The Paris France Temple was officially announced on October 1, 2011, by church president Thomas S. Monson during the general conference.

[10] While they had some success in the first years, especially among “political dissenters and cultural outsiders,”[10] growth was stymied by the French government’s policies, which included limitations on the distribution of printed material and restrictions on how many people could gather at one time.

Progress in rebuilding the church in France was slow, but began to pick up in 1960; almost 1,000 people were converted over the course of that year,[11] and growth continued.

However, French newspapers reported the church's plans to build the temple at Le Chesnay, which prompted the early announcement, three months prior to the October 2011 conference.

[4] Local opposition included Mayor Philippe Brillault who opposed the temple—planned on a site for an abandoned, asbestos-choked power plant—and proclaimed, "We weren’t overjoyed, because Mormons have an image that’s pretty much negative.

The structure stands 390 feet tall, constructed with warm-toned limestone which is similar to the stone used for other buildings in the area, including Versailles.

[18] The interior features many art-glass windows with floral patterns, including a large stained-glass skylight that sits above the baptistry, designed to foster a spiritually uplifting environment.

One example of these symbols is the floral motifs in the art-glass windows, which “are reflective of plants native to France and are based on the floral designs of artist Claude Monet’s gardens such as lilies, cornflower, lilacs and hollyhocks.”[19] The temple’s decorative motifs were also inspired by the fleur-de-lis, which is France’s national symbol and represents purity and virtue.

[19] The Paris France Temple is a place of worship and an architectural landmark in the Le Chesnay neighborhood, representing the church's commitment to sacred and aesthetically inspiring spaces.

The program featured 950 youth from France, Belgium, and Switzerland, and celebrated the reformation and the restoration in addition to the temple.

[20] While it wasn’t held on temple grounds, the event had the intent to provide a sense of community and promote mutual understanding among residents of diverse backgrounds.