Paris to the Past: Traveling through French History by Train

Price: $18.99 - $16.69
(as of Sep 11, 2026 14:50:25 UTC – Details)

“I’d rather go to France with Ina Caro than with Henry Adams or Henry James.”―Newsweek

In one of the most inventive travel books in years, Ina Caro invites readers on twenty-five one-day train trips that depart from Paris and transport us back through seven hundred years of French history. Whether taking us to Orléans to evoke the visions of Joan of Arc or to the Place de la Concorde to witness the beheading of Marie Antoinette, Caro animates history with her lush descriptions of architectural splendors and tales of court intrigue. “[An] enchanting travelogue” (Publishers Weekly), Paris to the Past has become one of the classic guidebooks of our time. 6 maps
Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 16, 2012
Edition ‏ : ‎ Reprint
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0393343154
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393343151
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.9 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1 x 8.3 inches
Best Sellers Rank: #855,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #210 in Railroad Travel Reference #212 in Railroads (Books) #225 in Paris Travel Guides
Customer Reviews: 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (183) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });
Customers find the book provides valuable historical insights, detailing the rich and complex background of France’s Medieval past, and serves as a wonderful guide to day trips around Paris. Moreover, they appreciate its detailed and excellently-researched content, with one customer noting how it guides readers to view places with their historical context in mind. Additionally, customers find the book entertaining and useful, with one mentioning it’s ideal for Francophiles.