The Rough Guide to France 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) (Paperback)

by Rough Guides (Author) "The quickest way of reaching France from most parts of Britain is by air, though in the southeast this is now rivalled closely by the..." (more)
Key Phrases: municipal campsite, restaurant serving menus, following price codes, Aug Mon-Sat, Sept Mon-Sat, New Zealand (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
France is known as a place that will delight the senses--and this Rough Guide will help you bathe in them all, from eyefuls of architecture to the sounds of la mer lapping against the shore, the touch of designer fabrics to the smells and tastes of some of the most renowned cuisine in the world. As authors Baillie and Salmon put it, "The pleasures of the palate run from the simplest picnic of crusty baguette, ham and cheese washed down by an inexpensive red wine through what must be the most elaborate take-away food in the world, available from practically every charcuterie; such basic regional dishes as cassoulet; the liver-destroying riches of Périgord and Burgundy cuisine; the fruits of the sea; extravagant pastries and ice cream cakes.... If you feel inadequate in the face of all this choice, never be afraid to ask advice, for most French people are true devotees, ever ready to explain the arcane mysteries to the uninitiated."

In France: The Rough Guide, the country's attractions are written up with creative flair and insightful advice, and the honest reviews of food and accommodations offer something for every traveler's budget. The coverage is complete with sections exploring history, cuisine, wine, literature, architectural terms, art, festivals, and politics. Bon voyage! --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"If you can take only one book on your trip...this is it." A reader from Mass. USA, amazon.com, 13 March, 1999

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Product Details

• Paperback: 1328 pages
• Publisher: Rough Guides; 8 edition (July 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843530562
• ISBN-13: 978-1843530565
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,382,506 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you can take only one book on your trip...this is it., March 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: France: The Rough Guide, Fifth Edition (5th ed) (Paperback)

My husband and I took a couple of well known guide books with us on our recent trip to France...but this is the one we found most useful. One invaluable feature is the inclusion of maps. When we got lost in Avignon we had only to open the Rough Guide to find our way. Also, we were able to locate the bus and rail stations on the maps. There is much to be learned by reading a number of guidebooks before you go but this is the one to take with you.

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must for a vacation in France... Balance with 2nd book, April 10, 2004

By	10za "10za" (Alpharetta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

What I like best about the Rough Guides is that they give critical reviews. They will point out the tourist traps and will give negative reviews. I find that Frommer's and Fodor's rarely point out the negatives to a particular hotel or site. The rough guide is very critical and is a great balance to these other guides. I would balance your trip to France with a Fodors (or Frommers) book because the maps and illustrations are often better and there are more higher-end hotels listed.

This book will help you decide where is best to spend your vacation in France. There are clear critical descriptions of all the regions and great general info on getting around in France.

If you aren't interested in "roughing" it and staying in lower priced hotels.. the guides are still very useful in rating attractions, and areas in which to stay... but you will need another book to look at more moderate and luxury hotels.

I would definitely read this book before going to France.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look No Further!, July 21, 2004

By	Z. D. Houghton (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

If you are looking for a small book to fit in your back pocket, The Rough Guide France is not for you. If you are looking for a guide that lovingly describes even the smallest French town in careful detail and clear format, then this IS the guide book you should be looking for.

The Rough Guide to France does an excellent job in several areas where many guide books fail. For example, smaller attractions are often overlooked in favor of the larger cities, such as Paris or Lyon. Rough Guide ensures that for those who want to go provincial, they won't be going in blind.

Another merit of the guide is in it's clear, concise format. Not overburdened with irrelevant maps/illustrations (a pet peeve of mine), Rough Guide has clean, simple directions and mapping. This is a vast improvements over Guides like Lonely Planet, where I often feel the editors publish more with an eye towards their own self-satisfaction than towards the serious traveler.

The resturaunt/hotel features are adequate, frequently include useful maps, and will not tax anyone's checkbook too harshly.

Perhaps the greatest strength of this guide is the seeming conviction of the editors to tell you that which you NEED to know for that trip to France. Michelin might the cultural ask-all, DK may have lots of lovely photographs, but Rough Guide is for when you're ready to get serious about your trip to France.

Well-written, informative, with a clear and honest style that should impress both casual and budget traveler alike, The Rough Guide France should be your FIRST PICK in guide books.