France 2010

Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:

Best: St. Michel
Why: Beautiful in spite of the touristy shops.

Gerald Kilbert in Elk Grove, CA USA 11/20/2009

Worst: Picasso Museum
Why: Closed August 2009 for 2 years for renovation

Marianne Kurtz in Union, KY USA 11/11/2009

Best: Chamonix
Why: Great sights, hiking Midi and Mont Blanc

kathy in san francisco, ca USA 10/29/2009

Best: Chenonceau Chateau
Why: The setting is just amazing.

Worst: None
Why: Mr. Steves does a great job.

Richard Perkins in Pleasant Hill, CA USA 10/29/2009

Best: Scenic drive between Mont St. Michel and Dinan.
Why: Very pretty seaside villages and coastal views, enjoyed it very much.

June in Thousand Oaks, CA USA 10/28/2009

Best: The D-Day museums and cemeteries.
Why: They were continually saying thank you to us Americans for what we accomplished there many years ago. As a US veteran my husband was welcomed, without entrance fees, to museums everywhere.

Jim & Arlene Knutson in Bloomington, MN USA 10/26/2009

Best: Creperie Ahna, Dinan
Why: The crepes were wonderful, as was the pierrades. A wonderful "taste of Brittany".

Larry Neal in Warren, PA USA 10/21/2009

Best: Biking the vineyards around Beune
Why: Delightful countryside, quiet roads and the lady atBourgone Randonee was very helpful. She recommended a fabulous restaurant, mid price range, excellent food called L'Eccuson. Also loved the organ concert at St Suplice

Worst: Mont St Michel
Why: Disgustingly tourist rip off although such a spectacular setting how can you not stop.

Debra in Delta, BC Canada 10/20/2009

Best: Nice
Why: incredibly beautiful city

Worst: rural Provence
Why: We went to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, St. Remy, and Les Baux, the only ones we could reach easily by bus. Though interesting, they didn't find them nearly as interesting as similar locations in Italy.

John Vogt in Ft. Collins, CO USA 10/19/2009

Best: surprised at how beautiful the Army Museum was
Why: The French have gotten a bad rap...they were very friendly and polite. The Metro was great, but we really enjoyed wandering the streets of Paris to find our way. The Musem Pass was easy to get at the airport and was very much worthwhile.

Sherri Campbell in Katy, Tx USA 10/18/2009

Best: Manoir de Montesquiou, Gorge du Tarn
Why: We felt like a king and queen in this elegant manorhouse. Meals were excellent but expensive. Thanks for this tip. You can't beat the Tarn River for spectacular scenery!

Jacquie Moffett in Laguna Beach, ca USA 10/17/2009

Best: Colmar, Annecy, Lyon
Why: Beautiful cities with gorgeous scenery. For such a large city, Lyon was especially nice, like a smaller Paris. We loved them all.

Ron in DeWitt, MI USA 10/14/2009

Best: canoeing the Dordogne
Why: fun, relaxing, great scenery,

Adrienne in Vienna, Va USA 10/14/2009

Best: CHATEAU DES ALLUES B&B in Savoie, France
Why: magnificient renovated Savoyan Chateau, with incredible decoration made of antics, paintings, and objets de charme.... panoramic view on the mountains, diner is possible in our Dining room

VANDEVILLE in Saint Pierre d Albigny, 73 France 10/13/2009

Best: Dordogne Canoe Trip - Carsac to Beynac and Gouffre de Padirac
Why: We lucked out with excellent weather. Got the 10% reduction because we had the book with us. Loved all the chateaus and castles along the river route. The tour guides at Gouffre de Padirac did speak English to the 6 of us when we let her know that we were English speaking. We appreciated the effort on her part.

Martha in Calgary, Canada 10/03/2009

Best: Route du Vin
Why: The most scenic and beautiful drive you can imagine. We visited just a few towns and could have gone back another day if time permitted. Our favorite town was Eguisheim - it must be visited in person to really enjoy this beautiful town. Kayserberg was also a real treat - we would go back at any time.

Al & Mary Hermansen in Delano, MN USA 09/28/2009

Best: Bike riding in Annecy and Canoeing the Dordogne
Why: The scenery in Annecy is spectacular, the bike bath around the lake is paved and an easy ride. Being right on the water provides a different perspective of the beautiful villages along the way.

Worst: Arles
Why: Dirty, dull and a big let down after seeing so many beautiful, flower-filled French villages.

Vickie Sprowls in Lake Nebagamon, WI USA 09/22/2009

Best: Too many to mention but the recommendations for Paris were spot on from the museums to the hotel.
Why: The section on Paris was helpful and straightforward.

Mimi Simon in Edmonton, AB Canada 09/18/2009

Best: experiencing the local culture
Why: We took our 17 and 15 year old granddaughters and in addition to the sites they got to experience things tourist normally would not experience.

Jim Colgan in Bixby, OK USA 08/15/2009

Best: Dordogne kayak trip, taxi tour by Philippe to prehistoric caves
Why: The Dordogne river trip was so much fun! It took me longer than the estimates in the book, but I had a blast and perfect weather. It was the highlight of my whole trip! I also enjoyed a taxi tour to the prehistoric caves with Philippe in Sarlat. He was very knowledgeable about the caves and spoke very good English. I also enjoyed market day in Sarlat and walking around Carcassonne's walls.

Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 08/11/2009

Best: Puycelsi
Why: I used to think that Civita di Bagnoregio in Italy was the perfect hilltop village. Now I think it is Puycelsi. We just had a perfect stay in this perfect village.

Worst: Nothing was bad, but Arles might have been the biggest disappointment
Why: The cobblestone streets are paved over. Seriously, after being in so many perfect medeivel villages in SW France, I couldn't figure out why Arles didn't measure up until I looked down. Arles seems gritty and tired, and the Roman ruins didn't quite save it. Next time - more Provence countryside and less city!

Bob DenOuden in Eugene, OR USA 08/05/2009

Best: Mt St Michel and Carcassonne at night.
Why: Both sights were wonderful but ONLY AT NIGHT, as you suggested. Arrive after 5PM, stay the night and leave early. This is an absolute must. Otherwise you will hate what would otherwise be a wonderful experience.

Worst: Chinon castle
Why: Not horrible, but nothing really to see. It's scant ruins without atmosphere.

Randy in Mineapolis, MN USA 07/29/2009

Best: Paris
Why: Its amazing

Worst:
Why: Test

Web in edmonds, wa USA 07/24/2009

Best: Catedrale d'image
Why: Truly an extraordinary dreamlike experience to see Picasso's works projected onto 35 to 40 foot high cave sandstone walls

Craig Matsu-Pissot in Vancouver, BC Canada 07/22/2009

Best: Roussillon & Loumarin
Why: The first is beautiful (if a bit too touristy), and the second is so lovely and tranquil. I want to move there!

Susan in Toluca Lake, CA USA 07/12/2009

Best: Rue Cler and Hotel Leveque
Why: The location is so handy. We had fun assembling our picnic and eating in the park by the Eiffel Tower, then walking across the river and watching the light show at 10:00 PM and walking back to the hotel and not feeling afraid. We were 3 women having a great time.

Worst: the Greek lady at the creperie
Why: I need to tell you that on the day before we ate there, my sister talked to a real nice man who was making crepes there. He spoke English, and when my sister mentioned you and that we planned to eat there later, he was very gracious and said you are a very good friend. That must have been Vassilis.

Barbara Barnett in Fort Worth, TX USA 06/27/2009

Best: Omaha Beach & Visitor Center
Why: Don't really need to explain; this was a memorable year to visit here. Absolutely the most poignant and emotional place we visited. The Visitor Center is Excellent, enormously informative and the layout truly makes it a personal experience. We thought we had a pretty good background of information before we came but there is just massive amounts of information available there; it is worth every minute to take your time and move slowly through it. The monument to The National Guard was a nice and memorable surprise, also.

