Paris 2012 Guidebook
Best and worst sights, experiences and destinations:
Best: Tour Eiffel, Museum Pass, Bus #69
Why: We booked tickets for the Eiffel Tower before leaving and wasted no time in line. The Museum Pass was also a great time saver. Bus #69 was great fun:)
Gina in Ellicott City, MD USA 02/01/2012
Best: Walking tour of Marias and the Jewish centre
Why: It took me for one of my most fun experiences in Paris. From the Bastille to the nice lunch in the Jewish centre to ending at Pomperdu centre. It great getting a blow by blow and turn by turn instruction. Every where I travel, I will be using your guides.
Lee Smith in Toronto, ON Canada 12/14/2011
Best: Sainte Chapelle
Why: The extrodinary stain glass windows
Markay Allen in San Marcos, CA USA 12/07/2011
Best: Eiffel Tower and Versailles
Why: The Tower is absolutely beautiful, particularly at night with its light show. Do buy your tickets in advance befored you leave home; the llines are very long.
Worst: Sainte Chapelle
Why: The best parts are closed for repair or renovation.
Vicente in Melrose Park, IL USA 11/01/2011
Best: Walking Tours and maps
Why: Your walking tours and maps were very useful also, the colored maps at the front of the book showed all the taxi stands around the city. That was especially helpful for me and my bad knees. Lots of goo info!
Jim in Sewell, NJ USA 10/31/2011
Best: Our B&B in Honfleur--La Cour Sainte Catherine
Why: Liliane was away, her friend Amanda Ferguson who has a B&B across the street was managing. Amanda was delightful. Our accommodations were ideal for the 4 of us (my 3 adult sons & I)--2 suites. After a tiny room in Paris, this was heaven!
wayne white in walnut creek, ca USA 10/26/2011
Worst: Versailles
Why: We purchaed our Museum passes and headed to Gate A at Versailles for the bypass only to find out it was closed and everyone had to go through gate B. It was a 2 1/2 hour wait. Don't know what happened but it definately was a bump in the road that cut into our sighseeing schedule.
Rose Kenney in Tewksbury, MA USA 10/23/2011
Best: Port de Vincennes found by being lost
Why: We took the Paris Metro line 1 in the wrong direction and hopped off here, and right at the top of the Metro stairs was a wonderful outdoor market. We were truly in a locals neighborhood as folks purchased all their fresh meat, fish, cheese, poultry (with feathers still on!), and bread for their dinner. Fresh flowers, kitchen gadgets, take away food and a few clothing/leather goods vendors were here as well. This is a weekly market, held on Wednesday and Saturday. We loved the area, strolled throughout the side streets and agreed if we ever take public transportation in the wrong direction again we'll be sure to go upstairs before heading in the right direction.
Worst: Sacre Coeur
Why: We could not believe the crowds of vendors blocking the top step selling their plastic trash and trinkets, what a spoiler to a lovely site. There were also very rude young women attempting to get signatures on their clipboards, some type of scam I am sure. We witnessed one of them run into the shrubbery nearby to relieve herself, where is the Paris police presence? This is a chaotic mess ruining an historic site.
Wendy in Chatham, Ma USA 10/15/2011
Best: The Tour of the Louvre section
Why: We were planning on visiting the Louvre on Sunday, 10/2. As the first Sunday of the month, I knew it would be free because you had explained that in your book -- and EVERYBODY we talked to in Paris said, "Don't go when it is free, it will be a madhouse and you will have a terrible time," but that was the day we had so I read up carefully and we followed your advice to minimize the stress and get the most positive experience possible. We showed up just 10 minutes before opening at the underground mall entrance as you suggest, where we were only about 30 people back from the head of the line. When the museum opened and they let us in, we were upstairs to the Venus de Milo so quickly and easily that we didn't even realize where we were at first. We had her to ourselves for 10 whole minutes before another person even wandered in -- the whole thing was magical. Of course, once the crowds caught on and figured out where they were going, we could hear what sounded like a swarm of bees buzzing down the halls, which turned out to be about 500 tourists armed with cameras who burst into the room where we were and proceeded to run all over the place snapping pictures and taking videos of each other without even seeming to notice the statue in the center of the room. It was also an amazing experience, but for a whole bunch of different reasons!
Patrick in Washington, DC USA 10/10/2011
Best: walking tours in rick's book, Bus #69 & Fat Tire bike tours
Why: brought history to life in du Marais & Montmartre... easy to follow and lots of great info.
Loved the Fat tire bike Paris by day tour & the 9 hour day Versailles cycle trip... wish I'd gone on the paris by nite tour as well. Informative, fun & so much more to see by cycling than walking.
Bus #69 we took almost daily... always lots to see from high up in the bus and nice to be with the locals.
Worst: champs Elysees
Why: too touristy, Arc Triumph was worth seeing, just take the subway there.
Mark in Victoria, bc canada 09/25/2011
Best: giverny
Why: the most informative I'd read, before our trip there.
leslie brown in ellicottville, ny USA 09/05/2011
Best: Left Bank Walk
Why: This walk was wonderful. It is great to get away from the tourist-choked big sites and really experience the city the way a Parisian would. Everything was right where Rick said it would be (except the toy shop - I think it closed?). Thank you Rick! I just wish I had had more time to savor it.
Worst: Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame
Why: Louvre: Way too big, way too crowded. The Mona Lisa is ruined by being roped off and behind a glass screen and the allowing of flash photography. You can't appreciate it. Also, Rick recommends going in the evening to avoid the worst crowds, but I was in the Mona Lisa room quite late (after 7) and it was still super crowded.
Eiffel Tower: Lines too long. I didn't even bother. There seems to be one public restroom with a ridiculously long and slow line. You'd better not have to use the bathroom really bad. They actually had someone directing it, and it was still a nightmare.
Notre Dame: More impressive on the outside than inside. Again, the overuse of flash photography is incredibly distracting and ruins the experience. Cathedrals in England don't allow it, for good reason. The line outside to go up in the tower and look over the city is ridiculously long and didn't move after 15 minutes, so I abandoned it.
Katherine in Hutchison, IL USA 09/03/2011
Best: Bastille Day fireworks seen from Pont Neuf.
