No comments about Corsica (Eyewitness Travel Guides).

5 comments about Rendez-vous with France: A Point and Pronounce Guide to Traveling, Shopping, and Eating.

1. Even if you are fairly fluent in the French language yet have never gone to France, you will find this little book/travel diary indispensible and so incredibly easy to use you will wonder why someone else did not think of it sooner. Each of the pages is liberally sprinkled with colorful drawings, a explanation or label in French and the phonetic pronunciation of whatever the picture depicts. Tres facile! The book is setup in 5 units: En Voyage (your arrival, transportation, hotel arrangements, sightseeing and departure), Eating out in Cafes and Restaurants (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner), Shopping (Clothes, Food and Household goods), the Basics ( Counting, Money, Communication, Services, Time, Restrooms and Emergencies) and the Index with a wonderful alphabet pronunciation that most books simply and foolishly do not include. Insightfully, Butler provides pages in the book for you to list such memorable things as your favorite restaurants and cafes, notable villages, favorite meals, etc. She thoughtfully provides a page which depicts the types of French bread, the characteristics of the Fish you may choose on a menu--for example: les anchois are grey,oily,strong in flavor and fillets, country and region codes associated with the French telephone system, and many other interesting and necessary bits of information that you just will not find in the more popular guides. Above all the format is fun and easy to use, Butler was wise enough to include a built in ribbon bookmark. Recommended to anyone who will travel to France--mentally or physically and for anyone who studies the French language--this colorful book makes a great reference guide and vocabulary builder



2. I spent a week in Paris for business earlier this month and had only 6 days' notice about the trip. I don't speak French and I had never been outside of the U.S. I found this book, Rendez-vous with France, at the local library and it was my saving grace throughout the week. By using the book and its charming illustrations, I was able to communicate with shuttle drivers, hotel staff, street vendors and wait staff. I literally could not have gotten through the week without it! Since I was in Paris for business I didn't really get to EXPERIENCE much of Paris, but I have already bought this book and Jill Butler's next book on wandering in Paris for my next trip.



3. I had borrowed this book from the library during a tourist-French class. The teacher told me she used to teach from this book. It's a great size to fit in a purse/bag and I'm going to bring it when I go to France this summer. With the pictures, I think it's better than a regular translation mini-book.



4. An interesting tome that is practical and precise. Valuable for the first time traveler to Paris. Bon voyage!



5. While the graphics are cute and the pronunciation guides are somewhat helpful, I was disappointed in this book. It seemed to me to be only one step better than any vocabulary list you can find. I found it only minimally useful.

5 comments about Rick Steves' Paris 2007 (Rick Steves).

1. Rick Steves is an expert on European travel.
   I am a great fan of his PBS show, "Rick Steves in...".
   His information is as complete as one might want; he covers the basics plus some: how to go, where to stay, dine, explore, etc.
   There is also the in-depth information on the people, the customs, the "inner side" of Paris that gives one more than
   the "typical touristy" perspective.
   His book is well organized and easy to read...I'm still reading it and enjoying my "chairside travel" in preparation for the real thing.



2. My husband and I used this book on our recent eight-day trip to Paris. It was a very helpful guidebook, giving several insights into how to get around Paris--such as where to buy the Museum Pass most efficiently, to navigating the Metro, to saving some money, etc. I found it very easy to use, with a good index that led us immediately to the information we needed. I would definitely recommend reading the book before you leave in order to maximize its information. We appreciated his starred ratings of sights big and small, which were helpful in planning our time. We didn't find his restaraunt and cafe suggestions too helpful, as "cheap" to him was "pricey" to us. Particularly of note were the tours of some of the major sights. We had our iPods with us, and we were able to download the audio versions of the written chapters as we toured the sights. At Versailles, we rented the audioguide, but in the end we found the Rick Steves tour (in the book and downloaded from his Web site), to be more interesting and informative than the palace's audioguide. I feel that we got a thorough and wonderful "tour" of Paris with this book--coupled with a good map of Paris, it's really all you need to enjoy your trip.



3. I really have to compliment Rick Steves for making a tour guide book fun and informative at the same time. There were moments when I was reading a description of something and started laughing out loud from humorous description he would give. Besides being fun, there is plenty of information in here...I would recommend trying to get the 2008 version after 10/07 because the Euro has jumped up in value (or did the dollar drop?) and some prices went up also. But I would certainly recommend this book to friends and family because you will be enthused to get informed.



4. The maps and insider tips are Great. I will take a current copy every time I go to Paris.



5. Rick Steves' Paris had great information and wonderful tips. It was very helpful to have organized vacation plans, but also had enough ideas and favorite destinations that it allowed us to pick and choose which would work with our schedules. I especially liked the walking tour guide. It made getting from place to place fun, informative, and a good use of time.

No comments about The Rough Guide to Paris - 11th Edition.

2 comments about Michelin the Green Guide Chateaux of the Loire (Michelin Green Guide: Chateaux of the Loire English Edition).

1. The reviews of the chateaux and the Loire valley are very, very good. The descriptions and photos provide a very nice, concise description. There are suggested day trips and, at least the day trip I took, worked well.
   
   But I was a bit disappointed that this guide has little information regarding restaurants and other attractions in the Loire valley. I know, I know ... the title says that it is a book regarding the chateaux. But given Michelen's reputation for restaurant reviews and other travel information, I expected more reviews of restaurants that were nearby the chateaux.



2. Excellent comprehensive guide to the region. I've been there four times and discovered many new places in this book.

5 comments about The Impressionists' Paris: Walking Tours of the Artists' Studios, Homes, and the Sites They Painted.

