Reviewing the Paris guidebooks

While in Paris this summer to teach a writing workshop at the Paris American Academy, I asked my students to evaluate independent guidebooks to the city. Here's what they had to say based on their month-long stay.

City Guidebooks 

Rick Steves' Paris 2006

The rundown: This guidebook is geared toward a particular type of traveler, what Steves calls the "temporary local."  He recommends reading the book in its entirety before making the trip, and he's probably right.  There's so much information that it's hard to absorb it while traveling, and it's not particularly well set up for quick reference.  It is very much for the do-it-yourself traveler, as it is full of self-guided walks and tours.  There are also a good number of day trips listed in great detail.

Maps: The maps at the front of the book are good — color and size of print make them easily readable — but they only cover the area nearest the Seine.  Some of the attractions that are in the book, like the Catacombs, are not on the map, and the only directions given are by Metro.  When attractions are specifically indicated, the diagrams and specific maps are hand-drawn black and whites, and some are busy and hard to read.  But some, like the market locator, were useful for a longer-term visitor.

Highlights: The book has good detail on pricing, transport and museums.  There is also useful reference material, like how to use telephones, plus phone numbers for emergencies, airlines, information, etc.  In addition, there are some good helpful hints, like tipping etiquette.

—Lynda Snyder

Fodor's Paris 2006

The rundown: The organization of this book was its best attribute.  The first part is split up by popular sections of the city, and the second lists the best places for food, hotels, and shopping.  While restaurants, hotels, and attractions are easier to navigate when they're listed by price, the shops were listed by what they sold — books stores together, clothing shops together.  This had its advantages for looking up stores, but if you're in a neighborhood and decide to shop on the spot, you're forced to pick through the listings to figure out where to go. 

Maps: The maps in the book are easy to navigate, and although the guide suggests walking tours, these maps might be better used to create your own site seeing tour.  It's nice to find the map inserts near the sections that they represent, but this also means that all the maps are spread out if you want to examine them all at once.

Complaint: Reading Fodor's advice for inspiration was nice, but I was irritated with their starred "Fodor's Choice" of sites.  For example, in the bookstores section The Red Wheel Barrow is recommended and Shakespeare & Co is skimmed over.  I think they're both well worth a visit. 

—Annie Neal

Lonely Planet's Paris City Guide

The rundown: As per reputation, the Lonely Planet proves a useful companion in the city. For example, one doesn't need a guidebook to known that the Louvre is "a must see," but this guidebook gives essential tips for navigating the Louvre, such as how to avoid the long lines at the pyramid entrance by going through the Carrousel du Louvre. 

Highlight: The suggested walking tour of the passages couverts, covered passageways from the early 19^th century, should not be missed.  This collection of eighteen arcades snaking through several arrondissements seems like a well-kept secret filled with bookshops, cafes, and oddities. More great gems await you if you're diligent about mixing and matching some of the guide's more unusual suggestions. 

Complaint: There is a wonderful chapter on quarters and arrondissements that explains and highlights all twenty sections of the city, but when you get to the maps in back of the guide, references to arrondissements are abandoned, which makes things confusing.  Also, the listing of theatre, dance, and movie venues proved skimpy and poorly reflected the depth of what the city has to offer. 

—Marlene Nichols

DK Eyewitness Paris

The rundown:  This book contains sections of useful practical information like accommodation, eateries, and shops — all in good detail.  Chapters are organized by arrondissement, which is a useful and sensible system. 

Maps: The maps in "Eyewitness Paris" include a handy street finder and an explanation of how the maps are arranged. A map of bus routes is not included, and could be useful. 

Complaint:  As a mother, I liked that there was a children's section.  However, while this section recommended things to do with children, it didn't mention where to buy the basics like diapers, baby foods, powdered milk, cheap clothing and so forth. The Luxembourg Gardens was not recommended in the children's section — and it should be, since there's a carousel, marionettes, a playground, sand and water pits, pony rides and sailing boats.

—Carmen Jenner

Pocket Guidebooks

Rough Guides' Paris Directions

The rundown: Small and easily portable, this book gives plenty of information about the sights of Paris while making its own recommendations of what to see.

Maps: The book has extensive maps of each of the districts of Paris, which makes getting lost almost impossible. The biggest problem is that there is no map of the whole city. The book divides its maps into each section, but there is no giant map to allow you to easily navigate your way through different sections of Paris. You still can, but it is a hassle looking at your current location, then having to find your destination district, comparing the maps, and finding the right street to take.

Highlight: The book's greatest pro is that it can easily fit in a pants pocket or a purse. Keeping in mind that it has maps of each district, information, and recommendations on what to do, it's remarkably useful and self-contained.

—Alex Csedrik

Lonely Planet's Best of Paris

The rundown: Comprehensive, useful, and lightweight.  Color-coded by sections such as highlights, sights and activities, eating, and accommodation, the text is easy to follow and mixes well with the photographs. 

Maps: A very clever feature of this long, slim volume is that it incorporates compact, foldable street maps as part of the covers.  These proved very useful, and (as with all the other information I encountered in the guide) accurate. 

Complaint: Because the guide was published in 2005, prices have crept up.  For example, entry into the Musee D'Orsay is now 7.50 euros, not the printed 7 euros.

—David Crawford

Walking the Da Vinci Code in Paris

The rundown: This guidebook features two do-it-yourself tours, and discusses in-depth some of the cornerstone locations and symbolic references in "The Da Vinci Code." If, like myself, you read the novel several years ago, you will find primers throughout the guidebook that will help you remember the significance of Robert Langdon's discovery. However, these primers are brief and outside the context of the novel, so you should consider re-reading "The Da Vinci Code" before setting out on your quest to retrace Robert and Sophie's footsteps.  The appendices in the guidebook feature fun, quick, explanations of terms, symbols, and people from throughout the novel. There are even two pages that talk about getting around and eating in Paris.

Maps: A map is included with all of the directions, so even a first time visitor to Paris should not find it a problem to navigate correctly.

Highlight: After the tours, "Walking the Da Vinci Code in Paris" goes into much detail on the St. Sulpice Church and the Louvre. Taking the guidebook to these locations can provide for a much more rewarding experience for the "Da Vinci Code" enthusiast than for a typical tourist strolling through. If you are willing to venture a little away from the big city, you can also read about Chateau Villette and other "Da Vinci Code" monuments on your travels.

—Mike Fong