Between 1831 and 1866, Théophile Gautier published two dozen tales which can be designated contes fantastiques or contes merveilleux. These works are examined in chronological sequence, in French, in order to follow the development of Gautier as a writer of fantastic stories. The analysis concentrates in particular on problems of genesis and intertextuality, and highlights the thematic continuity of this aspect of Gautier’s work.