Worst: Mont St Michel
Why: Rick warned us about this, but we had to see it anyway. HUGE waste of time, way too much of everything bad about tourism and way too many people, even on a cold, raw, rainy day. The Normandy beaches are a million times more interesting, and very accessible.

Laura & Dave in Clayton, CA USA 06/26/2009

Best: Bayeux tapestry museum
Why: It was so well done-- a surprise

Nikki Rajala in Rockville, MN USA 06/23/2009

Best: Eiffel Tower
Why: Better than expected

Worst: Arles and Nimes and Avignon and 'TERRORISM AND AGGRESSION" and the Mistral
Why: I was scared, being away from a tourist group and traveling alone. The market in Arles is OVERRATED. I would NOT recommend it. Any town here with a Saturday market is the same almost.

There were fights in train station in Nimes. NOTE: DANGER IN SOUTHERN FRANCE-- Local train from Avignon to Isle-sur-la-Sorge was delayed as a precaution against "terrorism and aggression" according to the Security Guard. It was delayed twice, then switched to a second train and took off immediately 50 minutes before they said--all as a precaution against things being thrown against the train and fights. There were fights in train station in Nimes and Avignon, security guards and dogs and whistles. Scared out of my mind. Why? Racial issues or the economy, but very scary. I HATED IT. Did not know France was a Third World country, so poor, I hated Arles and Nimes, it should be mentioned they are poor 1 block away from tourist stops.

Biking in Isle-sur-la Sorge--Bike shop great, wind so bad we barely made it back before closing. Absolutely cannot bike in that wind and that should be known. What would have taken 3 hours maximum turned into 6. That should be said--NOT PLEASANT TO BIKE ON LIGHT-WEIGHT BIKES IN 50-60 MPH GUSTS ALL DAY

Linda Beilstein in Corvallis, OR USA 06/22/2009

Best: D-Day tour with Victory Tours
Why: Our tour guide, Roel, was enthusiastic, well-informed, funny and passionate about D-Day. Our small group was treated to an unforgettable tour of the best D-Day sites for a reasonable price.

Worst: Dinan
Why: We made a special side trip to visit this city in Brittany, which the guide tours as a "must see". It was OK, with a typical meideval city center, but nothing to write home (or write a guide book) about.

Steven Hauser in Atlanta, GA USA 06/13/2009

Best: Jaquemart Andre
Why: A totally romantic spot and story with a very fine art collection and a wonderful cafe with a terrasse, medieval tapestries and Sevres vases. Best lunch we ate in Paris...smoked salmon and shrimp with salmon mousse and caviar stuffed tomatoes accompanied by gold potatoes and herb kissed creme fraiche. Very generous portions for the French. Deserts are equally delightful with a choice of over a dozen fresh tarts and cakes. The hot chocolate is so rich that five of us shared it!

Worst: Les Halles and St Denis
Why: Les Halles is really not safe at night as the bainlieu kids roam and riot at will. Its a huge disorienting building where it is hard to find the stores. St Denis is a sex trade street nearby. Great place if you like Brazilian transvestites.

Mary Ruiz in Bradenton, Fl USA 06/11/2009

Best: Font-de-Gaume
Why: Cro-Magnon cave - worth the price of the entire trip. our guide was a history major

Worst: Eiffel Tower
Why: Not really that cool and the gauntlet of trinket sellers we had to run was pretty annoying And Mona was much cooler-no line in May by the way

Jody Distad in Denver, CO USA 06/07/2009

Best: Villages of the Cotes du Rhone in Provence
Why: Unexpectedly beautiful and pristine. Great wine, good food and all around amazing experience. In general, excellent recommendations of the Provence area.

Sbloom in Dallas, TX USA 06/02/2009

Best: Chamonix
Why: I've been to lots of high mountain ski resorts around the world but this one was by far the best! We were lucky to catch the mountain on a clear and calm day.

Paul Beck in Cupertino, Ca USA 06/01/2009

Best: Alet
Why: Beautiful views of the boats moored at low tide, spectacular sunset and great walking on the path that overlooks everything. The WWII memorials and remnants were a somber bonus, plus the old relics of centuries past. We had moules-frites at a friendly little local bar where we were the only tourists. (I will try to find the name of it if you are interested.

Kathy Wilson in Indialantic, FL USA 05/08/2009

Best: Albi - go!
Why: Albi's Cathedral here was AMAZING- most travelers can get weary of seeing the same old thing- but this place is unique. The fresco of the last judgement is creepy, stylized and original. The town has some real beauty- a lazy river flanked by romantic architecture and manicured gardens (some of my best photos were taken here). The cloisters were ancient and peaceful, as few crowds come to this town (a little dull at night if traveling alone). I came for the Toulouse Lautrec museum but was pleased by so many other things.

Worst: Amboise / Arles
Why: Amboise was not terrible- but not thrilling either. The Da Vinci museum sounded cool but was a little underwhelming. The large garden is nice and shady with benches, so I would pack a picnic to have there. The town itself is pretty sleepy. The evening spectacle at the chateau should be avoided unless your French is very good. Arles is in a state of disrepair which could be considered romantic or tragic. I was surprised by the crumbling interior of the cathedral, considering it's a UNESCCO world heritage site. The romanesque portal is still stunning, though. Even though Van Gogh painted in Arles, I didn't feel any connection to him there- the town doesn't have a single one of his paintings! Save your Van Gogh pilgrimmage for Amsterdam (or New York for that matter). The town itself is nice for walking and is a good subject for photography.

Rebekah in Toronto, ON Canada 05/05/2009

Best: Metro pass
Why: We never once used the Metro but the pass was wonderful for touring all over Paris. We took your recommended bus routes and saw all the sights much cheaper than any tour would have been.

Worst: Regular restrooms at Arles Train Station locked
Why: Had to make an emergency visit to a "hole in the ground" restroom behind the station which was the only pit stop available. It was truly gross in every way.

Sue Cromwell in Chester Springs, PA USA 05/04/2009

Best: Restaurant in Rousillon
Why: This is the one to the right (as you face it) of the one you recommend. We arrived after lunch and the recommended one wasclosed. The one to the right(Brasserie Kronenbourg I believe) did serve us, explained all the dishes, talked with us, and then gave us all a sample shot of the local liquer. Tre bien!

Worst: Arles
Why: Dirty, overrun with young men out of work, not much to see

Meg in Chicago, IL USA 04/27/2009

Best: Detours in France
Why: Florent Leroux and his sister-in-law Sarah Bird are excellent ambasadors and guides to this area. We have traveled to Burgundy several times previously and this last trip hired Sarah for two private day tours. I am cheap and when it was over I still felt the ~400E each day was well worth it. I am a believer now.

Amy in Houston, TX USA 03/04/2009

Best: Loire Valley
Why: For the beauty and peace of this part of France.

Zoe Maurer in Southampton, NJ USA 01/01/2009

Best: American WWII Cemetary and Memorial
Why: Beautiful setting and a very thoughtful museum.

Worst: Maybe the Louvre
Why: Not a bad recommendation, but we really underestimated the crowds at the Louvre (especially given we were there at 18:00 on a Friday evening in December), the enormity of the museum and the confusing layout. We went in without a plan and were exhausted before we got out of the first hall. We ended up enjoying the Musee d'Orsay quite a bit more, but the Louvre was still worth seeing.

