A large part of the Gothic architectural heritage of France, particularly the churches and monasteries, had been damaged or destroyed during the Revolution.
Of the 300 churches in Paris in the 16th century, only 97 still were standing in 1800.
The Basilica of St Denis had been stripped of its stained glass and monumental tombs, while the statues on the façade of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris had been beheaded and taken down.
Throughout the country, churches and monasteries had been demolished or turned into barns, cafes, schools, or prisons.
The first effort to catalogue the remaining monuments was made in 1816 by Alexandre de Laborde, who wrote the first list of "Monuments of France".
In 1831, interest in Gothic architecture grew even greater following the huge popular success of the romantic novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo.
In 1832, Hugo wrote an article for the Revue des deux Mondes, which declared war against the "massacre of ancient stones" and the "demolishers" of France's past.
Louis Philippe declared that restoration of churches and other monuments would be a priority of his regime.
In October 1830, the position of Inspector of Historical Monuments had been created by the Interior Minister, François Guizot, a professor of history at the Sorbonne.
In 1833, Prosper Mérimée became its second Inspector, and by far the most energetic and long-lasting.
He held the position for twenty-seven years.

Under Louis Philippe, French Gothic architecture was officially recognized as a treasure of French culture.
 Under Mérimée's direction, the first efforts to restore major Gothic monuments began.
In 1835, the church of Saint Séverin in Paris was among first to undergo restoration, followed in 1836 by Sainte-Chapelle,  which had been turned into a storage house for government archives after the Revolution.
The restoration of Saint-Chapelle as led by Félix Duban with Jean-Baptiste Antoine Lassus and a young Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
In 1843, Lassus and Viollet-le-Duc won the competition for the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris.
Over the rest of the 19th century, all of the major Gothic cathedrals of France underwent extensive restoration.

French Gothic architecture also experienced a modest revival, largely confined to new churches.
Neo-Gothic churches built in Paris included Sainte-Clothilde by Theodore Ballu (1841–57),  and Saint-Laurent, Paris by Simon-Claude-Constant Dufeux (1862–65).
 Jean-Baptiste Lassus became the most prolific neo-Gothic architect in France, constructing Saint-Nicolas de Nantes (1840), Sacré-Coeur de Moulins (1849), Saint-Pierre de Dijon (1850), Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville (1853) and the Église de Cusset (1855).
 The Saint-Eugene-Sainte-Cécile in Paris by Louis-Auguste Boileau and Adrien-Louis Lasson (1854–55) was the most innovative example of neo-Gothic;  it combined a traditional Gothic design with a modern iron framework.
Jules Verne was married in the church in 1857.
A large part of the Gothic architectural heritage of France, particularly the churches and monasteries, had been damaged or destroyed during the Revolution. Of the 300 churches in Paris in the 16th century, only 97 still were standing in 1800. The Basilica of St Denis had been stripped of its stained glass and monumental tombs, while the statues on the façade of the cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris had been beheaded and taken down. Throughout the country, churches and monasteries had been demolished or turned into barns, cafes, schools, or prisons. The first effort to catalogue the remaining monuments was made in 1816 by Alexandre de Laborde, who wrote the first list of "Monuments of France". In 1831, interest in Gothic architecture grew even greater following the huge popular success of the romantic novel Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo. In 1832, Hugo wrote an article for the Revue des deux Mondes, which declared war against the "massacre of ancient stones" and the "demolishers" of France's past. Louis Philippe declared that restoration of churches and other monuments would be a priority of his regime. In October 1830, the position of Inspector of Historical Monuments had been created by the Interior Minister, François Guizot, a professor of history at the Sorbonne. In 1833, Prosper Mérimée became its second Inspector, and by far the most energetic and long-lasting. He held the position for twenty-seven years.
Under Louis Philippe, French Gothic architecture was officially recognized as a treasure of French culture.  Under Mérimée's direction, the first efforts to restore major Gothic monuments began. In 1835, the church of Saint Séverin in Paris was among first to undergo restoration, followed in 1836 by Sainte-Chapelle,  which had been turned into a storage house for government archives after the Revolution. The restoration of Saint-Chapelle as led by Félix Duban with Jean-Baptiste Antoine Lassus and a young Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. In 1843, Lassus and Viollet-le-Duc won the competition for the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris. Over the rest of the 19th century, all of the major Gothic cathedrals of France underwent extensive restoration.
French Gothic architecture also experienced a modest revival, largely confined to new churches. Neo-Gothic churches built in Paris included Sainte-Clothilde by Theodore Ballu (1841–57),  and Saint-Laurent, Paris by Simon-Claude-Constant Dufeux (1862–65).  Jean-Baptiste Lassus became the most prolific neo-Gothic architect in France, constructing Saint-Nicolas de Nantes (1840), Sacré-Coeur de Moulins (1849), Saint-Pierre de Dijon (1850), Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Belleville (1853) and the Église de Cusset (1855).  The Saint-Eugene-Sainte-Cécile in Paris by Louis-Auguste Boileau and Adrien-Louis Lasson (1854–55) was the most innovative example of neo-Gothic;  it combined a traditional Gothic design with a modern iron framework. Jules Verne was married in the church in 1857.
French Gothic architecture