Paris 2012 Guidebook
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Every place we went with your suggestion turned out to be just great - thank you for providing such a fine service to travellers.
Gina in Ellicott City, MD USA 02/01/2012
I believe my comment is appropriate for both the PARIS guide and the FRANCE guide. I suggest that you update your conversion information to include converting between PSI and kPa. The traveler may not use this very often, BUT if stuck at some tiny service station in "nowhere, France" with a rental car with a tire low on air, it is decidedly important to know what tire inflation pressure one should have (of course, the last time I was in France was a bazillion years ago so this may all be moot now).
William Mastraccio in San Antonio, TX USA 11/26/2011
The book was fine.
Jim in Sewell, NJ USA 10/31/2011
Any way to have it connected to a website where you could have any updates/corrections that might have occurred since the publication of the book?
Patrick in Washington, DC USA 10/10/2011
More neighbourhood walks!
Mark in Victoria, bc canada 09/25/2011
Shipping information would be great. After many trips to refine Rick's packing list, I finally got my pcking down to one small carry-on sized bag. But have to buy a new suitcase every trip to bring home my souvenirs. Is that chePER THAN FINDING A SHIPPER SOMEWHERE?
leslie brown in ellicottville, ny USA 09/05/2011
I should note that I experienced the worst of the crowds since I went in August. Also, I did not find these "August deals" on hotels that Rick described. I found that the hotels I inquired into were still expensive.
Katherine in Hutchison, IL USA 09/03/2011
Add "breakfast included" to the Hotel de Londres Eiffel.
Arlene Brumm in Mukilteo, WA USA 07/26/2011
I would not recommend B&Bs in Paris. From other forums and from what I have heard from many, small town, small accommodation; big town, big accommodation. Parisian B&Bs are notoriously problematic. I wish I had known this sooner. Our stay was a disaster and the only reason we stayed there was because Rick recommended this company.
Negin in St Georges, Grenada 07/25/2011
Whenever a French word is used in a sentence, include the English translation.
Bob May in St. Louis, MO USA 07/24/2011
Drop the Rue Cler walk chapter, or just mention it, but add other markets to a list. Graham Robb's new book, "Parisians," may give you new tour ideas. He'd be great on a podcast, btw.
Marta in Vienna, VA USA 07/23/2011
Please consider PDF formats for your guides. They are so fabulous, but since they are full of info, they are too heavy to carry while walking around. PDF chapters can be purchased and printed...so I can use your great maps every day I am on vacation!
Pattie in NYC, NY USA 07/20/2011
Add the L'Orangerie White-Palaccio bed and breakfast at 37 Avenue de Paris in Versailles. We stayed here and it was fabulous. The proprietor was so gracious and gave us the feeling of being family. It is actually a guest house (with two units) that includes a living area, small kitchen area, bath (no shower) and upstairs loft. It has lots of room to spread out and is quiet and secluded from the street. Patricia, the owner, has a beautiful secluded garden with a table and chairs to enjoy a glass of wine or food. It is just a few blocks from the Versailles RG train station and the Chateau. Her rates are reasonable - about 150 euros - and the relaxed atmosphere is a great change from the noise and hurried atmosphere of Paris. The train ride is a relaxing 15 - 20 minutes in and the RER trains are much more comfortable than the metro. We LOVED this place and were disappointed that we could only stay for 4 of our 6 nights here due to her being booked the entire summer. The website is http://www.l-orangerie-versailles.fr Be sure to click on "translate this page" before you navigate to the website. It is in French. TripAdvisor has 100% satisfaction with L'Orangerie White-Palaccio. Be sure you search the entire name because there is a L'Orangerie that is not this place.
Bonnie Crabtree in Nesbit, MS USA 06/28/2011
Include a review of 142 Creperie contemporaine restaurant. Best crepes is the city. Rumored to be the president!s favorite crepe restaurant. Authentic, delicious normandy style crepes at an incredibly affordable price!
Dorie Refling in Bozeman, Mt USA 06/20/2011
The photo on page 533 (Paris 2011) is from the Venus Room.
Linda in San Antonio, TX USA 06/19/2011
Make it easier to rip the sections apart.
Laura in Fredericksburg, TX USA 06/16/2011
I'll send comments once I return. I love this book and have already enjoyed my "seat" trip to Paris. Looking forward to our real trip in a few weeks.
Edie Babbe in Manhattan Beach, CA USA 06/08/2011
LOVE your books!
Consuelo Larrabee in Seattle, WA USA 05/30/2011
We rented a car and toured Normandy on our own. Prior to leaving for the vacation, we downloaded the information concerning France into our portable GPS navagation device. (We happen to have a Tom-Tom). The cost was $50, but it was probably the best money spent on the trip. It never failed to guide us to our destination flawlessly and we could input the destination such that it would take us on the major highways, such as A13, or the backroads so we could see the small villages and towns. I would recommend you advise people of this option in the future.
