A Motor Flight Through France

Summary

In A Motor-Flight Through France, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edith Wharton invites readers on an extraordinary journey through the French countryside at the dawn of the motor age. Based on her 1906 road trip—an ambitious endeavor at a time when automobiles were still a novelty—Wharton’s account captures the thrill of early travel by car and the unparalleled freedom it offered to the adventurous traveler.

Accompanied by her husband Teddy and a small group of companions, Wharton set off in a custom-built 1904 Panhard, one of the most advanced motorcars of its time. With a driver at the wheel, she was free to focus on the pleasures of the journey: the texture of the landscapes, the character of remote towns, and above all, the magnificence of French architecture. Her detailed observations of Romanesque, Gothic, and Renaissance churches and cathedrals form the heart of the book. From Chartres to Burgundy, from Normandy to Provence, Wharton’s trained eye captures the spirit and splendor of centuries-old structures that might otherwise be overlooked in modern travel.

Written in her trademark elegant prose, the narrative reflects not just Wharton’s appreciation for France’s aesthetic heritage but also her incisive cultural commentary. She laments the encroachment of modernity even as she embraces the automobile’s power to uncover hidden corners of the French countryside. Her reflections remain as engaging today as they were over a century ago—equal parts insightful, witty, and wistful.

This edition features an introduction by Lavinia Spalding, acclaimed travel writer and editor of the Best Women’s Travel Writing series. Spalding places Wharton’s journey in historical context and underscores its significance as one of the earliest examples of female-authored road literature.

A Motor-Flight Through France is more than a travelogue—it’s a testament to curiosity, elegance, and the enduring romance of the road.