[.ca] Paris For Dummies (ISBN 0470085843)

unexpected:
We were surprised after lugging Frommer's, and Michelin books to Paris that 'Dummies' gave the best recommendations. Restaurants were out of the way places, few tourists, polite (as Parisians can be) service, and excellent food at reasonable prices. The maps were adequate even for amateur mapreaders. Metro info was good. Open hours for all sites we visited was correct. The tip to visit Notre Dame was a winner. We showed up at 8 AM to a deserted cathedral all to ourselves. We passed by there later at 11 and it was mayhem. This being the better guide was indeed unexpected.

Worth it:
A great all round guide, took the guesswork out of most aspects of the trip. If you take time to read and digest this book, this may be the only reference guide you will ever need (plus a decent map like the Streetwise) -- especially if you are going for the first time. We went to two of the restaurants mentioned in this book and they were both top notch, with excellent food and service (in English) and low prices -- a definite rarity in Paris. That alone paid for the book twice over. Also, the walking guides and tips were very useful in planning our days. In fact, the only advice in this book that I'd disagree with would be "Tips for dressing" -- I wore ratty jeans with black sneakers all through, even to the decent restaurants, and found to my surprise that so did everyone else. In fact it makes you fit in better with local young and the hip :-)

Great resource for first time visitors to Paris:
I looked at several travel guides of Paris and found that this one had the most practical advice and suggestions. The metro stop information on each point-of-interest and accomodation suggestions by neighborhood was invaluable. It made our travels around Paris much easier. I also highly recommend taking the bike tour of Paris, which is listed in this book. It was a lot of fun! Ignore the clothing advice though, people in Paris do where blue jeans!

Dummies Don't Belong in Paris:
We studied this book most of the spring and went to Paris the end of May. This book nearly ruined our long anticipated trip to Paris. The metro map and the map showing some of the restaurants are wrong. The recommendation to go to the Hippopotamus restaurant chain was also a bad idea (cockroaches in the kitchen and bad service). In general the description of how to do things (i.e. ride the metro, storing valuables in the hotel, getting hotel reservations, etc.) is wrong. The descriptions of most of the tourist sites were OK. But other travel guides are more interesting and complete. So if you want to be lost in a foreign land with unsanitary food... this book is for you!!! If you are looking for some intelligent help and good suggestions look elsewhere. Some quick advice: 1. Get a Paris Visa for the metro, RER, and buses. Those maps are excellant. Realize the stations that have transfers between different metro lines and RER are very big and require long walks. 2. Get a Museums and Monuments Pass. It saves time and money, and has a great list of tourist sites. 3. Finding good food is very easy. Walk around and read the menus posted at the doors. 4. Throw the "Paris for Dummies" book in the ... before you leave.

Clarifying a review:
Of course, I'm going to give it five stars, I'm the author! But seriously, while I wouldn't usually respond to a negative review, there are some misunderstandings in Mr. Parton's review that must be addressed and corrected. First, this guide is targeted to those unfamiliar with Paris, though listings were chosen to include things of interest to the seasoned Paris visitor, too. It was written and designed for people to look at on the go, a book that won't have you wading through information to get to the news you can use (page 3), which accounts for its basic coverage. Secondly, Mr. Parton's comment that I'm prejudiced against hotels outside the first eight arrondissements concerns me. I've stayed all over Paris, particularly the 13th, and have had no problems. However, in the introduction to the hotels on page 65, I explained why I only mention the hotels in the first 8 arrondissements: "My first step was to consider the average traveler's wish list. And for most of you, that's location. Thus, the first criterion was simple: If the hotel isn't located in the first eight arrondissements, I don't recommend it in this book." Third, Mr. Parton was concerned that the Carte Musee et Monuments isn't mentioned in the book. It's on page 31, listed as a bargain alert and a great deal. Finally, the subway system is described in very good detail (from how to enter the system to a sidebar about where you can get a taxi after the Metro closes (pages 111-113). I'm sorry Mr. Parton was disappointed. However, I believe this book fulfills its promise to present the reader with to-the-point information on Paris that's fun and easy to access (p.3).