Rick Steves' Paris 2005 [Paperback]

Rick Steves (Author), Steve Smith (Author), Gene Openshaw (Author)

Book Description

Series: Rick Steves' Paris | Publication Date: January 2005

Home to magnificent art museums, romance, and some of the world's most revered food, Paris is most often at the top of anyone's "must see" list. Learn to navigate the city on the Paris Metro; view the numerous masterpieces in the Louvre and Musee d'Orsay; or take a self-guided walking tour of the sights along the Champs-Elysees. With Rick Steves' Paris 2005, travellers can delve into Parisian culture, make friends with the locals, and experience everything Paris has to offer - economically and hassle-free. Completely revised and updated, Rick Steves' Paris 2005 includes colour maps, selective coverage of both famous and lesser-known sights; friendly places to eat and sleep; suggested day plans; walking tours and trip itineraries; clear instructions for smooth travel anywhere by car, train, or foot; and Rick's newest "back door" discoveries. America's number one authority on travel to Europe, Rick's time-tested recommendations for safe and enjoyable travel in Europe have been used by millions of Americans in search of their own unique European travel experience.

Product Details

• Paperback: 451 pages
• Publisher: Avalon Travel Publishing; Revised edition (January 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1566916828
• ISBN-13: 978-1566916820
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,407,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Paris for dummies (2005)., January 7, 2005

By 

G. Merritt (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rick Steves' Paris 2005 (Paperback)

Paris is the ultimate European travel destination, and Rick Steves knows Paris. This is the only travel guide first-time visitors will need to explore the city's bohemian cafés, its fascinating labyrinth of streets and neighborhoods, and its many, great art museums. I took two travel guides with me on my recent Christmas-to-New-Year's visit to Paris, and this proved to be the much better of the two.

Steves' guide not only offers helpful maps of east and west Paris, guided walks through "historic Paris," and through the Champs Elysees, Marais, Rue Cler, Montmartre, and Left Bank areas of the city, and insightful commentary on touring the Louvre, Orsay, Picasso, and Rodin museums and Pere Lachaise Cemetery (where Proust, Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Chopin, and Colette, among others, are buried), but it also leads readers to numerous opportunities to experience Parisian culture on their own, beyond the pages of this book. For instance, Steves encourages his readers to create their own adventure by "hopping on and off" the city bus #69 route through Paris. For first-time travelers to Paris, this guide is essential.

G. Merritt

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 2 weeks in France with 3 kids, April 28, 2005

By 

Joe Hanke (Newark, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rick Steves' Paris 2005 (Paperback)

I just got back from 9 days in greater France and 5 days in Paris with 3 kids (7, 9, 14 years). Although dumb to try with kids the only thing we reserved was a car. I bought 6 books to get ready but only used Rick Steve's France 2005 on the road. A bit off season (April 14-28) we walked up and got rooms in every mid priced hotel Rick suggested. All were great and just as described. It even got us a free 5 person breakfast at our Rue Cler hotel (worth ~40 euro). Rick's rating system on what to see (and what not to see) was right on target. Next time I would make reservations ahead of time but with confidence that Rick's picks can not go wrong. My National Geographic "Paris" was OK for history lessons but the only book worth buying for travel was Rick's.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The only guide you'll need, January 1, 2005

By 

B. Johnson "Worldglobetrottergirl" (Kansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rick Steves' Paris 2005 (Paperback)

Rick Steves has been traveling in Europe since 1969...in 1976 he started Europe Through The Back Door, a travel business that introduces travelers to the back doors of Europe. You don't view Paris (or any other European city) through the windows of a tour bus...you are able to get up close and personal with the city and its occupants...explore the city.
Paris is a big city...there's so much to do, so little time. This is the only guide book I took with me for my first trip to Paris (in addition to a phrase book) and the only book I'm taking my fifth trip to Paris. Armed with this book, you can easily navigate through the Louvre, stroll through the Marais district and take a day trip to Versailles, just to name but a few. There's a wealth of information in this book.
Rick gives it to you straight...you get the good, the bad and the ugly. There are many tips in this book including information on hours and admission prices of museums, good places to eat and sleep, shopping sites, tourist traps, day trips out of Paris, in addition to some survival phrases.
Highly recommended!