Why: Great view, dissipated noise!
Worst: Walking the Promenade Plantee.
Why: Pouring rain, no one else there except for a guy hanging about who looked like Bin Laden. I got so wet that the boulangerie lady laughed when I handed her a sopping 5 euro note to pay for my baguette. In all, not so bad for a worst experience.
Marta in Vienna, VA USA 07/23/2011
Best: Warnings for Notre Dame & Tour Eiffel
Why: It was as if the people approaching us had read Rick's book, his warnings were that spot-on! One by one from the trinket hawkers everywhere to the women with the "Do You Speak English" and begging signs, to the dropped ring, to the "demonstration" bracelet. Thank you so much!
Steve in Phoenix, AZ USA 07/13/2011
Best: Rue Cler
Why: The ambience and old world feeling was exactly what I wanted to experience. Sunday morning was filled with locals toting home in the goods in small carts behind them. We found ourselves traveling back to this enchanting street more than once.
Elizabeth Metier in Fort Dodge, IA USA 07/05/2011
Best: The Museum Pass and Eiffel Tower reservations
Why: The Paris Museum Pass and Eiffel Tower reservation were the best tips! We zipped past so many thousands of people who were queued up for museums and monuments, especially the Louvre. The lines outside were so long, I felt sad for those people who don't read Rick's books. The Eiffel Tower reservation was the BEST idea ever. We saved HOURS and went for a pleasant stroll along the river, ate a crepe, and took photos at the Trocadero.
Worst: Nothing
Why: Rick does such a great job helping prepare travelers. I smiled every time I saw someone else with one of his books. I read his books from cover to cover several times before we travel and watch his dvds, too.
Bonnie Crabtree in Nesbit, MS USA 06/28/2011
Best: The marias walk
Why: Authentic, great Sunday market at basilles, perfect first day in Paris.
Dorie Refling in Bozeman, Mt USA 06/20/2011
Best: Velib Bikes (Paris 2011 p42)
Why: Print a Velib Station map from their website! Also, we found it much easier to push the bikes out of the rack rather than try to pull them out. My American Express card did work in the machines.
Worst: The Petit Train at Versailles (Paris 2011 p544)
Why: It was a VERY rough ride that hurt my back. It stopped at the Grand and Petit Trianons before stopping at the Grand Canal. Closing time for the gardens and canal activities was 8pm but the train stopped running at 6:45.
Linda in San Antonio, TX USA 06/19/2011
Best: Paris Greeter walk
Why: Gave us some local knowledge of Paris. We saw some things we'd not have seen otherwise.
Laura in Fredericksburg, TX USA 06/16/2011
Best: Honfluer
Why: A beautiful port city that is not overun by tourists and typically French.
Worst: The Eifel Tower
Why: Way too crowded.
Frank Swigon in San Antonio, TX USA 05/06/2011
Best: Carnavalet museum
Why: It was really interesting. We only wish that all the rooms had been open! (About half of them were closed for no apparent reason).
Worst: Petit train at Versailles (tram)
Why: Guidebook said you could take it all around the grounds, so we bought the day pass. We walked through the gardens to the "canal" and planned to take the tram out to the Grand Trianon. The tram conductor said the tram did not go there, so we had to walk. We only got to ride back from the Petit Trianon, which would have saved us half the fare if we had been able to buy one-way tickets.
Laurie Z. in St. Paul, MN USA 04/14/2011
Best: Museum pass in Paris
Why: It allowed our group of 5 adults to bypass the people waiting in the ticket line and go straight in to the museums. We went to enough museums to make it cost effective.
G Sellers in Melbourne , FL USA 04/14/2011
Best: Bastille Market
Why: normal parisians shopping for Amazing food!
Joshua Leo in Grand Rapids, MI USA 04/11/2011
Worst: Hotel Beaugency
Why: While the location is excellent, the hotel room we received was very small (even for European standards), the staff was not as friendly as others have commented, and the room itself had not been painted and was overall not that clean.
B. McCabe in Hoboken, NJ USA 03/14/2011
Best: Walking the Left Bank
Why: As nice as the Louvre, Notre Dame, and Champs Elysees are, I appreciated the flavor of Paris better simply wandering around the neighborhoods along the left bank.
Lance Teruya in Ewa Beach, HI USA 02/23/2011
Best: rue cler
Why: I felt it was the slice of paris that i wanted to see, i almost felt like a local
Worst: eiffel tower
Why: so many scammers. I had 3 gold ringers, and 2 bracelet people in the first half hour. thanks to Steve i was prepared for them.
kevin in san diego, ca USA 02/06/2011
Best: Musee de l'Orangerie
Why: Your description prepared us for an exquisite exhibition and it was at least as wonderful as we expected.
Alison Snow in Bellevue, WA USA 01/28/2011
Best: Saint Chappelle
Why: We didn't realize it was here, but Saint Chappelle was the most delicately beautiful of all the chapels we have seen in extensive travels through Europe (and especially Europe's cathedrals).
Worst: Rue Cler
Why: Overrated. We don't get it. There are great cheese shops and wine shops and *much* better cafes throughout Paris, why this touristy street? If you want a fun street, we'd recommend Rue Rosiers maybe (Le Marais) - it's got Chez Marianne, a lot of great Falafel, some great boutiques, and good, calm, local French vibe.
Kali Morse in Ft. Campbell, KY USA 01/19/2011
Best: the tour of the Louvre
Why: I was not overwhelmed and had loads of fun going through the tour Rick and his companions had figured out! I also went at night during the extended hours (thanks to the tip that it was open late on certain nights). I even met a couple following the same book and so we took a picture together with the books!
Worst: dinning
Why: I wish there had been some more suggestions, but all were wonderful. I had wanted more patisserie suggestions too I suppose.
Chapel Ham in Bellville, TX USA 01/10/2011
Worst: TI @ Gare de L'Est Train Station
Why: The only rude Parisian I encountered during my visit was at the Bureau de Tourisme (TI) at the Gare de L'Est train station. Attendant refused to sell me a Museum Pass even though I had cash in hand. When asked why, his response was that "he was closing soon", even though the times posted indicated he should be open for another 45 minutes. Kept me from being able to skip the line for the towers at Notre Dame. Went to the Musee Dorsay the next day and bought the pass with no problem, took less than 5 minutes!
