Customer Reviews

Rick Steves' Paris 2002

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

 

 

The latest version of Rick's Paris travel guide is well worth the money. It's up to date (as in Euro amounts) and very user friendly, as all the other Rick Steve guides. Even the humor is still present.

Rick's handling of museum tours has always been useful to us on our trips. His maps are clear and easy to understand, and the detailed discussion of the works is always very interesting. This issue is no exception. It may even seem a bit museum heavy, but very useful when entering. It's a must if you're headed to any museum in Paris. You'll be gald you have it along.

The sections addressing the "walks" is excellent! Once again, great maps, good discussion of sights, and very interesting places. Take the book along and try one. You'll enjoy it!.

Sadly, I don't feel that 5 stars are deserved. The discussion concerning the trip from De Gaulle airport to downtown Paris is rather short and, I feel anyway, doesn't give the reader a real feel for the difficulties that will be encountered. This has always been a sore spot for us when going to Paris. Otherwise, there is plenty of information for the Paris traveler.

So if you're going to Paris, then by all means get this guide, and head out into the City of Light. You will not be disappointed, and entertained all the while. Thanks once again Steve for making another successful trip!

I used to live in Paris but I find I still need a guide book to get the most out of a visit there. I'm lucky enough to be going on a long visit to Paris this summer and I wouldn't think of taking along any guidebook other than Rick Steves'.

Rick Steves' guidebooks are always up-to-date and he writes in the friendly, down to earth manner that characterizes his extremely popular television program.

I found this book to be as great as all the other Rick Steves books I've been lucky enough to use. In it, Rick tells us the best places to eat and sleep. Not the most expensive; anyone could do that. Rick goes one step further and details the places that have the most charm and character, the places where we'll get the most for our money, the places that will help to make our visit one we'll remember fondly for the rest of our life.

Rick talks about the places no one should miss, but he also talks about the places almost everyone would miss...if they didn't have this book. I love discovering new, little, out-of-the-way shops, cafes and museums and Rick is the best there is when it comes to detailing places like this. I admit, I am an incurable shopaholic, and, in this book, Rick tells us the very best places to shop in Paris, one of the shopping capitals of the world.

I usually prefer to wander around a city or the countryside on my own, sans tour guide. In a huge city like Paris, one could easily get lost if he or she weren't armed with this book. One of the most invaluable and charming sections of the book, at least for me, details self-guided walking tours of Paris. Included are historic sections, the Champs-Elysees, the Marais district, the rue Cler and Montmartre, a favorite of mine.

Rick loves museums, like I do, and he certainly gives us our fill in this book. In it you'll find detailed information regarding the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, the Orangerie (my favorite), the Rodin, the Cluny and even Napoleon's Tomb and Les Invalides.

Sometimes we need to get away, even from a wonderful city like Paris. Rick has included a wealth of day trips one can easily make from Paris. Not only does he give us invaluable information regarding our destination, he also provides a wealth of great tips on getting there. Some of the day trips I'll be taking, with the help of this book, are to Versailles, Chartres (my first time there) and the place I have dreamed of visiting all my life, Monet's chateau and garden at Giverny.

I wouldn't travel anywhere in Europe without one of Rick Steves' informative and fun books, and I'm a continental European who's already done a lot of traveling. I've also missed a lot I wish I had seen. That won't happen anymore with the help of Rick Steves and his wonderful guidebooks.

If you're planning a trip to Paris, like I am, please don't go without this book. No matter how many times you've been to Paris before, and no matter how well you think you know the city, Rick can show you something new.

Rick Steves' guidebooks are the only guidebooks you'll ever need. They are certainly the very best. In my opinion, no one knows the "ins and outs" of traveling in Europe like Rick Steves.

If you are visiting Paris to go to museums, this is the book for you... otherwise, look elsewhere. There is very little information for travelers who just like to explore this wonderful city, i.e. neighborhood flavors, interesting shopping areas, and great restaurants.

I have now used this book on two trips to Paris including one I returned from last week (yes still using the 2002 version since I was spending most my time in Reims). The weather was remarkably good and I'll think of returning again this time of year since the city is not flooded with tourists. Rick makes alot of very good points - like be aware that even in February the line into the Orsay can be very long on Tuesdays since the Louvre is closed that day.

This is a very good general information book and it works well as a sole guide. If you have it and a good map (I got a very good and thin one from Amazon.com which I don't recall the name of) and you are pretty well set. Take a Green Michelin guide if you must for the museums as the info here is very general although good - especially for the Orsay and Versaille. I for one are puzzled over the comments from the one reviewer that the book was a museum guide Forget Rick's suggestion that traveller's checks are preferable to ATM's. ATM's are the way to go for sure since you have no transaction fees (I just got back and used them in several different cities in France and not once was I charged any fees), the exchange rate was very favorable, and you don't have to carry around traveler's checks.

Rick's hotel suggestions, at least in the Rue Cler area (which is an excellent place to stay) are dated in the 2002 version. He condemns the Hotel du Cadron as being overpriced yet it was the same rate as other hotels he recommends and the rooms were actually nicer in the Cadron. It is also on a quieter street. Just watch out for the elevator which was spotty in its performace. My feeling is that many of Rick's recommendations are based on his personal relationships with some of the recommendees which may or may not carry over to you.

All in all this is the best overall book I have looked at for Paris and I have and have seen many.