Dave Matsumoto in Tacoma, WA USA 12/17/2008

Best: Ramparts Walk (p.644 - France 2008)
Why: It was absolutely delightful - the directions were flawless - this is not something I would have thought of doing and definitely would not have been able to figure it out on my own.

Ashok Chawla in St. Louis, MO USA 11/16/2008

Best: Beynac and Flavigny
Why: Walking the little medieval streets of these two towns is an incredible experience. Both have fabulous restaurants (Petite Tonnelle in Beynac should not be missed)

Pam Boyd in Bedford, TX USA 11/08/2008

Worst: Carcasonne
Why: If I had known the truth about Carcasonne, we would have spent more of our precious time in small villages or a different area. We were in France at the worst time I suppose, August. Still, the 2007 guide book made Carcasonne sound like a magical place. Experiences that you've had there are long gone I'm afraid. It was more similar to a disney store or a cross between disney and a Renaissance Festival here in the USA. The perimeter at night wasn't even enjoyable because of the noise and crowds. There was multimedia performance complete with laser light show and special effects. Not exactly what we were looking for. It was more like a mall than a castle experience. I hope your future books will illuminate the limitations of a trip there.

Andrea in Minneapolis, MN USA 10/26/2008

Best: Dordogne Area
Why: Some of our highlights in early October included a Dordogne canoe trip on a postcard perfect day, a visit to the La Ferme de l'Angle foie gras farm north of Sarlat,the Saturday Sarlat market, and both the Lascaux II and Font-de-Gaume caves. All are in Rick's book.

Judy in Alexandria, MN USA 10/21/2008

Best: Hotel near Rue Cler
Why: Staying at the Hotel Cadran around the corner of Rue Cler was an amazing experience. I would recommend to everyone going to Paris to stay in one of the hotels near Rue Cler. Having all the food avaialable around the corner saved us alot of money in restaurants and we were able to enjoy the great take-out food available on Rue Cler, which we took back to eat in our hotel room.

Worst: Collioure
Why: We drove in twice to Collioure and it was impossible to find parking. The views are spectacular and its a beautiful place, but we found it over-crowded (and this was end of Sept). We drove up north on the coast to a town nearby Argeles-sur-Mer and found a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean "Plage des Pin" which was not crowded and we were only about 10 minutes away from Collioure which we tried to visit twice but we wound up just driving through since we could not park.

Luba Marmorstein in Van Nuys , CA USA 10/05/2008

Best: Mont St. Michel
Why: We followed the tip about arriving late and seeing the Abbey in the evening -- it was AMAZING!!!! We had a very personal, beautiful experience. From our 4-year-old to our teenagers to my mother-in-law, we all loved it. Best of all: no crowds. And my older kids & I loved roaming around the quiet streets until midnight and sleeping at a hotel on the Island. THANKYOU for the tip!!!!!

Maria Barry in Nashua, NH USA 10/03/2008

Best: Dordogne River Valley
Why: First was place, scenery river and ease to get elsewhere. Anne of Chateau Nineyrol with Natalie above went to extraordinary lengths to find 5 of us, accomodations in the middle of Aug in one hour on the same day of hoped for arrival!!

T Jarrett in Kelowna, BC Canada 10/02/2008

Worst: Nice
Why: Nice was uninteresting and dirty.

Monaco was also not worth it unless you are a billionaire and want to gamble.

Terry in Portland, OR USA 09/28/2008

Best: Hotel Mercure, Marche aux Fleurs was an exceptionally run hotel.
Why: We had amenities such as terry cloth bathrobes, room service, a triple room with a sleeping loft, a very attentive front desk.

Ardel Payne in Santa Clara, CA USA 09/27/2008

Best: The town of Chateauneuf in Burgundy
Why: It was the most charming town I have ever been to in my life and I have been all over Europe many times. Incredible! Every inch is a "Kodak Moment."

Susan Russell in Corte Madera, Ca USA 09/25/2008

Best: all of paris was fabulous, thank you for recommending the smaller Vedettes de Paris.
Why: smaller boat (didnt like the overlarge and aggressive look of the Bateau Mouches...out of proportion entirely and probably unecological!) on the Vedettes the guide gave lots of interesting little bits of info, hard to understand, but they gave a little booklet with all the same info in several languages.

Worst: Snotty little women in the Pylone boutique in the Marais, but then you warned us!
Why: rude service, too high prices, and yes, those little Eiffel Tower souvenirs are all made in China!!!

Ildi Varga in Vancouver, BC Canada 08/25/2008

Worst: Anna Pension
Why: I booked a reservation in Anna Pension in San Sebastian. The receptionist was very nice so I went with a good feeling. I went on the day of and called a few hours in advance since I was driving from Barcelona. They said they were full and didn't have my name in the system! I thought maybe there was something lost in translation so I went to the place to meet them and talk to them face to face. Instead of seeing them, they just blew me off in the intercom. Luckily there was a TI to help me for lodging. Anna was just NOT cool.

Karen in Los Angeles, CA USA 08/22/2008

Best: The Normandy D-Day sights -- especially Arromanches, the American Military Cemetery, and the Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery
Why: Arromanches was quiet, and we had a lot of time to think about all that happened there. It is also a lovely little town. The Hotel de Marine was nice too.

The American Cemetery was really emotional. Standing amonst those 10,000 plus crosses and stars was overwhelming. My wife, our 17 year old son, and myself were all brought to tears.

We enjoyed the Longues sure Mer gun battery a lot more than Pointe du Hoc because there were not many people, and we could just walk quietly and think.

Thomas Strayhorn in Snyder, TX USA 08/14/2008

Best: Fat Tire Bicycle Tour of Paris
Why: Of the 3.5 weeks my daughter (16) and I spent in Ireland, Scotland, England, & France, this was the highlight of the trip. Rick gives it sort of an honorable mention in the book, but we would give it 3 triangles. We met at the Eiffel Tower at 7 pm and were quickly taken to the office to be outfitted with bikes with about 25 other people. Off we went, 9+ miles thru Paris. It was exhilirating riding thru the beautiful city and seeing the sights. The tour guide was a college kid from Texas spending the summer in Paris. At each site we stopped and he gave the history and background. We stopped for ice cream at one point and ended the fabulous tour with a cruise on the Seinne. The guide brought several bottles of wine and cups with him. We all sipped a glass while taking in the beautiful sights along the Seinne. The tour lasted about 4 hours and was very doable for someone who hasn't been on a bike in years. The value was excellent! It was 46 euros for my daughter and I. This included the bikes, the guided tour, the cruise and the wine. It was a perfect way for us to get our bareings and learn where everything was. It was a very charming experience that we will not soon forget. We LOVED it!

Tracey Allerton-Kuldanek in Edgewood, WA USA 08/08/2008

Best: Tour Eiffel
Why: Fabulous views and great pics taken from way up high.

C. Haller in Longwood, FL USA 08/08/2008

Best: Albi
Why: Description of cathedral was on target, a town I'd like ot return to someday.

Worst: Carcasonne
Why: OK visit, guess I'm just not as enamored of medieval fortresses(or have the same memories to draw on) as Rick. Town itself was mundane, at least for a day-trip; fortress was crowded (expected) and too touristy...just not a lot to see at that point.

Ken Gooderham in Fort Myers, FL USA 08/07/2008

Best: Bayeaux tapestry
Why: Maybe not the best thing I saw in all of France, but I went in with low expecations, and found it absolutely fascinating.

Worst: Rocamadour and Sarlat
Why: "Worst" is a bit harsh, but both were disappointing. Rocamadour is worth seeing from the L'Hospitalet viewpoint, but I wouldn't actually visit it again. It's tacky, crowded, and doesn't really feel special when you are there (it just looks cool from across the valley).

