Skip to Content

French Architecture Terms

French Architecture Terms

Lexique de l’architecture

On this page you will find a complete list of French vocabulary words for architecture styles and building types. Almost all of the words associated with architecture (l’architecture) are the same in English and French. This is because a lot of the words in English were borrowed from French before and during the Renaissance period.

Image: Architecture

Vocabulary list

When sightseeing in France you might find some of these terms useful.

  • gothique gothic
  • baroque baroque
  • Renaissance Renaissance
  • rococo rococo
  • néoclassique neoclassic
  • art nouveau art nouveau
  • art déco art deco
  • le frontation pediment
  • la frise frieze
  • l’arc arch
  • le chœur choir
  • l’architrave architrave
  • le fleuron finial
  • la colonne pillar
  • la corniche cornice
  • la tour tower
  • le pignon gable
  • la flèche spire
  • la tourelle turret
  • la douve moat
  • le dôme dome
  • la cathédrale cathedrale
  • le gratte-ciel sky-scraper
  • le bâtiment building
  • le château chateau/castle
  • l’église church
  • la mosquée mosque
  • le temple temple
  • la synagogue synagogue
  • le pont bridge

Related lessons:

Discover more:

Sharing is caring!

Affiliate disclosure: Below you will find affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking the link, we will receive a small commission. To learn more please visit our full disclosure page. Merci!

Sign up to download your free trial of À Moi Paris a French course which I recommend to my personal students to help with pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. After that, upgrade for access to 77 hours of audio lessons.

Read our full review of À Moi Paris and find out why we love it so much!

Are you struggling with French verb conjugations? Then we highly recommend French Today's French Verb Drills course. Get over 28 hours of audio exercises to build reflexes and dramatically improve your French level and confidence.

Read our full review of French Verb Drills and find out why we recommend this course!

David Issokson

David Issokson is a lifelong language enthusiast. His head is swimming with words and sounds as he speaks over six languages. Of all the languages he speaks, he's the most passionate about French! David has helped hundreds of students to improve their French in his private online lessons. When procrastinating working on his site, FrenchLearner.com, David enjoys his time skiing and hiking in Teton Valley, Idaho.

See all posts by