A good guide to Paris
937441
In anticipation of my Eurotrip this summer, a friend recommended "The Traveling Professor." It's not as in-depth about the city as the DK guidebooks, but, what I appreciate most about this book is the attention to touring etiquette, from ordering like a local to avoiding scam artists trying to pull the wool over the tourist eye. I would recommend it for those purpose, but, if you're looking for more architectural information, this may not satisfy your craving. Happy traveling!
42870
I was on a business trip for the first time to Tokyo and stayed over the weekend to do some sightseeing. Since I only had limited time I found the "Don't Miss Sights" section very useful, did most of what the guide had recommended and was very satisfy with their recommendations.

I found the guide in general very informative on what to do, but don't rely on it to get you there. The major attractions are fairly easy to find but if you are looking for a specific restaurant, bar, club, etc., the map doesn't provide you with enough street detail and the addresses are only in English. My recommendation is to get a map in both Japanese and English to get you around.

Train and Subway are the best way to get around, but the stations can be quite overwhelming. Again, the guide only provides station maps in English. You can purchase a pre-paid card in 1000yen, 5000yen and 10000yen for travel on the subway lines so you don't have to try to figure out how much to pay for each trip (most are between 160yen to 190yen). For JR lines, you will also need to purchase a separate pre-paid card at the station ticket offices. I heard from locals that there will be a common pay-as-you-go card (like Suica) you can purchase for both JR and subway by summer 2007.

I ignored the sarcastic comments from the author since I did not buy the guide to get insight on Japanese culture. But it does make for some interesting reading on the subway/train.
304097
I read this to understand Paris before going next year. The author explains the development of the city with some of the political intrigue involved.
3763618
Nice walking/historic tour of select arrondissements in Paris. Would have really liked to have had some of the [more]outlyer areas included
4416722
This book offers a lovely look at the Parisian's way of dressing in style. The authors Virginie and Veronique Morana (mother and daughter) share their ideas on the essential wardrobe, accessories, and jewelry. They also include a chronology of French fashion, history of French perfume and shopping tips. Throughout the book Virginie and Veronique are pictured in different settings ie shopping, having tea etc wearing the types of clothes they recommend. The book is by no means an in depth guide to French style as is the out of print, comprehensive book "French Chic" by fashion reporter Susan Sommers, but is more of a simple, overview of the French style. The basics of French style are shared here from which you can build.  I found the photographs of the mother/daughter team a refreshing change from models. Here we see how real women translate the French clothing to the street. And the fashions shown would work well in the US. Some of the garments are laid out on a chair making it hard to see details however. In addition, though the section on jewelry was extensive as the authors own a jewelry boutique, the section on makeup was sketchy limited to a paragraph. Overall I enjoyed the little book but view it more as a light overview not a deep picture of French fashions.
1392994
Before heading to New Orleans for fun, food and music (all in equal parts) for 5 days, I sought out a few guidebooks on the city. Each was somewhat different and, though there were important and well known places, each one offered a unique benefit.

This was one of TWO guides I got from Frommers. Again, each had its own pluses, but Frommer  books (I go waaaaay back to the Europe on $5-$10 a Day volumes authored by Arthur Frommer himself) all have the consumer in mind and read like a friends journal.
I referred to this as the pocket Guide. It is slim and sturdily bound and has a large fold out map in a pocket in the rear.

The title is a bit misleading as the book is not in a format by day. It is, like most guides by subject such as sights, sounds, hotels, walking tours, etc. Within each of these there are subjection by area (neighborhood) of the city. Up front are lists of what to see if you only have 1, 2, 3 or 5 days to see the city. (Honestly you need a minimum of three nights and 5-7 can be filled easily.

The print is not very large but easy to read with black ink on what background. And the maps of neighborhoods (as compared with the big pull out one) are well laid out.

Because of its size, I found it easy to carry around with me and the binding is sturdy too.

I hope you found this review both informative and helpful.

Steve Ramm
Anything Phonographic
1751607
I must say that I love this book.  My sister and I went to Paris last April for about a week, and this book was our bible.

It was actually loaned to me by a teacher at the school were I work, who is from Paris. She said in her opinion this was the best guide for someone who is going to Paris for the first time.

I am so glad I had it with me, it was very informative, easy to understand and overflowing with useful information.  One of the best pieces of information I found was that some historical monuments are free the first Sunday of the month.  This was extremely useful to us, especially since our third day in Paris was the first Sunday of the month.

We ended up getting into the Norte Dome for free and a couple of other places.  It was great because by that time we were beginning to feel the effects of paying the sometimes-high fees to get into most of the other historical monuments.

If we did not have this book we would have wasted lots of time trying to figure out what to see and how to get around.  In response to the reviewer who said that this book does not go into depth or explain enough about the historical monuments, I say a person traveling to Paris should already have a good deal of knowledge about the history of Paris and its sites.

In conclusion, I think this book is great and recommend it to anyone going to Paris.
2801361
I used these cards on a visit to Paris a few weeks ago, and I have to say that I found them much more beneficial than the several guide books that I also had. Each day I would just pick the area I wanted to explore, take out the cards from this pack from that area, and use them as a general starting point to explore the area.

There is a really interesting selection. All of the main "touristy" areas are covered, but what I found much more interesting were the slighlty more off the beaten track walks. They help you discover some of the "other" sides to Paris.

Each card has a map on one side, and a written guide on the other which includes notable sights, shops, cafes etc as well as the suggested start point Metro station.