I wouldn't visit Sarlat again. The nice part is quite small (a couple hours here suffices), and surrounded by tons of traffic and sprawl. There were lots of cruising teens with thumping stereos at night; all the shops sold the same touristy items; the market was the least interesting I've seen in France. All in all I am stumped as to why so many people love this town--the Dordogne has much better places to see!

Christy in Seattle, WA USA 07/23/2008

Best: Champagne region and Normandy
Why: visiting caves was really fun and interesting and our stay at this wonderful hotel with it's incredible chef/restaurant was a truly memorable experience...a "French Laundry" type gastronomic extravaganza. Stayed in Bayeux and took Rick's advice to make the trip to Mont St Michel...touristy, but still really worth it. And, of course, the D Day beaches and museums...well worth the trip.

MaryEllen Brenneis in Fremont, CA USA 07/14/2008

Best: St Malo.
Why: Walking around the ramparts gives wonderful views. Should have a 2 star rating

Worst: Dinan.
Why: Very very touristy. Overrated in your book

Martin Jansen in Agoura Hills, Ca USA 07/13/2008

Best: Advice regarding pickpockets
Why: We saw an American man have his wallet stolen exactly as described in your guidebook. As he was trying to get onto the RER train to Versailles, he was surrounded by people (accomplices, no doubt), just as he was boarding the train. We were especially grateful for our money belts at that moment!

Chris McNally in Everett, WA USA 07/10/2008

Best: Renting bikes at the bike shop in Beaune.
Why: That was a real find. Sarah told us that you (Rick) had been in the day before and she was so excited to have met you in person (my husband compared the conversation to school girls gushing over the Beatles, but you can ignore that). Sarah is Canadian and married to the owner of the shop, so speaks English. We had a wonderful afternoon really seeing the country in an intimate manner we could never see by car or train. Workers waved and we stopped at a couple of small wineries. Probably on the best days of our trip.

gail argenbright in beaverdam, va USA 06/28/2008

Best: Acco-Dispo mini-bus tour of Loire Valley castles
Why: Our tour guide (Cécile) was absolutely wonderful: informative, cheerful, good command of English (and very understandable French pronunciation if you know some French and want to practice a little). My 21-year-old daughter says it was her favorite part of our 12-day vacation in France. We were traveling by train (no car), so this was a great, stress-free way to see several castles in one day.

Worst: Getting trapped in the RER station at CDG airport
Why: We took the RER to Charles de Gaulle Airport for our trip home. When we got on at the Denfert-Rochereau station, there was no agent at the ticket window, so we used the self-service ticket machine. We followed all the instructions as best we could and got our tickets (which cost less than expected; should have tipped me off). After a long, very hot and crowded ride, when we inserted our tickets to exit at CDG, the machine refused them, and there was no way to get out, and no agents/employees in sight. (Fortunately, a local showed us how to sneak through the handicap exit; otherwise panic would have set in rather quickly!)

Marian Ziegler in Drums, PA USA 06/26/2008

Best: Tour of cave paintings by Allo Phillipi - Dordogne
Why: Phillip was able to get us into the caves with no waiting and was a wealth of information. His insight and humor kept us entertained the entire four plus hours. I would highly recommend Phillipi to anyone who would like an English speaking guide in the region (there aren't any other).

Gary Owen in Seattle, Wa USA 06/23/2008

Best: Hotel de la Paix, Beaune
Why: The rooms are large, clean and nicely decorated. Breakfast is personally served by owner Fernand Madaleno and he takes pride in his hotel and the quality of service. Free internet access (1/2 hr. at a time), is a really nice feature. He was friendly, helpful and eager to assist.

Worst: Hotel L'Annexe, Paris
Why: This hotel, located in the 10th close to Place Republique, is a good value. The downside is the size of the rooms. Very cramped, especially the bathrooms (of course added to the rooms over time) but nonetheless it's a tight fit. The staff speak English and are helpful and gave good recommendations for nearby restaurants. Just be prepared for the lack of space in the room.

Bob in Norem, AZ USA 06/05/2008

Best: Beynac, Dordogne region
Why: The village is charming (cobbled streets, castle on the hill, great views, etc) and the countryside is gorgeous! Very rural, rolling hills, woodlands and river valleys. If you like the outdoors, this is a great area to spend time in!

Worst: Carcassonne
Why: The site was very disappointing. We had planned to spend the night based on the guide book and information from Backdoor staff, but decided to keep on going after an hour in the city. Tourists by the bus load, knick knacks galore--seemed more like Disneyland. Sarlat was much more interesting as an example of medieval architecture. Definitely would not waste your time in Carcassonne!

Nancy Musgrove in Seattle, WA USA 05/25/2008

Best: Amboise. Also, the street fair in Beaune.
Why: Amboise is a great place to stay in the Loire Valley. Thanks to your book, we planned our trip to be in Beaune for the street market, which was wonderful.

Karen Snyder in Parsippany, NJ USA 05/24/2008

Best: Honfleur, France
Why: Charming, friendly little town. Lots of fun little shops, restaurants, close enough to the Normandy beaches. Our B&B, La Cour St. Catherine, was wonderful-built in the 1600's-just a delight as is the owner, Liliane.

Suzanne Hannus in Bothell, WA USA 05/17/2008

Best: Victory Tour-D-day full day tour
Why: We had a car and could have driven ourselves but we never would have accomplished so much in one day and understood what we were seeing. The owner, Roel, is a one man show and has had a long passion for WWII history. He was a wealth of information and stories about Vets he has met. We always like to save money where we can but this tour was worth every penney we paid. We were also lucky as we were the only 2 people on the tour that day. Do not miss this experience.

Barbara and Trevor Law in Tierra Verde, FL USA 05/14/2008

Best: D-Day Beaches
Why: The magnitude of the invasion and the acts of heroism cannot be appreciated without visiting Utah, Omaha, Sword, Gold and Juno beaches. I also enjoyed visiting the battery at Merville, Pegasus Bridge, the "Grand Bunker" at Ouistreham, the museum at Arromanches, the battery at Longues-Sur-Mur, the battery at Point Du Hoc, the Amercian cemetery at Colleville-Sur-Mur, the German cemetery at La Cambe, and the "Dead Man's Corner" Museum north of Carentan.

Robert Schiffner in Moses Lake, WA USA 05/11/2008

Best: Battlebus Tours and Palais Royal Courtyards
Why: Very informative tour of the D-Day beaches. Stories were personable, informative and educational. Enjoyed the small group.

Accidently stumbled upon the Palais Royal Courtyards which were a very pleasant surprise - nice quiet, relaxing gardens

travelfan in Washington, DC USA 05/10/2008

Best: Cathedrale d'Images AND wine tasting at Cave du Verger des Papes in Cateauneuf-du-Pape
Why: Can't explain Cathedrale d'Images. Absolutely fascinating, especially this year with the VanGogh exhibit. It was just fun tasting the wines at the Cave!

Worst: Glanum Ruins
Why: Expensive to get into--surprisingly the area around St. Paul Monastery was interesting (where Van Gogh was hospitalized)

Kathy and Mark Kelsey in Santa Clara, CA USA 05/02/2008

Best: AccoDispo chateaux tour in Amboise area
Why: Pascal is very knowledgeable and obviously in love with his home area.

Harold Erath in New Orleans, LA USA 04/26/2008

Best: tour of the Dordogne region with Philippe
Why: He is knowledgeable, professional, yet very amicable and jolly. His new Toyota Land Cruiser is most comfortable, and he's quite flexible about designing the tour. It's an outstanding bargain for, say, 4 or 5 people. Far cheaper, easier and better than renting a car!