Frank Swigon in San Antonio, TX USA 05/06/2011
I love your books, Rick! I take your books on every Europe trip. My friends and I go every year.
G Sellers in Melbourne , FL USA 04/14/2011
I've bought and used Rick Steves guidebooks since before they had dates printed on the front. My first Paris guide was from 2000 and today I recieved my updated 2011 version. I was sad to see that the quality seems to have gone down. The pages are tissue thin and the print bleeds from the other side of the page, making the text hard to read. Please charge us more money per book and go back to a sturdier format. Thank you!!
Taryn Barker in Coburg, OR USA 03/22/2011
The maps are good, but they can be decieving by leaving out streets. When we followed a few, we couldn't tell distances and lost our way several times because we didn't know there were streets not included.
Alison Snow in Bellevue, WA USA 01/28/2011
I think you should add the Greek street in the Latin Quarter, with all the gyros, I think it's Rue Huchette. Great pitas, cheap, seems to have a pretty happening night-life crowd - very similar to the Falafel crowd in the Jewish quarter, sometimes a little touristy, but still great fast-food that Parisians recognize and enjoy.
Kali Morse in Ft. Campbell, KY USA 01/19/2011
Maybe a second tour of the Louvre for the side that the first tour did not cover. Encourage people to hit the patisseries that are considered local for a lunch "to-go." The ladies are nice, food amazing and the best part... resonably priced.
Chapel Ham in Bellville, TX USA 01/10/2011
In the Eurostar info for the Chunnel train, add a little information on the availability at the Paris end of coffee and pastries as well as French food products and souvenirs. Early travelers can readily get breakfast there. Add that there is more than one waiting area depending on your car number.
Chris in Cedar Point, NC USA 11/16/2010
Suggest that people pack a wash cloth if they use one in their daily bathing routine. We rarely see them in Europe.
Dino Piccione in Dumfries, VA USA 11/07/2010
For Paris hotels, you have good area maps, but as a stranger to Paris, I have no way to knowing where the area is in relation to rest of the city. I was trying to find a hotel near a certain railroad station.
Carter Harrison in Tucson, AZ USA 11/06/2010
Unfortunately it is quite heavy but I guess there's nothing to do about it otherwise we wouldn't get all the info that's there.
Jeannine in Hardeeville, SC USA 10/09/2010
With the cemetery it might have been easier to have the map larger or in sections with street names so we could read them. Versailles was great using your podcast but I was disappointed in the MODERN ASIAN art throughout as it was definitely distracting and distasteful in the setting we were in.
Diana Reynolds in Wailuku, HX USA 10/07/2010
I thought it was perfectly helpful, and right on the mark.
Kim in Rome, IL USA 10/04/2010
More on where to buy souveniers. I felt this book was short on where to buy things like perfume or cosmetics or bargins. I bought Frommers for this purpose and twice found ourself looking for shops that no longer exhisted. A removable map would be helpful too.
Terry in Virgina Beach, Va USA 09/18/2010
Great book with detailed information not available anywhere else. Some mention of the Parisian dress code might be helpful. If you don't want to scream "tourist", don't wear 1.baseball caps 2.white running shoes 3.cargo shorts that come down over the knees with huge bulging pockets 4.baseball or football clothing 5.jogging outfits 6.for women-high heels that are not fond of cobblestones. Do wear 1.In a good restaurant-a jacket or other dressy clothing. As the Euro cost of the meals go up, you will see more French customers dressing for dinner. 2.some alternative to blue jeans.
R. Lauria in Vancouver, BC Canada 09/18/2010
Good tips on avoiding the lines with the Museum pass, suggest adding the little newspaper stand outside the Orsay as a source. It worked great for us!
Jerry P in Minneapolis, MN USA 08/22/2010
Keep on what you're doing - we followed several of the tours & our week in Paris was so much more than seeing the typical 'tourist traps'. We could see what it was like to live like a Parisian & sit at a cafe, watching the tourist groups go on/off the buses. We relaxed and drank in what the city has to offer. A WONDERFUL way to travel! Merci!