Thomas Ivey in Greensboro, NC USA 12/06/2010
Best: ParisHome
Why: “Rick Sleeves has it right about ParisHome in the 7th arrondisement when he says that the owner Slim is “…the best part…” As mentioned several times on this forum, Slim’s two newly renovated studios are up to date, clean and ideally located on a safe, residential street, steps away from many restaurants, markets, shops, and eight bus and two metro lines. The studios are equipped with many, amenities including up to date appliances such as washer/dryer, brand new beds and, all free new TV with many English channels, internet, Wi-Fi, and local/long distance calls. But what is really special is that on top of the ideal location and amenities - and just as important – is Slim’s sincere quality, hospitable, and professional “hands on” service. Slim welcomes feedback and is just a phone call away. He takes a personal “in charge” interest and pride in - and has worked hard to ensure - a hospitable quality experience for his guests. Thank you Mr. Slim, you make the difference. .
denise in new york, NY USA 11/29/2010
Best: museum pass
Why: we followed rick's suggestion to get these instead of standing in lines and paying individual prices. we were both very happy we had done so! at the musee d'orsay we actually were pulled out of line by an employee when he saw these passes in our hands because we had accidently gotten into the wrong line. he saw us and immediately pulled us out of the wrong line and sent us to the correct entrance where there was no wait, which meant we didn't have to continue standing in the rain for the next 30 minutes. We definitely got our money's worth out of the 4 day pass.
Tresa Hibben in Portland, or USA 11/16/2010
Best: Louvre
Why: Your tour was great - besides the usual highlights like Mona Lisa, the Mesopotamia artifacts were fascinating. The museum is sensational - yes, it is crowded but also huge and well organized. Great advice to go early. In October, even without a museum pass, we didn't wait very long to get through security, and there were plenty of ticket machines - an easy process.
Worst: St Chapelle
Why: Very long line in late October to get through security - 45 minutes at least for all including those with museum pass - with many young people brazenly cutting the line and slipping in at the security entrance ahead of those waiting. And as others have noted, much of the chapel is boarded up for years to come, unfortunately. Still, I am glad we went since the unboarded stained glass is quite beautiful.
Chris in Cedar Point, NC USA 11/16/2010
Worst: Paris Vision Tours
Why: I booked a tour to Normandy through Paris Vision, which in turn, I beleive subcontracted to CityRama. Normandy was the ONLY place I really wanted to see besides Paris. We were picked up at our rented apt. and off we went to find out we were being taken on a tour of the Champagne Valley. It was too late to take us back and too late to book another tour (due to going home). Although I remained calm, I was highly disappointed and through many phone calls the tour people finally decided to return our Normandy $$ and charge us for only one trip to Champagne. The driver even told us that if we didn't sign the receipt for two trips he may not be able to return us to Paris. !!! Well, they only charged us for one trip to Champagne, but two days later another charge turned up which we are disputing. Bottom line, don't get in the van/bus until you are sure where you are heading.
Joyce Morones in Lakewood, W USA 11/05/2010
Best: Pere Lachaise Cemetary
Why: The Rick Steves tour was fabulous. I would not have survived the visit without it. It is a strenuous workout, but well worth it to pay respects to so many notable persons. And, once into the tour, you are commited to finishing it in order to find your way out of the cemetary. Especially helpful was the description of the location of the restrooms upon entering the cemetary grounds. They were off to the side and completely unmarked. But, Rick's book noted exactly where they were.
Anne Susag in Minneapolis, MN USA 10/19/2010
Best: Best advice - avoid the airport shuttle!
Why: Should have listened to Rick. He said the shuttles can be somewhat hit and miss, and he was right! Our flight arrived at 8:30 AM, and after three somewhat frustrating phone calls, were picked up about 10:45, didn't get to our rented Paris apartment until 12:35. After 14 hours on a plane, not a pleasant experience!
Reid Branson in Seattle, WA USA 10/16/2010
Best: Louvre
Why: Your podcast and map were great. Everything was exactly where you said it would be. Thanks for a great experience when we didn't have much time.
Diana Reynolds in Wailuku, HX USA 10/07/2010
Best: Rue Cler
Why: We didn't know what to expect, but it was picture perfect. Next time we will get a hotel in that neighborhood. It's slightly out of the way, but the city is so accessable by train it doesn't matter. The charm is worth it!
Worst: Versailles
Why: Closed due to union worker strike and also train problems due to the same strike. Palace was covered by our museum pass, but they charged us to look at the gardens, which we did, due to being stranded for the morning.
Kim in Rome, IL USA 10/04/2010
Best: L'enoteca
Why: good food and wine and nice atmosphere - just try to not get the one waiter who thinks he is gorgeous - all of the other waiters were delightful!
Worst: Au Temps des Cerises
Why: no wine by the glass or carafe and no snackies til 8 pm if you go for a Happy Hour type deal
Janet Strickland in Sanibel, FL USA 09/21/2010
Best: MontmartreWalk
Why: Loved the combination of modern and old. Cheapest place for souvenirs. We went back our last day just to purchase scarfs and other stuff that was double the price elsewhere.
Worst: Orsay Museum
Why: Not that intresting a structure compared to The Louvre and Pompidou Center (one of my favs). No pictures allowed and 54 of their impressionist paintings were on loan and the 3rd floor was closed. The art hung on the wall with out any interesting placement.
Terry in Virgina Beach, Va USA 09/18/2010
Best: Les Invalides
Why: With Napolean's tomb and the Musee de Armee this was a great surprise for us since we had no expectations as we were so well studyed for the other major sights.
Worst: Sacre Couer
Why: What a waste of a day just getting to the place then to be hoarded by beggars and scam artists. The whole place around the site smelt like a urinal and inside was a let down. Buy a post card and stay away!
El Cheapo in Boston, USA 09/14/2010
Best: Versailles
Why: Helpful directions to use the train
Worst: Orsay
Why: The exhibits have change significantly from the descriptions in the book and on the ipod tour.