Harold Erath in New Orleans, LA USA 04/23/2008

Best: The Dordogne Region
Why: It was peaceful, beautiful, and historically fascinating. We stayed in Vezac, on the river, in a Rick Steves recommended B&B (Chateau Nineyrol). The hostess Anne was lovely and accommodating, the room was large and comfortable, it was quiet and peaceful and I slept like a baby. Within a very short drive in varying directions you could see the prehistoric cave art at Lascaux II, Cap Blanc and Font du Gaumme (all were exceptional), the castles of Beynac and Castlenaud (both interesting, the latter was really well done), the bastide village of Domme, which we drove to each night to watch the sunset, the river cruises from Beynac or La Roque (relaxing and beautiful, with visions of Johnny Depp in "Chocolat") and, not in Rick's guidebook, but exceptionally worthwhile were the Gardens of Marqueyssac (located on the hill above our Vezac B&B), where we spent an entire afternoon wandering and being amazed that it was not listed at a 3*** sight. I could have spent the entire day there. We stayed 4 nights in the Dordogne and were busy all the time. I would love to go back someday.

Barbara Ricciardi in Denville, NJ USA 04/21/2008

Best: Avignon
Why: I thought the St. Benez bridge would be cheesy, but it really wasn't. It was very impressive, in fact, and is great as a first sight when you get to Avignon because it gives insight into the rest of the sites in town.

Worst: Hiking from Seguret to Gigondas
Why: The road signs are not clear at all. Perhaps you could outline a better map for the non-drivers who want to walk from Seguret to Gigondas.

Elizabeth in San Francisco, CA USA 04/16/2008

Best: Battlebus tour of Normany landing beaches
Why: This company (our tour guide Jules) gave a brilliant, 8-person minibus tour of the American sights of D-Day. I wasn't a big buff before,but it was awe-inspiring. I felt like WE were getting briefed for the Dday invasion. The terrible weather in March 08 (storms) actually added to the ambiance. I recommend watching "The Longest Day" , "Band of Brothers", and "Saving Private Ryan" before going. I can't imagine a better tour. I want to go back and take more of their tours.

Also I want to commend Patrick Marpault in Tours for a nice private tour of the Loire Valley. We took a train from Rennes to Tours. He picked us up at our hotel (put our backpacks in the trunk), brought us to Chenonceaux, Chambord, Blois, and Amboise and then dropped us at the train station at St. Pierre de Corps to take the TGV train to Paris.

Worst: Jumping off the train at Bayeux
Why: We took the SNCF train from Gare St. Lazare to Bayeux on a saturday night at 940pm. As we approached the station, I expected the doors to open automatically . THEY DIDN'T !!! We had to open the doors and jump off as the train pulled away. I got a distinct impression this was a commuter train that expected the passengers to know what they were doing! My son thought it was cool but I was shaken up for several hours.

Also Bayeux was dark, and DEAD QUIET and there were no taxis. So you should call and arrange a taxi ahead of time, or get a detailed map of the city before you go there. We wandered around this town looking for the Hotel Churchill (a nice place)(which was supposed to be only a few steps away) but luckily a young local man showed us the way. By the way the French and the English don't pick up their dog poop!! Be careful.

Also...I was pickpocketed on the Paris metro which was totally packed. A teenage girl blocked my way as the door opened. I tried to get around her, then I noticed her accomplice with my purse wide open. Luckily I did wear my money belt! I lost a few euros but not more. Be careful and be patient, those metros are packed.

When you get to the train stations you are supposed to pre-stamp your tickets in a little yellow machine before you get on the train. Also be patient French trains do not always run on time.

Elaine Cheng in Downers Grove, IL USA 04/05/2008

Best: Pont du Gard, Nimes Amphitheatre and Maison Carree
Why: The Pont du Gard is magnificent, beautiful. our guide, David from Imagine tours took us to places where we could get the best photos. Nimes Amphitheatre had audio guides in English which did a superb job of explaining the history and purpose of the amphitheatre, and the various types of gladiators, what hey wore and how they fought and got rid of a lot of misconceptions. The Maiso Carree is just being cleaned and the part that is finished is beautiful. Inside you watch a 20 min 3-d cinema of the highlights of the great heroes of Nimes from ancient times.

Elizabeth Benham in Sable River, NS Canada 03/28/2008

Best: Notre Dame, Sainte Chapelle, Cluny, Orangerie
Why: Notre dame had been cleaned since I was last in Paris, 20 years ago, and had a beautiful mass with the pipe organs playing and singing - it was just beautiful. Saint Chapelle was also stunning and the first time I had seen it. Cluny has been reorganized with the Lady and the unicorn tapestries displayd much better, and Romand baths now excavated that can be seen. The Orangerie museum had Monet's water lilies fabulously displayed in round rooms where you sit in themiddle and turn to view the entire dispay - you feel like you are in the middle of the lilly pond, a really moving experiene.

Elizabeth Benham in Sable River, NS Canada 03/28/2008

Best: Battlebus D-day Tours
Why: We did the American Highlights tour and our guide was fantastic! The pace of the tour was perfect, spending very little time in the van and lots of time at the sights.

Karis in Cross Plains, WI USA 03/26/2008

Best: Sainte Chappell In Paris
Why: Just beautiful

Worst: D-day beaches
Why: The wind was blowing in 50-60 mph gust and just wasn't a great day to be there.

Whit in Wilkerson, NC USA 03/26/2008

Best: All of them!!!
Why: We did a two week trip thru France. We started in Paris and ended in Lourdes and then flew out of Toulouse. We had a car and saw so much of the beautiful countryside. The Frech people were wonderful---even in Paris. Thank you for the great guide. It made our trip very organized and efficient and thus enjoyable and stress free.

Yvonne Jahnke in Oconomowoc, WI USA 03/24/2008

Best: Orsay
Why: Beautiful works of art, but not crowded like the Louvre.

Worst: Paris Vision Tours
Why: My husband and I absolutely love your travel guides, website, and iPod tours. Because of your years of research, we have been able to plan some fantastic trips.

We do want to caution you, however, about one of your recommendations. In your France 2007 Guide, you suggest taking a Paris Vision Tour to see the city of Paris at night. Based on your trust of the company, we decided to take their combined tour offering of a night bus tour and cruise on the Seine River because it seemed like a decent deal. It was a complete disaster!

Our tour guide, who was not wearing anything distinguishing – not even a nametag – told our group that we needed to be on the boat by 20:00. This was going to prove to be difficult since we left the departure point so late. When we exited the bus for the docks, we scrambled to keep up with the indistinguishable tour guide and the rest of the group without knocking anyone over. As we approached the docks, hundreds of other tourists from numerous buses converged on the same dock, and everyone made a run for the single boat line.

When we reached near the front of the line, it was announced that the boat was full. I saw our tour guide and waved to her. She asked if we were on the tour, and I said, “Yes!” She turned and left. We never saw her again.

Those of us who were left behind were herded like sheep onto the next boat and completed our cruise. Once we docked, we all headed to the meeting point, where – to our relief – there was a bus waiting. We soon found out, however, that it was a bus for a different Paris Vision tour. Ours had not waited for us, nor would they come back for us. Not only had we missed the city tour, but we were stranded with no ride. The Italian and French groups left in disgust. We stayed behind with an elderly German couple. The tour guide of the “wrong bus” told us that we could go to the office in the morning to get a refund and that they’d drop us off near our hotel.

The next morning, my husband went to the office as instructed, but they said they had no knowledge of these events happening, so they wouldn’t refund us for the bus tour. They would only give us a voucher for a bus tour, which we squeezed in at the end of our trip. (As you suggested, that should only be taken at the beginning of a Paris visit. At the end of a trip, it's completely underwhelming and uninformative.)

