Customer Reviews

Michelin Red Guide 2006 France: Hotels & Restaurants (Michelin Red Guides) (French Edition)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a wonderful guide but be aware that it is written in French. There are lots of symbols to rate the restaurants and hotels but the written descriptions and comments are all in French. With some basic French and a good French-English dictionary, you will be able to decipher the reviews. Fortunately, about one third of English is based on French so many of the words are easily decipherable.

It takes a ton of determination to master the rating system, symbols, and inset-type maps, but once you do the guide is wonderfully comprehensive and detailed, and it's keyed in to Michelin's excellent, even more detailed road maps. While Michelin gives you an explanation of the rating system, map system, and symbols in English, (as well as in other languages), the text is all in French so it's of limited use to many Americans. We've used it (not exclusively) for our many trips to France and while we occassionally disagree with its ratings (who's to say we're right-although, of course, we are) we've found it's usually right on the mark.

Latest version of this brilliant publication. It's perfect for finding that secluded gem of a place to stay or eat (or both!). And you know they check these places every year. Why almost? It doesn't include the cheapest hotels, which are often as good as more highly rated ones. Pay particular attention to 3 features: a) restaurants that have rooms attached, b) those establishments regarded as being particularly good value and c) the maps of towns that help navigation if just passing through.

I guess I'm stunned that some American readers of the Michelin Red Guides find the Michelin Guide to France useless because it's written in French. Hey, fellow Americans, guess what: the one on Italy in written in Italian, the one on Spain in Spanish, the one on Portugal in Portuguese, and the ones on NYC and Great Britain are written in English. Wow! How about that? Who'd a thunk it?

I've been using the Michelin guides to all these places for 40 years. My French is poor, my other language skills non-existent. I wouldn't think of planning a trip anywhere that they had a guide without having a fresh copy in hand to pick out hotels and restaurants. You soon learn the coding system: three house units for a hotel in a major city is "1st class", like the tour groups take you to, and you'll probably run into some; in the country, 3 house units can be fine. Look for rocking chairs, especially in red, if you like peace and quiet. In fact, while the best hotels have more "house units" (up to 5), and there's a direct price correlation, the most attractive places and best values are sometimes two and often three or four house units in red. Truth is, any special indication within quotes in red, like "beau site" marks a hotel as something special and worth checking out in its price class.

The hotel prices quoted are often lower than reality. Ever since the adoption of the Euro sparked instant 10% inflation in Europe, prices at the nicer places have been rising quickly. Sometimes the guides can't keep up. It's a good idea to plan on 10% over what they quote for a rack rate, remember VAT and service can add 15%-20% depending upon the country, and check the internet for special deals.

Michelin is most controversial for its star rating system of restaurants. In truth, I regard them as highly reliable and usually plan my trips around them, but it's also worth checking Gault-Millau or another source as confirmation. Michelin is slow to drop stars, slow to add them, and that's worth keeping in mind. If simple, good food and not gastronomy is what you're after, pick any place with at least two sets of crossed knife and fork, and you won't be disappointed. You'll save a lot of money into the bargain. But you'll have to deal with the foreign language while you're there.

In a word, don't leave home without it.

This guide is written in French and is utterly useless to anyone who does not speak French!

As part of a $250.00 order, I ordered the Michelin France Provence map in English, and the Michelin 2006 Red Guide France: Hotels and Restaurants in English - both Items they sent me were written in French, which are of no value to me. I requested a shipping label to return the map and the book and asked they send me the English versions. The Amazon Outsourcing Desk in India refused both request. I requested an American Amazon Customer Service Manager contact me on this Issue. That has never happened. I am also being asked my Satisfaction on a 3d book - Markets Of Provence - which they never sent me. The remainder of my $250.00 order were the English Versions, as ordered. My Overall Satisfaction: Well below the 1 Star shown. Actual Satisfaction "F Minus" for all departments in Amazon and far less for their very poor Customer Service and lack of ethical follow-up for their mistake.