Jerry P in Minneapolis, MN USA 08/22/2010
Best: Passe Navigo Metro pass
Why: At 23 Euros/person, (we followed the advice & brought our own pictures- otherwise 5 Euros for 4 pictures), it was an incredible bargain. In our 7 days that we were in Paris the 3 of us used it at least 3-4 times/day. It paid for itself in the first 3 days. It was usable for the Bus #69 bus tour & even at Monmartre for the Funicular ride to the top to Sacre Coeur. No standing in line to buy tickets! Plus, when we return to Paris, it will be good for 'life'. :)
Worst: The Versailles Audio Tour
Why: Once inside, it starts & you are at the chapel. But from there the next mention is of the Hercules Drawing room. The current tour guides you first past several rooms of paintings & then sculptures, upstairs & THEN into the Hercules Drawing room & onto the rest of the tour.
Joe Staniszewski in Lansdale, PA USA 08/08/2010
Best: Versailles
Why: We took a Fat Tire bike tour and it was really a unique experience. It was fun and our tour guide was very enthusiastic and informative. Also, even though it was very hot and crowded when we visited, the palace was beautiful especially the Hall of Mirrors.
Rich Swiergula in Aberdeen, WA USA 08/02/2010
Best: Rue Cler
Why: It contains the Best of Paris on a single, pedestrian-friendly street.
Dan Anderson in Concord, CA USA 07/31/2010
Best: Arc de Triomphe
Why: There were no crowds or tour coaches. The view from the top is great and again there are no crowds. The cleanest restrooms were at the Musee de L'Orangerie.
Worst: Eiffel Tower
Why: Long lines, lots of street vendors to avoid and the view was not worth the wait. Jardin du Trocadero across the Seine river from the Eiffel Tower there is a pedestrian bridge and it is being used as a toilet by the street vendors and it stinks!
Steve Thomas in Nacogdoches, Tx USA 07/13/2010
Worst: Louve
Why: Summer crowds. Even though we were still in June, and arrived at opening and used passes - the crowds were horrid. It was hard to see anything without being pushed, bumped or blocked.
David Truman in Langley, BC Canada 07/11/2010
Best: Carnavalet Museum
Why: Used the Paris 2010 guide to make our way through this great museum. It covered important eras in French history and it was free! Really appreciated the room by room descriptions, especially since there is virtually no English on any of the displays or artifacts. Coming at the last day of our 3 wk trip to France, this helped tie all the history together nicely. Highly recommend this tour in the Marais district.
Worst:
Why:
Pam in Eugene, OR USA 06/26/2010
Best: We did all of the Walks suggested and enjoyed every one. We also loved Chartres. I went 30 years ago and enjoyed Malcolm Miller's tour then, as now. He is so funny.
Why: Being able to experience all of the different neighborhood "flavors" of Paris was super. We felt like we were hitting all of the major important sites, plus the cool areas that make Paris a special place.
Vicki in Portland, OR USA 06/25/2010
Best: L'Orangerie
Why: Seeing Monet's Nympheas/Waterlillies in the rooms designed for them is a spiritual experience.
Marilyn R. in Waterville, ME USA 06/14/2010
Best: d'Orsay, Orangerie
Why: Musee d'Orsay is a must-see, even more than the Louvre if you enjoy 19th & early-20thC art. Orangerie is wonderful: for the long-needed renovations to the Water Lilies galleries, the major collections of Cezanne, Renoir et al, the short films, everything.
Worst: Pompidou
Why: Sure it's great for Kandinsky and other visionaries, but there's also an awful lot of nonsense in this museum. Fronted by a plaza not attractively terraced but uncomfortably sloping, that attracts the dregs of the population, in a neighborhood you wouldn't want to visit for anything else. And it costs more than most, and Museum Pass covers floors 4&5 only. Certainly skip unless you are impressed by what self-important people do with arts funding.
Kevin in Princeton, NJ USA 06/12/2010
Best: Paris Illumination Tour
Why: We found a taxi near St. Michel who gladly accommodated us on your suggested tour. He went beyond that and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was cheaper and fr better than a bus tour.We got off and on when we wanted to without any problems. This was a highlight of our Paris trip.
Worst: The Louvre
Why: Crowds were too great and the Orsat was much better. We spent four hours at Orsay and loved every minute of it.
Reg Deneau Canada 06/12/2010
Best: Marais walk
Why: It felt like a working neighborhood & I loved the falafals. Carnavalet museum was great. May must be field trip month for French students as all the museums we went to had packs of students & teachers studying paintings, sculpture, etc.
Worst: Eiffel
Why: Too many hustlers.
Jody in Long Beach, Ca USA 06/11/2010
Best: All of them!
Why: Everything was where you said it was; the museums were terrific, the walking tours really let me see the city. I've used the guidebook in 2008 and the 2010 this year; both times, the guidebooks went far in making my trips the great experiences they were!
John. T Dukes in Richfield, OH USA 06/09/2010
Best: versailles
Why: It was beautiful. We took a guided tour, definitely worth it. After the tour the crowds were terrible. As you recommended, we went into town and had lunch. After 3pm we were able to leisurely see all the rooms we wanted to see with a lot fewer people.
John Morgado in MARIETTA, GA USA 06/02/2010
Best: Hotel Beaugency,Rue Duvivier, Paris
Why: Friendly, helpful staff and LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Short easy walk from the Ecole Militaire metro stop - short, pleasant walk to the Rue Cler, Invalides, Rodin Museum, Eiffel Tower, Rue St. Domanique, etc. I had a very nice single room with bath. Nice little breakfast area and lobby. All great! Would love to stay there again.
Judith Beck in Perkasie, PA USA 05/29/2010
Best: Getting the Paris Museum Pass
Why: It saved us both time and money. We purchased the pass at the airport tourist information desk which saved us even more time. The 2, 4 or 6 day options can work for everyone.
Monica in Snow Camp, NC USA 05/29/2010
Best: Musee de l'Orangerie
Why: I've been to the Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, and the Rodin Museum. The Orangerie is a gem. Less people allow you to actually sit and immerse yourself in Monet's Water Lillies as well as several other wonderful paintings in the museum. Great museum and collection.
Ann Chirhart in Terre Haute, IN USA 05/28/2010
Best: Rick's walking tours
Why: We have been using the Rick Steves books for 10 years now and they are thoughtfully written and applicable for any budget. The walking tours through Paris were wonderful and took us through areas we would not have discovered on our own.