We know that you are a highly respected travel expert whose reputation depends on the recommendations in your books. We, therefore, beg you to reconsider your recommendation to use Paris Vision, or at least qualify it by recommending only the night bus tour (and specifically state that tourists should skip not only their “pricier minivan night tours” as you wrote on page 123, but all others as well) so that others don’t experience getting abandoned in a foreign city.

Helene Segura TX USA 03/11/2008

Worst: Driving in Normandy on the coast road D-514
Why: Awful road. Crawls along, narrow.(OK I was in a hurry trying to get to incredible US Cemetery before it closed at 5PM!) Driving from wonderful D-Day museum in Caen to US Cemetery/Pt. Du Hoc/Omaha take N-13 through Bayeux to St. Laurent.

Jon T. Haugen in VANCOUVER, WA USA 03/06/2008

Best: Museum d'Orsay
Why: Free entry one hour prior to closing. Just great.

Jon T. Haugen in VANCOUVER, WA USA 03/06/2008

Best: 1. Louvre tour and 2. Christmas in Alsace
Why: I'm cheating -- we used the Paris book as well as the France book -- but being able to see the Louvre's "greatest hits" was a big help once I got into the overwhelming museum. One note: the guide book could be much clearer about the fact that there is a free coat check, and a SEPARATE free bag check nearby. Because I didn't see the latter tucked into a little corner, I carried a heavy shopping bag around one of the museum's wings -- unnecessarily, as it turns out. : )

2. We were enthralled with the Christmas markets and decorations, still up when we spent New Year's Eve in Colmar. Walking through those medieval, magical streets at night took our breath away.

Worst: Taittinger tour
Why: see below

Erika in Santa Barbara, CA USA 02/18/2008

Best: Location and owner
Why: This B&B is set in a fantastic spot. It owner is really kind and helpful.

Sam in New York, USA 02/15/2008

Best: Walking tours
Why: Needs a little more detail, but went past great sites, easy to walk

Liz Thompson in Ridgefield, wa USA 02/04/2008

Best: La Maison de la Riviere in Esperaza (Languedoc Roussilion)
Why: This b&b is not in your book but should be. Our room was huge, nicely decorated, very clean with flowered balcony overlooking the river, plentiful & great breakfast.. all for only 50 euros! But the absolute best reason to stay here are the English owners Roy & Jo Hayes. Both are very friendly and helpful and go out of their way to help you with anything. We had a delightful evening meal with them (20 euros/pc) that included their excellent local wine and the best chocolate pots ever! This is a wonderful, warm and cozy B&B that every traveler seeks. You will love your stay at La Maison de la Riviere in SW France. Website: hotelaude.com/NewFiles/index.html

Suzanne in Boise, USA 12/07/2007

Best: Museum d'Orsay & Rue Cler
Why: Although I am not big into art, the museum d' Orsay is filled with many paintings that I knew and admired. The Rue Cler had a great atmosphere. We stopped there for an afternoon crepe, which was fabulous, and then again for a quick dinner. We grabbed a bottle of wine and couple of sandwiches and watched the people go by. A nice relaxing evening.

Worst: Louvre
Why: This was my 4th art gallery of our trip, so maybe I was getting a little burned out. Other than the Mona Lisa, both my sister and I were very bored by it. The building's architecture was much more interesting than the rest of it. After I returned from my trip, I talked to a few people that had also visited Paris. They thought that it was over-rated also.

John in Minneapolis, MN USA 12/03/2007

Worst: Chez Yvonne restaurant in Strasbourg, France
Why: Recommended by Rick Steves and our hotel, we were quite disappointed that on this very raw, cold, wet day that upon entering they wanted us to sit at a table right in front of the door (drafty even w/ a drape) and would not seat us in the further room which was practically empty and told that is was full???? Anyway, we did stay but noticed that many of those who came in were very friendly with the staff and were shown into this "sorry we're full" room!!!! We were ignored for longer than usual and never got our second caraffe of house wine....they did correct our bill, however. I would not recommend this restaurant unless you get a free meal!!!

Marti Hawkins in Portland, Me USA 12/02/2007

Best: Wine Safari Tour, Provence
Why: We got a lot of bang for the buck on this tour. It ended up just being my husband and I for a half day tour of the Luberon region, what turned out to be more of a private tour at a fraction of what you'd usually pay. (We did travel during the shoulder season of Oct and had fantastic weather). Mike was knowledgeable and fun-loving, very passionate about wine. He seemed to have read my mind on what I would want from the tour. Highly recommend!!!!!

Kristin Dow in Shawnee, KS USA 11/09/2007

Best: Hallstatt, the abbey at Melk, Mt. St. Michel
Why: We were in Hallstatt at the beginning of autumn. The autumn colors were just starting their show. The setting is peaceful and we needed a small town rest. Although there were bus loads of tourists during the day, they didn't disturb our idyllic break.

The Abbey at Melk--The library was astounding. Can you imagine having a stray Gutenberg around the house that you can sell to finance renovations? Just the thought of the extent of the library collection is staggering!

Mt. St. Michel--After visiting Mont St. Michel, I am eager to visit along the Atlantic coast. I loved the countryside and want to see more!

Worst: Salzburg
Why: In Salzburg, there is a store that specializes in blown Easter eggs. No other explanation is necessary! (There is not enough beer in Austria to blot out that store window!)

Susan Gibb in Santa Ana, CA USA 11/02/2007

Best: Versailles & Mont St Michel
Why: I downloaded the Versailles audioguide you provide online, and it was great! As stated above, the two hour walk from Pontorson to Mont St Michel along hte river, even though I had to carry my luggage with me, turned the visit into an almost mini-pilgrimage of my own.

Worst: Acco-dispo tours from Amboise; Clos Luce in Amboise
Why: I had used Battlebus to tour D-day sights from Bayeux, and LOVED their vast knowledge of the sites and great interactions. Therefore, when I used Acco-dispo to tour chateaux from Amboise, I was disappointed. They weren't bad, but, mediocre at best. Basically all he did was drive us from place to place. He provided little useful commentary. It didn't help that, the day I was there, he stopped driving us on three different occasions so that he could take reservations over his cell phone, and that he collected a euro from each of us (for a total of 8 euros) for a toll road that only cost 5 euros to use. I felt more frustrated as the various unstated costs kept adding up. While I'd recommend Battlebus to everyone, I'm less confident about doing so to Acco-dispo. I must say that I didn't think that Clos-Luce was anywhere near worth your two-triangle recommendation. It was over-priced, and felt rather disneylandish to me - great if I had kids, but, not much of substance for the rest of us.

in Cambridge, MA USA 10/29/2007

Best: Omaha Beach
Why: Hotel du Casino have the only rooms overlooking the beach. I watched the sunrise from my window and cried when I thought about those about to land on D-day. The restaurant offer superior food also.

Worst: Paris
Why: Prices were double of those in the country. Town was filled with pick pockets to avoid. Everthing improved once you left Paris

Jim Reid in San Diego, Ca USA 10/20/2007

Best: Provence
Why: Rick's guidebooks were all right on the money. We had such an easy time traveling alone due to the quality of his advice that we will definitely return to Provence, something we usually do not do once we have been to a locale.

Worst: Antibes
Why: We went there to look into the archaeological and historical sites, but found very little information in English, even though we encountered many English-speaking tourists, and one enchanting young multi-lingual French woman guide at Fort Carre.

David Rohlader in Eagar, AZ USA 10/18/2007

Best: Using the TGV
Why: Rick's instructions and advice were very, very helpful, and made using this extremely comfortable, quiet mode of long-distance travel very easy for us. We got Senior Passes and tickets to and from locations from Rail Europe, and all went very well. Thanks, Rick.

