Coutances Cathedral, Coutances

Coutances Cathedral is a 13th-century Norman Gothic masterpiece that dominates the skyline of this small Normandy town. Built between 1210 and 1274, the current structure cleverly incorporates the walls of an earlier 11th-century Romanesque cathedral beneath its Gothic exterior. The cathedral features twin spires reaching 77 and 75 meters, and its famous octagonal lantern tower floods the interior with natural light through 16 windows.