Joe Staniszewski in Lansdale, PA USA 08/08/2010
Avignon. Include tour guide Marlene of Experience Provence. Fluent in English, very knowledgeable of vineyards, restaurants, culture, markets, art, everything. She will make an excursion based on your interest. We didn't have alot of time and she took us (just 2 people!) to a weekly market, to visit with the artist/owner of a shop in Roussillon, pointed out so many interesting facts in the villages we drove through. Her prices are good and even better if you have your own rental car and she drives it. Even less if you drive and she navigates! A true find. +33 (0)698 108 892. www.experience-provence.eu
Trish Ellis in WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC USA 08/01/2010
--consider including a paragraph on the Velib as folks who are buying the Paris guidebook are likely staying in the City for at least three days which is long enough visit for it to make sense to use Velib. --St. Denis is worthy of a mention, especially since it's an easy Metro ride. It is a beautiful church with a rich history. --you might also mention Lafayette's grave site where General Pershing in World War I came to attention and proclaimed, "Lafayette, we are here!" It's also a moving site with the list of the guillotine victims showing the times of their executions: one a minute!
Finally, your guide books are amazingly good and without compare. Michelin's quality has dropped so far that the book I bought didn't even make the cut to make the trip. Fodor has completely lost its edge. You guys are the Kings! Nice job--keep up the good work!
--Dan
Dan Anderson in Concord, CA USA 07/31/2010
Have tabs so that it is faster to locate places instead of my many book marks.
Steve Thomas in Nacogdoches, Tx USA 07/13/2010
You have the best maps of Paris ever: all the major sites PLUS the Metro stops AND the street names. Might you consider making that a pull-out instead of several pages in the book? There are times when the book is just too much to carry around!
Marilyn R. in Waterville, ME USA 06/14/2010
There is a comraderie among Rick guidebook users. We were rerouted on the day we chose for Versailles as the RER was shut down (suicide on the track). Everybody had the blue book. The standing joke was "What would Rick do?" Carrying the book is a great way to meet people.
Jody in Long Beach, Ca USA 06/11/2010
I'd recommend some slightly pricier hotels; I stayed at the K+K Cayre Hotel for greater comfort. Also, more details on how to "handle" waiters in cafes if they seemed snobbish when one used one's fractured college French! Not a big problem at all, but I would like to have known a better way to deal with attitude a couple of times.
John. T Dukes in Richfield, OH USA 06/09/2010
Please keep up the humorous notes. We loved the comments about various rooms at Versailles and paintings at the Louvre while fending with the crowds.
Ann Chirhart in Terre Haute, IN USA 05/28/2010
I'm going to Paris this coming Friday for 4 weeks, so I'll come back and answer the other questions upon return! Perhaps some tips on the more dangerous parts of Paris would be useful (i.e., La Gare du Nord, etc.)
David in Houston, TX USA 05/22/2010
Can't think of anything. I took it everywhere - used it to find and point out interesting sights, and to get back to the hotel at night.
Dan in Northville, MI USA 05/11/2010
thank you for making our trip so enjoyable
jill in durall, CT USA 04/18/2010
The book was right on the money - great book! Well worth the money.
Carolyn Sterett in Swansboro, NC USA 04/14/2010
It's really the best guide book of them all - and we own them all, for our apartment renters! Well done. My tiny recommendation for improving it would be more tips on eating for cheaper since it is now so expensive to eat out. E.g. which patisseries have the best take-out food at lunch. (We live in the 2nd, and the patisserie at Gaillon, which serves Depardieu's restaurant, is outstanding for both patisserie and take-out salades and sandwiches).
Grant Wiggins in Hopewell, NJ USA 04/13/2010
See above - I think the best way is to make the book amenable to ripping out each chapter.
Margaret in Piedmont, CA USA 04/06/2010
Adding a few corner references to the #69 route in the book. We used Paris 2010
Larry Nielsen in Golden Valley, MN USA 03/18/2010
None. I used Paris 2009 to plan my entire vacation this past New Year's 2010 and it was fabulous. With the exception of a few prices that had gone up simply due to inflation, my vacation would have been miserable without its help. I cannot believe this book was so thorough and accurate! Amend the prices and don't change a thing!
Simone in Queens, Ne USA 01/15/2010
(This is actually for an older edition) When I ripped the book apart into sections, there were many cases where the last page of one section was on the reverse of the first page of the next. Adding blank pages where needed (so that a section always starts on a odd-numbered page) would facilitate ripping the books up.
Rick in Seattle, WA USA 01/13/2010
I would not call the few display cases in the Arc de Triomphe "a cute museum". You should give a better description of the long, tightly wound spiral staircase, with few rest areas, that goes to the "museum".
Steven Simon in Park Forest, IL USA 01/07/2010
the book was great. paris is a big fluid dynamic town... so maybe i could have managed my expectations a little more... i had previously used the Istanbul RS book as my guide and bible during my istanbul stay... so i may have assumed paris would be the same.
still, book was very useful... maybe one more colorful map in the front to cover "South" Paris?