Rebecca in Washington, DC, USA 05/22/2010
Best: Hotel du Champ de Mars
Why: Absolutely perfect location in the Rue Cler area. Only about 50 feet to Cafe du Marche, with friendly waitstaff and serving good food at great prices all times of day. We were there five days. The comment about the hotel's management being more good-natured should be removed. All employees and owner were friendly, courteous and could not have been more helpful. Their friendly Cocker Spaniel also did his best to make guests feel welcome.
Kyle & Jan Dameron in Tulsa, OK USA 05/19/2010
Best: Rue Cler area
Why: It's insulated from the busy boulevards. A real small town feel to it, yet close to the Seine and Eiffel Tower. Plenty of cafe's to chose from, with reasonably priced food.
Worst: Army Museum and Napoleon's Tomb
Why: The museum did have some interesting displays of battlefields, which animated the movement of troops. But the uniforms and weapons and the slabs of marble covering Napoleon were boring - pretty much as Rick said.
Dan in Northville, MI USA 05/11/2010
Worst: Boat ride on Seine.
Why: Camara got lost/stollen--but life goes on. (Boat rides have never agreed with me.) My daughter had to be the shutter bug for the rest of our trip. She is the better photographer, so it all works out okay.
Narration a bit hard to follow because it would start and stop with gaps of time between. Who wants to hold a device to your ear waiting for the next random narration?
jill in durall, CT USA 04/18/2010
Worst: La Defense
Why: 2 stars? 1 more star than Opera? Odd judgment.
Grant Wiggins in Hopewell, NJ USA 04/13/2010
Best: Carnavalet Museum
Why: The history was superb, paintings right out of the history books, and manageable size -- the Louvre is spectacular but overwhelming.
Margaret in Piedmont, CA USA 04/06/2010
Best: The hotels and restaurants
Why: Because they were all locally owned and operated by people who really wanted to please.
Worst: The Roma by the Louvre
Why: They are doing a "did you loose this ring?" trick. They drop-palm it off the pavement and try to get you to buy it back. The first time I let them put it in my hand, I told them it was aluminum and dropped it. The second time I gave them a stern look. The third time, I burst into loud laughter and said, "You need practice." They scattered.
Larry Nielsen in Golden Valley, MN USA 03/18/2010
Best: Louvre
Why: an amazing museum. liked your tour, We went back for a second time, would have liked a second tour. More than any other museum in Europe seems like you could give two tours for this one.
Worst: St Chappelle
Why: windows dark, lot of effort for one big AHHHH
David Neely in Chicago, IL USA 01/31/2010
Worst:
Why: Sainte-Chapelle.
alan verson in northampton, ma USA 01/12/2010
Best: the view of the Eiffel Tower from the Trocadero
Why: The view and the atmosphere of the area were just as described in the book
Steven Simon in Park Forest, IL USA 01/07/2010
Best: Paris city walk & Louve
Why: Used the book along with the listening downloads. What a great idea. Thanks Steve.
Worst: Rue Cler
Why: On Sunday and Mondays, this area is DEAD. If I were to visit again that included Sunday and Monday, I might have stayed elsewhere instead of Hotel Beauncy. Although I liked the hotel.
Bill in Buena Park, CA USA 11/15/2009
Best: Eiffel Tower, the Metro,Hemmingway locations
Why: We were on our honeymoon and spent two weeks just in Paris in September...the tower was beautiful especially at night and a great reference point. I had waited 50 years to see the sites of the "lost generation". Overwheming. Loved everything about the experience.
Worst: Being hustled by the north africans and romainians
Why: Most of the "ring on the ground" scams are just annoying but going up the steps to the Sacre Coeur the "ring bracelet" people were both very agressive and extremely rude to tourists especially young women. Taking the tram up the stairs is an option for those not wanting to run the guantlet. Definately worth the trip up though. Unlike most of the main tourist areas there seemed little security or police presence.
Charlie Galan in Nanaimo, BC Canada 11/13/2009
Best: Rick's walks
Why: By following Rick's guided walks, we were able to see much more than we would have otherwise done. The Museum pass is a 'must'. We bought the 4 day pass and used it extensively. It saved us huge amounts of time by quickly entering the various sights as well as saving financially.
Art / Karyn Lougheed in Markham, On Canada 11/01/2009
Best: Bus #69
Why: Since I never take buses in the U.S., it never occurred to me to take the buses in Paris as opposed to the Metro, and I've been to Paris several times. Thank you for recommending Bus #69 for sightseeing. I then started taking the buses everywhere in Paris, and only took the metro once, to Arc de Defense. Your recommmendation made my trip a fantastic experience. Thank you!
evelyn in dallas, tx USA 10/30/2009
Best: Honfleur - Hoel Monet
Why: Big clean room and bathroom, very nice people. Loved the cuteness of Honfleur and Hotel Monet
Worst: Hotel Grand Leveque
Why: Worst hotel the whole trip. So suprised because highly recommended. Dingy, filthy carpet, dark . We went with rec to stay in back to avoid noise. Horrible view and smelly. Rip off of 14 euros to book shuttle. After we paid 40 E for two to get to airport at 6:15 am I found out I could have called direct a shuttle co and saved the commission.
Diana Hoover in Irvine, CA USA 10/11/2009
Best: public transit passes and bus 69
Why: We loved just riding the buses around town, meeting locals and seeing different neighborhoods. This bus route got us to major sights at different times of day and replaced the usual "hop on/off" tour for us in this city.
Worst: bus schedules
Why: I don't know if it's possible, but it would have been helpful to know when the buses stopped running. We got stranded, but the taxi was affordable, so we got home okay.
Laralyn Sasaki in Columbus, OH USA 10/09/2009
Best: Marmottan-Monet Museum
Why: A nice little museum that is a pleasant stroll through a park from a Metro station. It's just a little bit off the beaten tourist path (but not too much).... which was a welcome rest after the madness of the Louvre and Orsay.