The only thing that might have been added was a Metro map.

I was very pleased with this product and I will use the City Walks for other cities that plan to visit in the future.
1020752
While I found parts of this book to be useful, overall it is lacking in some elemental areas.  For someone who spends as much time in Europe as Steves advertises, it's surprising that this is the first edition by Steves to include the Paris Catacombs as a site to visit.
The raves about the Rue Cler area are overdone; there are newer areas that have become neighborhoods in their own right: in the 17th, the distinct North African Arab influence is everywhere. There are good couscous restaurants and very friendly people who give the lie to the, by now, universally incorrect impression that Parisians are rude and snobbish. I visit Paris two or three times a year and it's rare to be met with disdain by Parisians.
The Michelin guide gives an excellent historic overview of the particular site along with a decent snapshot map of the area. I agree with others that the maps in Steves' books are inadequate.
What I do agree with is his attitude that you have to be willing to dive into Paris in order to get a good experience out of it.  The Parisians like everyone and they only get their backs up when someone is rude, pushy, or impolite. Impolite, of course, can merely be asking for directions somewhere without the obligatory "Bon jour, monsieur/madame", before making your request, but when in Rome....
There are many good chain hotels available in Paris for as little as $ a night. Ibis runs good, clean hotels with courteous and knowledgable staff.  One hotel I strongly recommend is the Frantour Berthier-Brochant at the Place de Clichy RER stop. It's clean, affordable, and has a pool and exercise area. It is accesible to Metro and RER stops and many rooms have a view of the Eiffel Tower.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you have an older Michelin guide which you want to supplement.  This would not be my first choice as a guide book; there's too much left out.
4731821
This is a good guide if you need detail maps for the individual neighborhoods in London. It does include some brief overviews of the major attractions but does not go into detail. It was exactly what I needed for my trip and I was satisfied with it. If you need a guide with many a great amount of descriptive text about things to see then this would not be the guide that you need.
2785806
This provides useful information and wry--sometimes LOL--observations on the Parisians and their city. I recommend it for travelers to Paris.
1017990
I like Rick Steves' philosophy on travel and this guide came in handy on my recent trek through Italy.  His hotel suggestions were right on, and we got pretty much what we expected.  His tips for the big cities such as Rome and Venice came in really handy.  There were two things about the guide that I did not like.  The first was that if he doesn't like a region or a city, then either it is not included, or there is not much information about it.  This is to be expected, however, as the Back Door philosophy is spelled out.  The second is the maps for some cities.  Don't try to navigate exclusively through the maps in the book, even to try to locate hotels.  Happy Travels!
2179990
One of the best guides to out of the way places for budget-conscious foodies visiting Paris.
1548051
I bought the Irreverent Guide to London when I traveled to Britain two years ago, and I had such a good experience with that book that I bought this one for my upcoming trip to Paris. I have also read Fodor's and have done extensive research online, but I like the irreverent book because it's small, informative, and opinionated. I don't need another sixty pages listing the museums in France. What I need is for someone knowledgable to tell me which museums are worth the time and which ones aren't
4221792
Concise, easy to read, and enjoyable&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Paris-The-Architecture-Guide/dp/3037680024/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Paris - The Architecture Guide</a>&nbsp;contains relevant information on most major, and some minor, structures of Paris. Grouped through a timeline approach, the book leads you through the evolution of architecture and makes longer stops to point out architectural game-changers such as style transitions or influential architects or 'schools.'

Great to take along on a visit to Paris for those that find the disection of the built world key to understanding society.
2032410
I bought this calendar to look at pretty pictures of Paris and to learn a bit more about the scenes -- one can always go to Google for more information.

My wife who is from Paris and who lived there until she was 23 indulged me, but every breakfast has become a source of delight as we look at one or two or three new scenes. Many she recognizes, and tells me about a personal experience there.  A few we have shared and share our memories. But a surprising number are new to her too -- and we love looking up the site and learning more for the great majority.

Did I mention the photos are  beautiful?

Robert C. Ross
March 2018
2899548
This handy, little pocket guide is perfect for the first time visitor to Paris.  It's small enough to fit in a pocket or pocketbook (Just no fanny packs, s'il vous plait)!  This guide offers a Best of Paris, a list of the most popular (though, arguably, not necessarily the best) sites in Paris, and useful tips about transportation, currency, and etiquette.

What I appreciate:
*  The Best Walks in Paris is fantastic.  I have the larger Lonely Planet Paris guide and followed each of the suggested walks on a different day.  It was a great way to learn more about my favorite city in the world (As is taking a guided evening walking tour.  I have two favorites, email me or check my blog for information on great walking tours in Paris.  http://leahmariebrown.blogspot.com
*  The Maps are quite handy - though, if you plan on covering a lot of ground on foot, I suggest StreetWise Paris.  It is a fantastic, detailed, laminated map.  Here's the link to purchase it on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Streetwise-Paris-Map-Laminated-Center/dp/0935039252/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426961859&sr=1-1&keywords=city+maps+paris
*  I appreciated the How to Find WiFi spots.  Note, pronounced WeFee in Paris.

What I found lacking:
*  The reviewed restaurants are the typical touristy dives.  I like local or off-the-beaten-path places.  Bofinger, the brasserie suggested in the guide, is one exception.  This is a fabulous restaurant with true Parisian ambiance, if a tourist mecca.

Bottom Line:
This is a handy little guide, but if you are looking to really dig into the city, I suggest downloaded a more comprehensive guide on your iPad or smartphone.