Is "retourner dans" invariable, or is "retourner à" also acceptable?

Question

The given translation of "Vous êtes retournés dans la maison de votre enfance" is "You went back to your childhood home."

But can one distinguish between "going back to" (and remaining outside) and "going back into"? In other words is "retourner dans" invariable, or is "retourner à" also acceptable?

Accepted Answer

Hi Harry, 
It does seem odd as you could say 
Je suis retourné à la maison = chez moi = I went back home
 as 'à la maison' means 'at home'.
But you would say -
Je suis retourné dans la maison de mon enfance.
However, you would say -

Je suis retourné à Paris = I went back to Paris
Je suis retourné au travail = I went back to work
Je suis retourné à l'église = I went back to church

And this is just the way it is, I am afraid

Answer

Hi Harry,https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/retourner-%c3%a0-paris.588008/I don't see why "Retourner à" would be unacceptable.Hope this helps,Jim

Answer

@Jim - Thanks for your link and answer. In that case, surely the question should be amended to "Vous êtes retournés à la maison de votre enfance".

Answer

Hi Harry,I'm inclined to agree with you, but depending upon the context perhaps "dans" would be appropriate in the sense "returning in / into"I would normally expect to see "retourner à"Bonne JournéeJim

Answer

Thank you, Cecile. I think you've answered my question. Just one more thing, though. You wrote:

"It does seem odd as you could say 'Je suis retourné à la maison'".

Did you mean "It does seem odd to say..."?

Answer

Harry, maybe ? I am recovering from a broken wrist back in September so anything is possible!