Rob R. in Alexandria, VA USA 10/08/2009
Best: the Palace at Luxembourg Gardens
Why: Palaces normally closed to the public were opened last weekend (Sept 19 &20). The French have a term for what the weekend was called but it escapes me as to what it was named. We were unaware that this was going on until the pastor mentioned it at the American Church on Sunday. Who says good thing don't happen when you go to church.
Worst: the RER
Why: Our party of five (5) got separated on the way into Paris City from CDG. We were burdened with suitcases and just couldn't get everyone in the train in time (there was a worker right there, saw everything and did nothing but laugh when the doors closed leaving four in the train and one on the platform). We were reunited at the next station when the four in the train got out and the one on the platform hopped on the next train. Lesson-Have a plan if you get separated at the station!
furnacefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/26/2009
Worst: Golden Air Shuttle
Why: We had a harrowing experience with Golden Air Shuttle going to CDG airport. The brake pads on the van were shot--it was metal on metal every time he braked. The driver frequently used the emergency brake instead. He got lost finding the last group to pickup, and to make up time, went the wrong way up a one way street. When another driver pointed this out, he got into an argument with him. It's one thing to be unprofessional, but quite another to drive dangerously with a van full of passengers.
Debbie Salisbury in San Diego, CA USA 09/26/2009
Best: Rouen
Why: Rouen makes for a wonderful day trip out of Paris! We loved the half-timbered buildings as well as the cathedral. Rick, add this city to your guidebook!
Dawn in St. Paul, MN USA 09/19/2009
Best: Versailles side trip
Why: Versailles: Great tip on getting the tickets at the TI- no lines what so ever. (The TI is located going to the right out of the train station and then going a half block up and turning the corner to the left, which is the way to get to the palace.
Mark in Shoreline, Wa USA 09/18/2009
Best: Versailles guided tour
Why: We decided to take the English speaking guided tour and are so glad we did. We were given a good histories of the Palace and of the royalty who lived there and were taken to rooms not open to the general public. The tour was very small (about 20 people or so) so we could ask lots of questions and receive personal attention. I don't think we would have enjoyed Versailles nearly as much had we only taken the general tour.
Kathryn Totah in Pacifica, CA USA 09/10/2009
Best: evening cruises
Why: As I said, I lead a study abroad trip. College students can become oddly reticent when they don't speak the language. The cruise leaving from Pont Neuf is a favorite for all of us, relaxing, fun, great photos and informative. we have dinner at Le Deux Magots after.
Sandra Williams in Lincoln, NE USA 09/09/2009
Best: #69 Bus in Paris
Why: Fabulous, cost-effective way to view Paris.
Worst: Rue Cler (August visit)
Why: Only disappointing because it was August around 15:00. I will return there during a busier season as I can imagine how wonderful it will be, but would recommend skipping it during the annual August vacation since about 50% of the shops were closed.
Holly Rosenblum in Norwich, VT USA 08/12/2009
Best: The Maps
Why: I had 3 guide book maps. My first visit to Paris. Your map was divided into the districts which was incredibly helpful.
Worst: Access Paris....which you gave credit to as being a good resource
Why: Incorrect times. Incorrect maps. Incorrect recommendations. One of the restaurants they said was elegant, exquisite, etc....was the worst we have ever visited in our entire life of traveling. Huge...huge...mistake. Filthy.....food smelled, trash....bad experience.
Terri Bonner in Little Rock, AR USA 08/02/2009
Best: Marais walking tour
Why: We were in Paris a total of 6 days and tried a few of Rick's walks (Historic Paris, Montmartre, Left Bank and Marais), and this was by far our favorite. Unlike the Montmartre tour, there's very little backtracking. There's a good variety of stuff to see (Jim Morrison's apartment to mansions from the reign of Henri IV to the Jewish Quarter). We got lost in Mona Lisait, absolutely loved it. Lunch at L'As du Falafel was simply perfect, best falafel sandwich I've had (recommended by Lenny Kravitz, how can you go wrong?). We ended up spending quite a bit of time at the Memorial de la Shoah - what a profoundly moving experience. We've been to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, which was also very powerful, but this small museum so individualized the impact the Holocaust had on people in that area and in other areas of France that it really put the Holocaust in a whole new perspective for me. Very worthwhile experience.
Colleen Earls in Vancouver, WA USA 07/29/2009
Best: Louvre "Surviving the Louvre"
Why: My 3 nieces and I followed your guideon p. 104 to a "T" and it saved me tons of money by not hiring an English speaking guide for "Highlights of the Louvre" Thank you!
sandie carpenter in WHITEFISH, MT USA 07/27/2009
Best: The #69 bus and the Paris Museum pass
Why: We would thoroughly recommend the #69 bus which we often used as it was so convenient from our hotel in the rue Cler area. We loved the Paris Museum pass which saved time lining up for tickets, but there were still long line ups to get through security at St Chapelle and Musee d'Orsay.
Anne Ayre in Bowen Island, BC Canada 07/19/2009
Best: Luxembourg Gardens
Why: relaxing, free, fun to watch people
Worst: Ed's Grocery store
Why: Chaos.
Eddie Mikell in Charlottesville, VA USA 07/15/2009
Best: Versailles Gardens
Why: Endless, beautifully maintained, easy to find quiet areas
Worst: San Chapelle
Why: Long line for security at the only entrance, overpriced for what you see
Victor & Pam in Mundelein, IL USA 07/15/2009
Best: Rue Cler
Why: If your hotel in is the area, Rue Cler is invaluable. It's quintessentially Parisian, perfect for a quick meal or for a relaxing coffee break. We ate at the cafes some nights and on other nights we shopped for a picnic. It's perfect!
Alaina in Scarsdale, NY USA 07/12/2009
Worst: Golden Air
Why: It turned out okay but we booked their service to pick us up at the airport as recommended by your book and our hotel. We were met and loaded into the van when the undercover French police appeared-we thought they were bums looking for a ride--the van had not passed inspection so it couldn't be used. We asked the police to call for another van which they did and kept us posted as to when it would arrive. It was about 4 pm on Monday and the van arrive about 4:30 and we got to our hotel around 5:15 pm. They did pick us up for our return 3 days later without incident but the drive didn't have the credit card machine so we had to dig up cash. They did discount us for the trip into town. The drivers were great so I don't know what the problem is with the company. They had told us to call from the baggage area when we arrived in Paris and we kept trying but the call never went through so we walked outside and that is where we saw the driver holding a sign for us. Then he was the one who couldn't drive us in the van as it was considered unsafe.
