A Brief History of France offers a broad overview of the country's history, from the prehistoric Neanderthals to the present nation at the heart of the European Union, while also exploring the country's geography, culture, and society.

Table of Contents

• List of Illustrations
• List of Maps
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• 1 Beginnings to the Land of the Gauls (Prehistory-52 b.c.e.)
• 2 Roman Gaul (52 b.c.e.-481 c.e.)
• 3 The Kingdom of the Franks (481-987)
• 4 France in Embryo (987-1337)
• 5 The Making of the Monarchy (1337-1598)
• 6 The Monarchy Made Majestic (1598-1789)
• 7 The Great Revolution and the Grand Empire (1789-1815)
• 8 The Search for Stability (1815-1870)
• 9 Republican Rule Takes Root (1870-1914)
• 10 Years of Turmoil and Tragedy (1914-1945)
• 11 Regeneration and Transformation (1945-2000)
• 12 France in the Twenty-first Century: The Power of Prestige
• Appendixes
• 1 Rulers of France: 987 to the Present
• 2 Basic Facts about France
• 3 Chronology
• 4 Bibliography
• 5 Suggested Reading