Customer Reviews

Rick Steves' Paris 2004

5 star:		(68)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have used both the 1999 and 2000 editions of this excellent guide, and can only say that it is the best of the lot, closely followed by the Lonely Planet and DK Eyewitness guides.

What makes Steves' guides so useful is that he addresses himself to Americans who are not used to foreign travel with the principal goal of eliminating their fear by helping to get their feet wet. To this end, his guides are more PRESCRIPTIVE than DESCRIPTIVE.

For a good DESCRIPTIVE guide, I would turn to another guide such as Lonely Planet or Rough Guide, supplemented, perhaps, by Rachel Kaplan's excellent "Little-Known Museums In and Around Paris."

A PRESCRIPTIVE guide like this will urge that you avoid the Madeleine, Opera Garnier, and Pantheon because they aren't worth it -- and don't bother with the Bastille, because it was torn down over 200 years ago. Steves concentrates on accommodations and restaurants in only three parts of Paris: Rue Cler (near the Eiffel Tower), the Marais, and the Rue Mouffetard area. That saves perhaps a hundred pages and makes the book more compact and easy to carry during a trip.

One of the strong points of the book is the merging of material from Steves' useful "Mona Winks" art guide into his Paris book. "Mona Winks" shows how you can visit the Louvre, the Musee d'Orsay, the Cluny Museum (highly recommended), and Versailles without killing yourself. For the Louvre, as an example, he concentrates how you can devote your attention to parts of the Sully and Denon wings and see the key works in about 2-3 hours. (Okay, if you're a purist, don't flame me: You and I would, of course, devote more time -- but that's not the issue here.)

For the most complete info on Paris, I would suggest you supplement Steves with two fantastic Internet resources: the postings on the rec.travel.europe newsgroup (especially by JACK), and the website of the RATP (which runs the Metro and buses in Paris) at http://www.ratp.fr

I say just about perfect because a few additions would make this the only guidebook you will ever need for Paris. As a recently relocated American expat in London, my wife and I just took our first weekend trip to Paris (by train) with this book and the Fodor's Gold guide. If you like to walk, the walking tours are superb, Rick Steve's commentary, history, directions, anecdotes, and humor are all excellent. His guided tours of museums, churches, and other sites are all very interesting. The book also includes short trips outside the city, such as Versailles. I anticipate using this book many more times (you can only see so much in a weekend), and to make it perfect I would implore the editors to add a Paris Metro/RER map and a proper map of the city (the only maps in this edition are localized hand-drawn maps for each walk, making it difficult to guage the overall scale of the city and where things are located in relation to each other). These were the only two things that were invaluable in the Fodor's guide. Certainly it's easy enough to pick those up in the city, but I have always found it more convenient to study maps ahead of time, and have them all in one place. Overall, however, this is the one guidebook to Paris that no visitor to the city should be without.



Well I just came back from Paris where the only book I took along was Rick Steves' Paris 2001, supplemented with a "Paris Pratique" map bought in a Paris bookstore (get the book, not the fold out map) and of course a subway map.

For the first time visitor (and I was), this book covers the basics you need for budget trip. For a few days I was guarding the book more than my wallet, I was so dependent upon it-- it allowed me to see the highlights of the museums and sights without spending overly large amounts of time or precious physical energy. Of special help were the hints on how to avoid lines in the hot sun at the museums.

The great joy of this book is it cuts monstrous sites like the Louvre down to manageable size. This convenience comes at a cost: the book reflects Rick Steves' tastes in art and food, which may not be your own. But for a first timer like me it was great. After a few days, I started to explore on my own.

If the book has any faults, I would say that its recommended itineraries and guided tours focus too much on cathedrals and museums. Also, Rick fails to do with restaurants what he does so well with the sights, i.e., guide you toward a limited number of recommended/rated selections. He does recommend some places, but the "walk" maps generally don't include any of these recommended eating/drinking places, they are listed separately in the "eating" section of the book, making cross-referencing difficult. For gastronomic adventure beyond Rick's diet of croissants and cheese sandwiches, you need another book. You might try "Cheap Eats in Paris." Note, there is an excellent vegetarian restaurant at 72 Rue Lemoine.

If you follow this book you will see more Americans than Parisians. Also, in every museum some of the recommended exhibits had been moved, and Rick neglected to mention "Pentecost" holiday. But these are minor objections.

Overall, while I would have prioritized some of the sights differently (see below), the book was a great guide and time saver, superior to the others I looked at, and in most cases it was faster and more concise (and had better interior maps) than the audio tours and maps available at sights. I highly recommend it. Other reviews complain about the book's street maps, but I had no problem- maybe that's because I had a mini street map with me. I was never lost.

Note, missing from the book entirely are:

Warnings about how difficult it is to navigate the Orsay museum (what a mess-- everyone walking around lost),

Day trips to Normandy Beaches (note, to truly see the D Day sites takes a few days at least)

Opera Guarnier ( don't know why everyone poo-poos this as a tourist site, it had a lot of people there, it is extremely well maintained [this was how Versailles must have looked in its heyday], and once you see that and the Sewer tour you have a new appreciation of the Phantom of the Opera).

Also missing from this and every other guidebook: Sites where scenes from favorite movies (American in Paris, Charade, etc.) were shot- finding these locations was a fabulous, cheap, and relatively tourist free part of the trip.

A few opinions different from the book:

Versailles was mildly interesting, historically important, but in my opinion overrated.