Jeanette Finlon in Seattle, WA USA 07/09/2009
Best: Marais Walk
Why: I have been to Paris many times and am usually showing others the "main" sights. This was refreshing and interesting on a Sunday afternoon.
Worst: Golden Air Shuttle
Why: TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE. The person who answered the phone upon arrival at CDG was rude and was of little help directing us where to find the driver. I have used other shuttle companies in Paris and never had this problem. The driver ended up being nice. On our return trip to the airport...in hindsight, we should have cancelled...was absolutely horrible. We were supposed to be picked up at 8:00 (even though I thought this was cutting it cloose for our flight) and were picked up at 8:30. We were squeezed into a van with luggage all over the place and were so late that the driver drove very recklessly on the way to the airport...way too fast, while texting! Everyone in the van was upset. We didn't even have time to use a restroom before our flight...at least we made it. I have read other reviews on other sites where people missed flights.
Mary Kane in North Wildwood, NJ USA 07/01/2009
Best: Jacquemart-Andre Museum
Why: Unexpected delight. Wonderful artwork, beautifully presented. I feel I peeked ino a period of history of a wealth Parisian couple. The paintings...oh the paintings.
Worst: Marmottan Museum
Why: A poorly curated museum. The period rooms seem unauthentic, full of reproductions, and poorly labeled. The temporary exhibitions are contemporary photographs that have nothing to do with anything…the period rooms, Monet, painting, color (Unlike the Orangerie Museum whose temporary exhibits echo their permanent collection). The Monets in the basements are poorly hung with no order or reason. Items about his life seem thrown together and shoved in a corner. The museum has no central mission, and it shows in everything they try to do--even their postcards crop the artwork unnecessarily and frequently awkwardly. I would not recommend this place even if the admission were half the 9E
Art Lover in New York, NY USA 06/26/2009
Best: 69th St. bus
Why: Affords an important view of France.
Elisse in Roanoke, VA USA 06/24/2009
Best: Montmartre
Why: It's real Paris, sightseeing, food and art, a total experience in one locale. We went back twice!
Henry Powell in Millersville, MD USA 06/22/2009
Best: Segway Tour
Why: They have figured this one out and it is great for all ages. Once you get over the price, ask for Simone. He was born in the US to French parents and has a wonderful sense of humor. He knows the city very well- moved back to Paris when he was 14 (went to college in the states/NYC)He'll give you lots of insights on how the city works.
Susan in Center Harbor, NH USA 06/20/2009
Best: Rodin Museum
Why: More intimate experience and beautiful grounds.
Melinda Grow in Davis, CA USA 06/13/2009
Best: The guided tours of neighborhoods and museums.
Why: They were so helpful with clear directions and interesting information; especially in the Louvre.
Krstin in Richfield, MN USA 06/12/2009
Best: Sacre Coeur
Why: Very charming...a nice place for Sunday brunch...sort of wished I had had one of the artists do a sketch of my daughter...cute little shops with secret alley ways ...however, because it was Sunday, many of the store were closed.
Jill in Jupiter, FL USA 06/11/2009
Best: The Orsay
Why: Selection and less crowded display than the Louvre.
Jim Gauntt in Little Rock, AR USA 06/01/2009
Worst: La Verangue
Why: While I felt comfortable there as an English speaker, and found the staff friendly and efficient my husband and I did not care for the food. There are much better places to eat in Paris for the same price or less. We both had the escargot (my husband thought one of his snails was still frozen). I had the beef bourgignon which was tough, and not especially tasty, and my husband had scallops which he thought had been previously frozen. The portions although adequate were smaller than we had had at other Paris restaurants. The house wine was just OK, and the price 67 euro for the wine and 2 prixe fixe meals was similar to what we had paid for far better food.
Bonni Tromello in Newbury Park, CA USA 05/30/2009
Best: We enjoyed the red bus ride around Paris(Les Cars Rouges) and the Orsay Museum...many other sights were good, too.
Why: The bus hit the major spots we wanted to see and was very regular in its route. The Orsay was more compact than the Lourve and had great paintings plus Rodin statues.
James B. Dailey in Suffolk, Va USA 05/29/2009
Best: Fontainebleau
Why: So much less crowded than Versailles, and historically richer. The gardens to the left of the palace, the Diana Garden, is quiet and full of locals. The grounds of the palace had swans, lawns and great picnic possibilities.
Worst: Versailles
Why: So crowded inside it lost it's luster. But, the gardens on bikes was fun.
Claire in Woodbridge, VA USA 05/26/2009
Best: Fountainbleau
Why: This was a gorgeous chateau. With Rick 's instructions we combined it with Vaux-le-Vicompte for a great day.
Worst: Army Museum
Why: The displays were not very good and we did not learn much new from the French perspective on WW I & II.
Anne in Montgomery, IL USA 05/18/2009
Best: Rue Cler
Why: Rue Cler was a marvelous discovery. Close to major attractions such as Eiffel Towerm les Invalides, Rodin Museum, Musee D'Orsay, etc. and - within walking distance of much of what we wanted to see. A fantastic market and great little shops, bakeries, etc. It was great fun sitting sipping wine at Tribeca and watching Parisian life pass by us.
Mary Lehman in Shepherdstown, WV USA 05/17/2009
Best: fountains in the gardens at Versailles
Why: Wow! With the music playing, the sun shining, the fountains flowing, and a golf cart to easily get around, this was fabulous!
Doug Wall in Winfield, IL USA 05/11/2009
Best: Versailles
Why: The fountains were on, classical music was playing, and the gardens were splendid. We rented the golf cart so we saw so much more than if we had walked ourselves. Your commentary was extremely helpful and humorous throughout the whole Paris trip! (Loved the comment about the biblical kings' heads severed at Notre Dame during the Revolution, then hidden in a backyard only to be discovered fairly recently and put in the Cluny museum.)
