "...the insipid taste of Gothic ornamentation, these odious monstrosities of an ignorant age, produced by the torrents of barbarism...".

During the French Revolution, Gothic churches were symbols of the old regime and became targets for the Revolutionaries;  the cathedrals were nationalized, and stripped of ornament and valuables.
 The statues of the Biblical figures on the facade of Notre-Dame were beheaded, under the false belief that they were statues of the French Kings.
 Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the cathedrals were returned to the church, but were left in a lamentable state of repair.
During the Middle Ages Prosperous French cities competed to build the largest cathedral or the highest tower. One of the drawbacks of French Gothic architecture was its immense cost; it required small armies of skilled craftsmen working intently for decades. Due to downturns in the economy, a notable number of French cathedrals were begun but never finished. They also sometimes suffered when the ambitions of the architects exceeded their technical skills. One example was Beauvais Cathedral. Its patrons and architects sought to build the tallest church in the world. with a vaulted choir 48 meters high, taller than its nearby competitor, Amiens Cathedral, at 42 meters. Work began in 1225 but the roof of the vault was too heavy for the walls, and partially collapsed in 1272. They thickened the walls and rebuilt the vault and in 1569 they completed a tower, 72 meters high, which from 1569–1573 made Beauvais Cathedral the tallest structure in the world. However, in 1573, the new tower collapsed, fortunately without any casualties. The church remains today as it was, with the choir, some of the ambulatory, apse, some chapels, but no nave or tower.
Beginning in the 1530s, the Flamboyant Gothic style of French religious and civil architecture also began to show the influence of the Italian Renaissance. Charles VIII of France and Louis XII of France had both participated in military campaigns in Italy, and had seen the new architecture there. Large numbers of Italian stonemasons had come to Paris to work on the new Pont Notre-Dame (1507–1512) and other construction sites. The Fontaine des Innocents, built by sculptor Jean Goujon to celebrate the entrance of Henry II into Paris in 1549, was the first Renaissance monument in the city.  It was soon followed by the new facade of the Cour Carré of the Louvre, also decorated by Jean Goujon. The new Paris Hotel de Ville  (1533–1568) was also constructed in an Italianate rather than Gothic style.  Most important of all, the new Tuileries Palace by Philippe Delorme, built for Catherine de' Medici, begun in 1564, was inspired by Italian palaces.
Religious buildings were slower to change. The Church of the Carmes-Deschaussé (1613–1620) on rue Vaugirard in Paris, and especially the church of St-Gervais-et-St-Protais by Salomon de Brosse (1615–21) with a facade based on the superposition of the three orders of classical architecture, represented the new model. However, the Gothic style remained prominent in new churches.  The Church of Saint Eustache in Paris (1532–1640), which rivaled Notre-Dame in size, combined a Gothic plan with Renaissance decoration.
In the course of the 17th century, the French classical style of François Mansart began to dominate; then, under Louis XIV, the grand French classical style, practiced by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, Louis Le Vau, and Claude Perrault, took center stage. Landmarks of the Gothic style, such as Notre-Dame, were modified with new interiors designed in the new style.  Following the new fashion of his patron, Louis XIV, the poet Molière ridiculed the Gothic style in a 1669 poem: "...the insipid taste of Gothic ornamentation, these odious monstrosities of an ignorant age, produced by the torrents of barbarism...".
During the French Revolution, Gothic churches were symbols of the old regime and became targets for the Revolutionaries;  the cathedrals were nationalized, and stripped of ornament and valuables.  The statues of the Biblical figures on the facade of Notre-Dame were beheaded, under the false belief that they were statues of the French Kings.  Under Napoleon Bonaparte, the cathedrals were returned to the church, but were left in a lamentable state of repair.
French Gothic architecture