Worst: Being hit by a bicyclist in Arles
Why: Clear of traffic, we started across the marked walkway only to be run into by a young woman who was not paying attention. Be aware that everyone does not pay attention to traffic rules.

Dave Rohlader in Eagar, AZ USA 10/18/2007

Best: Malcolm Miller at Chartres Cathedral
Why: His incredible knowledge of the cathedral is outstanding and yet he's humble enough to admit that after almost 50 years of providing tours, he learns something knew each day.

Worst: Versailles
Why: I know it sounds like blasphemy, but I found the Chateau rooms dirty....dust in layers on furniture and chandeliers, thick enough you could write your name on them, even in the Hall of Mirrors which just reopened 2 months before our visit. The gardens are perfectly wonderful, we wish we had spent more time there than in the chateau.

Susan Tucker in Ashland , VA USA 10/08/2007

Best: Hotel la Roseraie
Why: Our room was big, and well decorated. The lovely garden has seating so you can enjoy an afternoon coke, read, or write in you journal. The restaurant was excellent. So good we decided to return for another evening. The breakfast has fresh croissants that are wonderful.

Joanna Olmstead in Anacortes, WA USA 10/07/2007

Best: Overlords Tours of Normandie, Tour guide, Oliver
Why: Oliver was very knowledgable and enjoyed sharing with us. Provided excellent pictures of area during the war, and took us to a couple of private sights. We also had a wonderful traditiona lunch at a local farmhouse. There were only 5 of us in a minivan so it was nice size group.

Joanna Olmstead in Anacortes, WA USA 10/07/2007

Best: Normandy
Why: Did the drive and sites on our own with book and map. It was overwhelming and memorable.

Albert in Clanton, AL USA 10/02/2007

Best: The photo op for the Eiffel Tower
Why: We have perfect pictures of our special visit to the Eiffel.

Martha Brice in Bratislava, Slovakia 09/20/2007

Best: Paris
Why: Gorgeous historic city with so much to see and do. Great museums, great neighborhoods. We didn't want to leave Paris after a week there, even though we had so much more of France to visit.

Worst: Arles
Why: Parched, hot, dusty, windy. After traveling through green Normandy and the Loire valley, Arles was a brown, dry disappointment.

Kathy Healy in Manhattan Beach, CA USA 09/17/2007

Best: Marmottan Museum in Paris
Why: Best grouping of Monet in France (better than the Orsay in my opinion) plus a variety of other wonderful art. Not crowded and no pictures allowed which lets you actually enjoy the art. We would probably not have gone there if not for the mention in Rick's book.

Worst: Louvre
Why: Allowing flash pictures everywhere has turned the Louvre into a very unenjoyable experience for us. Most of the folks only seem to be interested in running up to the "highlight" pieces, taking a quick picture, and running on to the next "highlight." There is little, if any, real appreciation for the artistic value. Only being able to say "I saw the Mona Lisa and here's the picture to prove it." I plan to write a letter to the Louvre and suggest that they consider having a 5 minute per hour "no pictures" period at the main attractions for those of us who actually want to enjoy the art and not just take a picture of it.

Russell Smart in Greenville, SC USA 09/11/2007

Best: Wine Safari Tour - Cotes Du Rhone
Why: Loved our winery tour with Mike at Wine Safari. He took us to two great small wineries on the Cotes Du Rhone where we were able to meet the winemakers, have a great private tour (Mike was our interpreter), sample the berries off the vines and of course taste the wines. This is a great tour even if you know very little about wine. Mike will even teach you how to "taste" wine if you have never visited a winery before. Highly recommended!

Amy in Tacoma, USA 08/28/2007

Best: D-Day Beaches Victory Tours - Normandy
Why: My husband and I had a wonderful day with Roel on the tour of the D-day beaches. He is a very knowledgable and entertaining guide! He brings all the history to life. Victory Tours is a one man show so the tours are very small - there were only six of us - so we felt like were receiving a personal tour. Highly recommended!

Amy in Tacoma, USA 08/28/2007

Best: All Good!
Why: Your directions to get to each location were great! The Metro is unbelievably easy to get around - we went everywhere on it!

Sharon & Leo Marty in Olympia, WA USA 08/21/2007

Best: 360 film at Arromanches on Normandy coast
Why: VERY moving and well done film which indeed did set us up for the day.

Carol Emmett in Windermere, FL USA 08/13/2007

Best: Historic Core of Paris tour
Why: It captured exactly what I expected Paris to be!

Worst: Avignon in general
Why: Was too busy. I should have rented a car and stated in Uzes.

Heather Wills in Dallas, TX USA 07/18/2007

Best: Basque Museum in Bayonne
Why: For anyone who has any Basque heritage (or evenif you don't) this is a great little museum and we loved the town of Bayonne-have lunch at La Bayonne rest. right next to the museum-best meal we had in France

ANDREW FORSTER in CORAL GABLES, FL USA 07/16/2007

Best: Bayeux (after Paris)
Why: Bayeux's sights span the Battle of Hastings to D-Day, so there's a lot to engage history buffs. The town itself, with its large well-preserved core, is diverting and relaxing after a day at the beaches. We really enjoyed the Battlebus tour of American sights-- our guide (Stuart) was well-informed and a natural teacher.

Lisa in Albany, CA USA 07/10/2007

Best: the Rue Clare Neigboorhood
Why: It was a wonderful place to be after a day of sightseeing. We still had time to drink in the flavor of Paris. Loved the charming shops and restaurants.

madeline hanrath in gretna, la USA 06/29/2007

Best: Martel champagne tour and tasting in Reims
Why: Small group - very personal tour and very personable guide. Very interesting tour. Were suppose to have 3 tastings but someone wondered what one kind tasted like so we all got to sample it.

Worst: Cabes des Cordeliers
Why: This tour was nothing like it was described in "the book". We toured the cave by ourselves and then had a very impersonal tasting. We did not even receive the advertised "free" gift.

Lynda Pyzer in Kenora, ON Canada 06/21/2007

Best: Napoleon's Tomb and Rodin's Garden
Why: The opulence and decadence of Napoleon is overwhelming. Rodin's garden across the street costs only 1 Euro and you see most of his famous works in the garden.

Worst: Gare du Nord at night
Why: kind of scary and hard to find the taxi stand (around the side)

Julie Nelson in Calgary, AB Canada 06/17/2007

Best: Dordogne Valley
Why: Beautiful scenery, picturesque chateaux, and cro-magnon cave paintings too.

Worst: Provence and Riviera
Why: Nice scenery ruined by lots of old, ugly, dirty buildings (except fot the historic ones, of course). Graffiti too.

Carolyn & Daniel Manrique in Tucson, AZ USA 06/17/2007

Worst: Seine River Tour - Paris
Why: As we went under each bridge the French school children screamed in celebration, the commentary was done over loud speaker in over 5 languages, continually.... and then we had two bus groups of Asians who only wanted to multiple photos of each building, not listen, nor sit down, nor be quiet. In our 13 days in Europe.. it is the most painful zoo we found ourselves in. I would not recommend the tour during the day. Our river trip in Strasbourg, France was heaven and this was hell. My teeneager pulled his sweatshirt over his head to try to get out of the din.

Kaye Peloquin in Lititz, PA USA 06/08/2007

Best: Vaison's market
Why: Never seen such a big colourful market before

Nuggi Muller in London, UK 06/01/2007

Best: Le Petit Matin Pension in Bayeux
Why: This wasn't in your guidebook but it was one of our favorites in France. We had a lovely room, delicious breakfast included in the moderate room price, and a beautiful private garden that beckoned after a long day.

