Paris (Eyewitness Travel Guides) - European Travel Books

Turtleback - 20 March, 2006 - DK ADULT
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By: DK Publishing
ISBN: 075661547X

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Reviews by readers

A seeing eye

If you are a grown-up and want context for your travels, this series brings it. They figure, reasonably for me, that you already know how to shop and that club-hopping is not the be-all and end-all--and that, if it were, you would probably be able to suss all that out.

No no no. Paris has history and you get a well-digested if detached version of it. Paris has neighborhoods that were villages, and you get a nicely laid-out approach to each, including well-marked maps and a variety of delights in each. Paris has a wealth of all kinds of cultural attractions, and you get a sense of many many many of them (and how to get to them). Paris has flavors, and I find the authors' characterizations accurate and evocative.

I admit that I find the lists of restaurants disappointing, in that those listed are very very safe and therefore less interesting, but I am good at reading a restaurant from its menu, and enjoy going to places where English is not spoken and where the locals hang out. Others might find the establishments exactly what they want.

By the way, the editors are scrupulous about updating information and maintaining accuracy. I wrote to them about a minor error, and they not only responded, but thanked me with a freebie. Great attitude, and it shines on all the (glossy high clay-content) pages. In fact, that is my only real complaint about this book: it is a heavy little package, and I would not want to carry it around with me. As a reference, however, it is very fine indeed.

very pretty

Maybe it's not the most practical guidebook, but wow, it sure is gorgeous to look at! I love all the pictures & history. Its gives you a feel for Paris & helps you pick places to see when you go.

Good for Planning

The Eyewitness guides are known for their full color photos which make them an interesting read for armchair travellers. However, they are also known for being a little light on travel information, and this holds true for the Paris edition as well. You get lots of great photos of the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and of the art treasures of the Louvre, so this guide is actually a good one to get in the early stages of planning your trip. The full-color photos will help you to decide which areas and sights you would like to see most. However, when you're ready for more serious information, you'll have to look elsewhere. Perhaps this book would be good for those who are travelling with a package tour, but those who are travelling independently will need to get another guidebook. Basically, if you can only afford one guidebook, then I recommend getting something else, but if you have the cash to buy two or three guidebooks, then you won't regret adding this one to your collection.

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