Farid Ikken, 40, was officially charged with the attempted murder of law enforcement officials and association with terrorists.
The journalist was studying in France for a doctorate in communications.
He was described by the Paris prosecutor as a novice jihadist with an atypical profile.
Francois Molins described Mr Ikken as a professionally successful man, an intellectual, who had never given anyone who knew him the slightest sign of radicalisation.
Last Tuesday in front of Notre-Dame cathedral, Mr Ikken attacked a policeman with a hammer while shouting "This is for Syria", and was then shot and wounded.
He was jailed ahead of a hearing. He had previously been receiving hospital treatment under armed guard for a gunshot wound to the leg.
Mr Ikken told investigators he had radicalised himself over a period of 10 months, Mr Molins said.
At his home outside Paris, the prosecutor added, investigators found a laptop computer and four USB keys which contained:
"He had never shown any sign of radicalisation to those close to him, he had never been convicted, he was unknown to the intelligence services and so far, no signs of contact with anyone in Iraq or Syria have been found," Mr Molins said.
"He therefore appears to have the profile of a neophyte that the services fighting terrorism fear as much as hardened cases. It shows the diversity of profiles and that anything is possible."
How France is wrestling with jihadist terror
An Algerian man who was shot after attacking a policeman with a hammer at Notre Dame cathedral has appeared before a judge in Paris.