1. I think my students will love traveling in the footsteps of the impressionists. Seeing what the artists saw is worth a 1000 words in explaining they why of the subject painted.



2. If you love Paris and the Impressionists' work this is a must have. Taking the walking tours was the highlight of my last trip to the city of lights. Williams helps you see through 100 years of change into a different Paris.



3. There are many books about Paris, many about the Impressionists, and several about Paris and the Impressionists. If you're obsessed with Paris and Impressionism, buy them all. However, if you're not willing to build a new wing for your library, or simply want a book you can actually take with you and use while you're in Paris, this is the one. It's a true gem.



4. This and a Metro map will take care of me for a week. A little about Paris, a little about the period, a little about the artists... "The Impressionists' Paris" is a learning experience, even for a student of impressionist art, and even if you're not planning a trip to Paris soon.

   All but one of these 3 walks are on the right bank, which is otherwise somewhat impressionist-deprived since the good paintings moved from l'Orangerie to Musee d'Orsay. Combine Walk 1 with a visit to Orsay one day, then combine Walk 2 with an excursion to Giverny on another day.

   Work the cafes into the rest of your visit to Paris. If you're into art and food, this book is a great companion to "The Historic Restaurants of Paris" by the same author.

   Don't expect to find all of the locations intact, and there's the ever-present reality of construction and scaffolding. I hardly recognized the Pont de l'Europe from Caillebotte's painting, and Cafe de la Paix is closed for renovation (9/2002).

   I'd love to meet this author sometime. She did this book like I would have (if I knew nearly as much as she). Each tour has a good map, and about 14-18 pages (each) of descriptions and pictures. Walking directions are in bold.

   The book has nice color plates of selected paintings, matched loosely with period photos of Paris taken from old postcards, some with their 'timbres' quaintly intact. Lengthy captions add colorful trivia. She even finishes off the book with a tastefully written list of Paris cemeteries where the impressionists are buried.

   Bon Voyage!




5. This is exactly the book I was looking for and wasn't sure existed. Even if I don't get back to Paris for years, I can still feel a little closer to its streets because of this guide. This little book can not serve as a introduction to Impressionist art, but to those who already love Impressionism, this is a delightful addition to that appeciation.

5 comments about Walking Paris : Thirty Original Walks In and Around Paris.

1. "Walking Paris" is an excellent, easy to read, easy to carry book of walks around Paris which combines both obvious tourist high spots with hidden and unspoilt and largely undiscovered Paris. It is full of fascinating background information. It also contains helpful information about good restaurants and cafes on your route."Walking Paris" really adds value and enjoyment to your trip to this fascinating and most beautiful city.



2. My girlfriend and I did about a third of the walks in this book while visiting Paris at Easter.
   
   Overall, a very good guide that points out both the expected and unexpected sites of interest on the
   walk. The maps sometimes have glitches, so on every walk we found ourselves lost at least once.
   
   Some walks were brilliant and informative. Walking Montmartre and the Marais, I learned a lot more about
   neighborhoods I'd been in before (previously armed with a Michelin guide). The Latin Quarter walks were
   a little less good but still excellent (and in the Latin Quarter, seemed to take us past all the fine bakeries).
   
   Other walks were simply average: the Louvre to Champs Elysee and Ile St Louis. The walks were fine but
   nothing in the guide made them feel special. And while I applaud the idea of trying to create a walk
   from Trocadero to the Arc de Triomphe, the actual walk was rather boring.
   
   Still, overall, the best walking guide for Paris I've encountered.



3. If you're only interested in who built a particular building and when and in what style, then you'll love this book. But in my mind, only an architectural history buff would like it. It's just a list of information, few cultural references, nothing interesting, it's very boring.



4. Having already used the "Walking London" and "Walking Dublin" books, by the same publisher, with great success, we were immediately drawn to the "Walking Paris" book. Instinct guided us correctly. My wife and I just used this book over Easter 2008, and were pleasantly satisfied with the range and commentary of the walks. I have been to Paris 4 times, and each walk we took I learned so much about the history of the streets, homes, and monuments that were on the paths. In five days we were able to enjoy around a dozen walks, and as a man I found the maps very helpful. If you plan ahead you can connect the walks to stretch your time. The book also includes valuable Metro information, historical background of Paris, colorful photos, and practical hints. My wife and I both feel that our days would not have been as exciting/ informational without "Walking Paris".
   
   At the same time we purchased "Paris Walks" by Landis et al. and were quite disappointed. For the information that **is** given the detail is phenomenal, yet for such highlights, i.e. Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Sacre Coeur, and the Louvre you will not even find an entry. On the other hand, for a small yet historical restaurant such as Maxim's, you will find over 2 pages of information. This was not our style, but made a good compliment. That is why we think "Walking Paris" is the best.
   
   We will continue to purchase from this publisher for other cities we travel to. You will not be disappointed.



5. I found this book quite useful. I had it with me on a recent trip to Paris and took three or four of the walks. It's easy to use, accurate, informative and it definitely shows you things you might otherwise miss. On one walk through the Marais, we "discovered" a medieval library I would otherwise just walked straight past.
   I suggest taking this book and another one with restaurant and hotel listings. But for people who love Paris and love to walk, this is a good buy. For more on me, and my book The Nazi Hunter: A Novelgo to www.alanelsner.com.

No comments about Living and Working in France, Ninth Edition: A Survival Handbook (Living and Working in France).

No comments about Cycle Touring in France (Cicerone Guide).

No comments about Frommer's 24 Great Walks in Paris (Great Walks).