An exposure method and an exposure apparatus make it possible to easily supply a gas through which an exposure light beam is transmitted, to a space between a projection optical system and a substrate as an exposure objective. A wafer (W) is exposed with a reduced image of a pattern on a reticle (R) by radiating the exposure light beam (IL) having passed through the pattern on the reticle (R), onto the wafer (W) via a projection optical system (PL) composed of a cata-dioptric system. A purge guide plate (33), which has a guide hole (33a) formed in the vicinity of the field center, is installed between the wafer (W) and an optical member (M2) disposed at the tip of the projection optical system (PL). A purge gas, through which the exposure light beam (IL) is transmitted, is supplied from a gas supply unit (26) to the space between the purge guide plate (33) and the optical member (M2) disposed at the tip. The purge gas flows in a form of downflow through the guide hole (33a) toward the wafer (W), and then the purge gas flows in directions toward the outer circumference.
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