Donna Oliva in Yakima, Wa USA 05/21/2007

Best: Avignon, France
Why: We did a day tour with David (from Texas) with Imagine Tours and it was delightful. He goes above what is expected of his tour. We highly recommend his company.

Pam Rogers in Atlanta, Ga USA 05/20/2007

Best: Western Dordogne
Why: Had not been there before and love it!

Worst: Eiffel Tower
Why: Please warn your readers that to go to the top level takes an hour in a Disneyland-type line, even in evening off season. Horrible! Ruined the whole experience for us on our last eve in France! Tell then to skip the top level.

Judy A. Vosburgh in Atascadero, CA United States 05/15/2007

Best: Bayeux Tapestry/Paris Museum Pass
Why: I do embroidery and was overwhelmed by the beauty of the work. Also, Paris Museum Pass is well worth the cost!!!! We walked right into the Louvre using the group entry.

Melissa in Maryville, TN USA 05/10/2007

Best: le bistrot bourguignon in Beaune
Why: Great Food, reasonable prices. Owner, Friendly,Jean-Jacques, took us on a tour of Beaune and the vinyards. Even took us to visit his friends cave and sample the wine of his vines.

Elaine in University Place, wa USA 05/06/2007

Worst: Houseboating in Burgundy
Why: I've seen Rick on TV, sitting all relaxed and cheerful on top of a houseboat on the Nivernais canal, and immediately figured out that he was on a bigger boat than our two-person boat and that he must have had more folks along to deal with the locks. The two person boats don't have an upper level to simplify stepping off the top directly onto the lock side when the water level is low. We had to find a place to put me off early (not always available), or attempt to lasso bollards about 10 feet overhead, or struggle somehow to get secured each time we came jostling with other boats into the locks at low water. Sometimes folks from a larger boat travelling at the same pace would take pity and jump off to help us on the third or fourth lock of the day. Some lockkeepers were great, but they helped less than 50% of the time, so we couldn't count on them. On the day that we went through 11 locks, I just sat down and cried. We tied up at a wide part of the canal the next day and bicycled around after that. We would recommend, for two people travelling, pay the extra amount for one-way travel going down river -- south to north on the Nivernais toward Joigny -- as at each lock, the water level is high and all you do is casually step off, secure the boat, and you're set. It would make 100% difference. If you have only the option of a round trip and are only two people, I'd say just don't do it. Unless you're looking for a "worst experience" story to tell when you get home.

Rebecca in Gig Harbor, WA USA 05/03/2007

Best: Amboise; Hotel Blason
Why: A delightful find, thanks to your book! The desk clerk was super helpful,and acknowledged your book (which was in hand!); central location; good breakfast with adjacent restaurant. Highly recommended!

Worst: Hotel Grande LeVeque, Paris
Why: Rue Clare was wonderful; hotel undergoing renovations and odor of paint was unbearable; actually we were lucky we could not get a room; but it looked like a great place to stay!

Howard E. Glitt in The Villages, Fl USA 04/30/2007

Best: The Battle Bus Tour with Dale Booth
Why: The guide was extremely knowledgeable, articulate, and enthusiastic. We took the Band of Brothers Tour with him and it was very rewarding. I suggest packing your own lunch.

Worst: Touraine Evasion
Why: The driver, who was rude and never once introduced himself, dropped us off at the wrong city and refused to take us back. Throughout all the correspondence with the company, I have made it clear that we were staying in Amboise and would therefore need a pick-up and drop-off at the TI in Amboise. We even called the day before to say we were in Hotel Blason in Amboise. We were picked up at Amboise but the driver took us back to Tours. The owner of the company, Patrick, was disrespectful and did not even want to compensate us for the train tickets back to Amboise. Instead, he suggested that we take the train BACK to Tours to get the train tickets refund--which is unreasonable. He could have easily credited our credit card. Most importantly though, was the way he treated us. Definitely not friendly as was said in the book. The driver gave awful commentaries during the trip. I do not recommend this excursion company. Try Acco-Dispo--I heard from others that this company is more professional.

Chang in San Francisco, CA USA 04/27/2007

Best: Honfleur
Why: A very pleasant and relaxing town with a nice mix of local and tourist flavor. Harbour cafes great places to spend a sunny afternoon just soaking up the quaint atmosphere. Nice shops.

Worst: Rouen
Why: Not a good feel to the place. Kind of dead on a Sunday afternoon.

Richard Frank in Toronto, On Canada 04/26/2007

Worst: See Metro note above
Why: Cost us over $100 for that

Richard Druckenbrod in Durham, NC USA 04/24/2007

Best: Rue Cler, Rue Mouffetard, Musee d'Orsay
Why: I love the open air markets. The streets were so animated and the produce was delicious. I was really impressed by the art in the Muse d'Orsay. I just loved all of the Degas!

Danielle in Bloomfield Hills, MI USA 04/16/2007

Best: Saint Malo
Why: Your guidebook mentioned Saint Malo only briefly and I almost didn't go except that it made a convenient stop by train and bus (I didn't have a car). I enjoyed it far more than your guidebook led me to expect.

Yes it is crowded, particularly in the northeast bit where it's the worst. But I found it had a certain vibrancy beyond the tourist market. Here's why:

1. Complete walls surrounding the city, overlooking the English Channel.

2. Excellent audioguide walking tour of the city that does an excellent job of making the history come alive.

3. The fort attached to Saint Malo.

4. Boat tours around the bay and its islands.

5. The nearby castle, 4th century church ruins, and WWII bunkers

6. Dinard, which I didn't even have time to get to

Worst: Dinan
Why: Calling it worst seems strong, but it was just kinda blah. This was recommended over Saint Malo, but I don't quite get it. It was very sleepy inside what was left of the walls, and very modern just outside of them, and there was no English tour guide available, just a little map with brief descriptions.

Ethan Solomita in San Francisco, CA USA 04/05/2007

Best: All of it!
Why: Everything was different and exciting.

Ana Martinez in Miami, FL USA 04/03/2007

Worst: Hotel Lorrain in Nice, France
Why: Crooks!!! Was going on a cruise with EasyCruise for a few days. Had reservations to stay at the hotel the day before and day after cruise. After arrival, I paid for both days. Since I speak French, I had no problem communicating. Since we would be arriving late at the hotel, the owner and I agreed upon a time to let me and girlfriend into the hotel. However after ringing the bell for an hour, no one came to the door. We had to stay at another hotel down the street. With repeated requests for a refund via email, no refund or response was provided. When I contested the charge with my credit card company, she contested the charge on her behalf.

Patrice in Fort Worth, TX USA 03/22/2007

Best: Franise
Why: Good food and the people

Worst: Le Le Plus
Why: Small tables

Lila in Ames , IA USA 03/12/2007

Best: The Le Plus Frais Partie Ile
Why: Great food they have all the things you can think of

katie in Iowa city, IA USA 03/12/2007

Best: Catacombs, Army Museum
Why: The sites you that would expect were very impressive. Here are some that you might not expect:

The Catacombs in Paris were amazing. Even though there is no English tour, it was the one thing in the book that I felt deserved a higher rating than it got, mostly because it was so different from anything else I've ever experienced.

The Army Museum at the Hotel Invalides was also really impressive for its detail and for the French perspective on the world wars. We wound up doing WWI one day and going back to do WWII on a second day. We wound up devoting far more time to this museum than we expected, even though we had done quite a bit of WWII in Normandy.

Worst: St. Chapelle
Why: Under construction, crowded, not worth three triangles.

Seth Resler in Providence, RI USA 02/25/2007

Best: notre dame
Why: One of the most wonderful churchs I have seen.

Jim & Sarah Stillo in Naperville, il USA 02/08/2007