I would downgrade these sites to one star each or less:

Deportation Memorial (this is the one place in Paris where I felt truly unwelcome. It's not really a tourist site-- if you don't have a personal connection to it I would recommend avoiding it. It is closed 12-2, and worst of all there was a very (even for France) testy guard blowing whistles and yelling at people for not being respectful enough. The exit I took had a long flight of stairs ending at a locked gate, I had to go around and climb another flight . . . ugh)

Napoleon Crypt and WWII Museum (Yawn)

Conciergerie (essentially, a large basement)

Rick's Champs Elysees Walk (Just like any big street downtown city street in America)-- stick to the small neighborhoods.

And bring a good pair of walking shoes!

My wife and I used Rick's book extensively while in Paris. It had many great tricks and tips about getting around Paris. Escpecially the Museums and such. But this should not be the only book that you bring. I would highly recommend Eyewitness Paris guide or Fodor's to complement Rick's book. Both have more detailed information and maps about the Metro\RER. One word of caution. Most of the Hotels and Restaraunts that are recommended in Rick's book are swamped with Rick Steve's groupies clutching his book under their arms, especially the Rue Cler area. I didn't care for all the Americans, but some people didn't mind...

We just returned from the City of Light with a very dog-eared copy of this book. We used it every day. We used all of the recommended walking tours - they were filled with informative commentary and easy to follow. We dreaded trying to conquer the Louvre - were intimidated by the size alone! - but Rick's guide allowed us to hit the highlights with ease. His tours of the other big museums and Versailles are excellent - interesting, funny and just irreverent enough to keep you entertained. If you are going to Paris without a personal guide, this is THE printed guide to take!

...and I've read quite a few of them. This seems to be the best for the "common-man" trip to Paris. The information is very practical, honest and concise. Rick knows what is possible and worthwhile in Paris, and clearly sets it forth here. Rick is not trying to cram every last detail into a guide, but rather includes the more significant sites as well as the "back doors" he's well-known for finding. In addition, this guide is so readable, it reads more like a (sometimes tongue-in-cheek) travel narrative than ordinary travel guides (that often read like history texts!)

Included are some great tips on how to avoid lines and crowds as best you can, great opening times and days of all sites; logical, detailed walking tours; and hints on where clean and convenient restrooms are! What more do you need? While the others (Fodors, Frommers) focus on what is the best regardless of cost, Rick uncovers some gems that others may never find on their own, and lets us know that they are good and less expensive while helping us logically "attack" Paris as a tourist! This book is WELL worth the money!

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.

I travelled to Paris alone and depended very much on this book. Read it cover to cover before you go and then read it again when you get there. The walks are excellent though sometimes the directions are unclear (get a map). I do wish there was a better map in the book. The history and anecdotes shared about the works of art, the neighborhoods, etc., make you feel like you are having your own personal tour guide. Also, I stayed in the Rue Cler area which is now overrun with American tourists and over half of them being Rick Steves followers. THis is good and bad. Bad if you want to get away from U.S. and live among the Parisians. Good because you find yourself talking to other followers. Sitting at dinner, planning my next day by reading the book, another diner at the next table would reach into his or her bag, pull out a copy of the Rick Steves' book and we'd smile and immediately share stories. I still would recommend Rue Cler because it is quaint and the hotels are cheap (I'd pick the Hotel du Champ de Mars over the Leveque next time). And the restaurants are very good. Don't buy any of the shiny and heavy travel books...this is the only one you need (Eyewitness travel books are expensive, heavy and don't help the budget-minded traveller). Bon voyage!

My mother and I went to Paris 2 months ago. We had numerous guide books (about 6). Two days before I left, a friend recommended Rick Steve's Paris. My mother bought it in the airport on the way out. By the end of the second day, we quit even looking at our other guide books. Rick Steve's book included all of the information we needed (when put with a current map of the city and the Metro/RER/bus systems). He takes you anywhere you want to go and tells you everything you need to know. We were using the 2000 Edition (it was still the year 2000), but 2001 can only be better. From now on, whenever I take a trip, Rick Steve's books will be the first thing I look for. I hope he has one for every country.

This guidebook does not provide a good general overview of Paris but instead focuses on several key points of interest( museums, the Marais, rue cler, etc). If those points are what you will be going to Paris for, then this book will be all that you need. If you are looking for a good in depth overview of Paris, then this book will disappoint. Mr. Steeves clearly has his favorites in Paris and he focuses on these areas in the book. He generally steers the reader toward visiting his favorite areas like rue Cler (it is very nice) and the Marais but isn't there more to Paris than this? While Mr. Steeves occaisionally gets you off the tourist track, when using his suggestions I found myself feeling more like a tourist than a person living in Paris. Paris is not enjoyable until you make it your own and by this I mean that it helps to find your own points of interest, perhaps using Mr. Steeves book as a starting point. I stopped using this book on the second day of my trip because I found that I wanted to see areas not covered in this book. The walking tours that are in the book ARE extremely good and perhaps worth the price of the book. But was it really necessary to devote over one hundred pages of the book to give us a detailed examination of several museums? And even after this in depth examination of the contents of several museums, isn't it still much better to get one of the museums guides if you true interest is exploring museums? You'll definitely need another guide book to find interesting restaurants, but may I suggest that you take a chance and just look at where the locals eat. You will not go wrong in just about any Paris neighborhood. Two suggestions to feel less like a tourist. 1) Rent and apartment instead of staying in a hotel. You may think that this is extravagant but the price of a basic apartment (nothing fancy) is less per day that many 2 or 3 star hotels and many apartments can sleep a family of four much more comofortably than a hotel. 2) Walk and take the metro. Taking taxis or renting a car (traffic is a nightmare) take you away from the action. Get out and walk or mingle with the natives below ground.