Karen Adair in San Diego, CA USA 05/09/2009
Best: The Left Bank Walk
Why: This is a part of Paris that I hadn't explored. Directions were clear and there were plenty of Metro stations along the way so I could stop when I wanted and return another day. I used the Batobus at St. Germain de Pres as my starting point.
Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/01/2009
Best: Paris Walks
Why: We have taken many of the Paris Walks over the past year and the two hour walks have been worth every penny that it costs. The guides are very knowledgeable and informed and they stay in control. You do not have to reserve except for special tours. Find their latest walks on: www.paris-walks.com
Eunice Luther in Holzhausen-Burbach, Germany 04/23/2009
Best: Bicycling in the Versailles Gardens
Why: The huge expanse of the gardens would have been impossible on foot. On bicycle, I managed to see much more of the gardens than I would have otherwise. I also had the incredibly joyous memory of cycling through the gardens and multiple paths leading through the French countryside. I met several other travelers who had rented bikes upon the recommendation of the guidebook, and they too were having a wonderful experience. It was the most lovely afternoon of my entire trip. Thank you Rick Steves and Rick Steves' wonderful staff!
Eugenia in Bae, IL USA 04/22/2009
Best: Montmarte Walking Tour
Why: Sacre Coeur and the surrounding area was so much fun that we actually visited there twice. Each time we saw something new. It's such a vibrant place with so much history. And Rick's walking tour was great -- taking us to places we would have never known about or gone to on our own.
Worst: Eiffel Tower
Why: Stand back and watch the glittering Eiffel Tower at night from the beginning of the Champ du Mars park or across the Seine in Trocadero. But don't spend time under the tower. Gypsy girls who claim to be from Bosnia hound American and British tourists for money while the young African men push you to buy miniature Eiffel Tower souvenirs. Ugh. It was awful!
Suzanne J. in Angleton, TX USA 04/21/2009
Best: Museum/Walking Tours
Why: I enjoy reading the museum and walking tours before I leave so that way I have a step-by-step plan of what to see and do in Paris. Your tours are the best of all of the books I have read on Paris. The museum tours allow me to select the art that I want to see. I am one who can spend hours and days in the museums so these tours allow me to plan what to see on the current and next visit to the museum on the same trip.
Daniel Onn in Sarattoga, CA USA 04/16/2009
Best: Montmarte walk
Why: People, people, people. The lively street atmosphere in the Montmarte area is quite engaging, very similar to Le Moulin de la Galette by Renoir. I could immediately relate to it.
Worst: Orangerie Museum
Why: Apart from the water lillies, there wasn't anything much captivating there
Sathish Jothikumar in Santa Clara, CA USA 04/09/2009
Best: Louvre and Eiffel Tower
Why: Awesome arrangement of artwork and artifacts at the Louvre, like Delacroix's "Liberty Leading the People" and the Law Codex of Hammurabi. And the Eiffel Tower is just that THING you HAVE to do before you die.
Worst: Dali Museum (L'Espace Dali)
Why: Definitely NOT worth the 10 Euros entry fee. I'm a fan of Dali, and I thought I would see some of his more famous works, like "The Temptation of St. Anthony." NO! All the museum had was a collection of his lesser-known works arranged by theme, like "Romeo and Juliet" and "Don Quixote." Avoid this museum while taking the Montmartre Walk and spend more time elsewhere.
Thomas Elliot in Nom de Plume, TX USA 04/07/2009
Best: Your step by step of Pere Lachaise cemetry
Why: It hit all the highlights,and the cemetry is so big it was much appreciated and needed.
Phillip Pelch in Houston, TX USA 03/29/2009
Best: Ste Chapelle / Paris Museum pass
Why: I had been there before, however Rick Steve's descriptions of the stained glass windows made it even better! The Paris Museum Pass was a great thing! We bought a 4 day and it was well worth the price that we payed. It gave us the flexibility to go to the Louvre more than once, and see things we might have thought twice about because of the price and the fact that I had a nine year old boy with us. With the pass I did not fell guilty going to the Musee D'Orsay (paying the full admission price), seeing the highlights and moving on! The ability to not have to wait in the lines was great too!
Worst: Versailles
Why: So Crowded, even in the off season ( middle of March 2009)
Violaine Romans-Murray in Gainesville, VA USA 03/26/2009
Best: Musee Quai Branly
Why: The Musee Quai Branly is right near the Eiffel Tower and is the museum of Oceania and Africa. You walk into the complex through gates that lead to tall grasses and little hidden lights that light up the "fields" at night. The museum itself is a Social Science geeks dream - all kinds of interesting culture info, artifacts and costumes with super cool music playing in the background. In the summer, there will be outdoor jazz concerts. The gift store was awesome and had wonderful books. I expected to stay about an hour - I was there for 2 1/2 hours. The museum is adding its final touches along with new exhibits, so I plan on visiting again on my next trip.
Heather in pittsburgh, PA USA 03/11/2009
Best: Notre Dame, Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Army Museum
Why: We only had 2 days in Paris and I am so glad Rick gives a recommendation for what to see in that short amount of time. We were able to see most everything we wanted to! I read the book cover to cover and it was all very helpful and informative, and I feel like I had the best experience possible because I had a better understanding of Paris and it's people!
Katy Hewson in Houston, TX USA 03/01/2009
Worst: Golden Air (Airport Shuttle Service)
Why: You shouldn't recommend them anymore. I emailed them to confirm the rates in the book and they did confirm. However, when I tried to make a reservation, they would not answer. I sent 2 emails. Maybe it was because I only wanted one way back to the airport. In any case, not a trustworthy service.
Jennifer in Palo Alto, CA USA 02/01/2009
Best: Notre Dame
Why: It was extremely imposing, and I loved all the detail work outside of it.
Worst: Versailles
Why: We couldn't get to the garden, it was raining, and it wasn't as big as expected
Shannon in Wilmington, DE USA 01/20/2009
Best: Eiffel Tower
Why: It is so much bigger than I had imagined. It was magical. We went in December and it was adorned with beautiful blue lights. And when the lights started to sparkle, it was amazing. The views exhilarating, even late at night. I would never want to go at any other time.
Worst: Victor Hugo's House
Why: Thought that it was free but it was 7 euros. It was boring. Plus, you need an audio guide because everything is in French. A time waster in my opinion.
Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009