Tiffany in Seattle, WA USA 01/05/2010
I just want to make sure information regarding the metro tickets at the airport (CDG) includes clear descriptions regarding how to buy, which lines to stand in. etc... We are used to using our credit cards throughout Europe- especially to get our first round of cash from an airport ATM. At CDG we found the place to buy tickets. It included several automatic machines and one office- all with considerably ling lines and only two employees to help you buy your tickets at the machines. After spending over 1 hour in line ( one of eight or nine lines equal in length) we learned these automatic machines only accepted either credit cards with the "security chip" which US cards do not have, or EU coins. Since we just got our cash from the ATM and had only US issued credit cards, we were redirected into another line to the RER/Metro office which may have been another 30 minutes to be able to use bank notes. Thankfully we were finally on our way. But the sneaky trick was lost on us too late.
Laura Pratt in Dallas, TX USA 01/02/2010
The Montmartre walk map was not clear on how far north is the street to take going west of Sacre Coeur. We took the wrong street and made up our own walk.
Travis Well in Dallas, TX USA 11/07/2009
I can't think of any improvements. Your book made all the difference in our trip. Thank you so very much!!
evelyn in dallas, tx USA 10/30/2009
We thought the book was great! Thank you for again making our trip easy! We'll never go to Europe without Rick!
Dawn in St. Paul, MN USA 09/19/2009
Reprint :-)
KK Brown in Phoenix, AZ USA 08/18/2009
My traveling buddy and I (both 20 years old) were able to take advantage of many of the youth discounts for museums and sights (the Pantheon, Musee d'Orsay, etc.). However, only the full, "adult" price and children's price were listed in the guidebook. I'm sure many of your readers would qualify for these "tarifs reduits", which typically covered people 18-25 or -30 years old, and are several Euros cheaper than the full price. Also, by some stroke of luck, we were in Paris from Monday to Sunday, and therefore able to take full advantage of the Passe Navigo Decouverte. The Passe was obviously a great deal for us, but I think it would probably be convenient for many of your readers (particularly repeat travelers, as the card is a one-time purchase). You advise buying a carnet instead, but I found that the Passe was a lot handier, especially since our plans often changed during the course of the day and we hopped on and off the Metro several times per day. Not having to calculate how much each Metro trip cost us was such a relief. And, I was never once questioned by transportation workers for not having my picture on the Passe, so the card could certainly be transferrable. As for cafes, since this was our first time in Paris (or Europe, for that matter), we had no idea how to even initiate getting a table in one (which seems obvious in retrospect, but when you're a clueless American, appears very intimidating). A simple note on where it is appropriate to take your own seat, and where one should wait for the host or hostess would have been helpful. In addition, my friend and I decided to rent an apartment for the week (through Craigslist, which was probably not the safest venue, but worked out perfectly well). It would have been useful if the guide had recommended several reputable sites for securing an apartment for a short stay. For significantly less than a hotel, and about the same as a hostel, we had our own kitchen, bathroom, and bed a couple of blocks from the Eiffel Tower. I would imagine that a number of your readers would be interested in mode of accommodation. Finally, as a student, more recommendations on budget eating/accommodations/sights would have been nice (some of the "cheaper" recommendations were still a little too expensive for us). Thank you, thank you for the excellent guide, and we will be certain to use your books in the future, in Paris or otherwise. We often found ourselves in front of a sight or monument, only to ask "And what does Mr. Steves have to say about this?"
Claire S. in Evanston, IL USA 08/17/2009
Quality control-check pages before printing in mass!
Ann Shine-Ring in Deming, NM USA 08/15/2009
For the most part I enjoyed the books we have purchased. About the only thing would be to make them easier to tear pages out if you don't want to haul all of the book (or in our case, 3 books) around Europe. I realize that may be difficult to be sure pages don't come out accidentally.
Sandi Godsil in Eugene, OR USA 08/12/2009
Small FYI for your consideration for the Vaux le Vicomte day trip: spectacular property and I'm thrilled I went. However, there's a significant wasp problem near the restaurant (and elsewhere throughout the grounds)...during my visit three people were stung (including me). No big deal, except if someone has a problem with allergic reactions. Also, there appears to be only 1 taxi going from Melun station to Vaux le Vicomte in August since most people are on vacation (I and others waited about 35 minutes at Melun). I'm thrilled with your guides (London and Paris) and will never travel in Europe sans Rick Steves books. Any chance you'll expand to other parts of the world?!
Holly Rosenblum in Norwich, VT USA 08/12/2009
For our first visit to Paris....you saved our lives. I literally tossed two books and guarded yours with my life. Your transportation information was invaluable to me. Thank you.
Terri Bonner in Little Rock, AR USA 08/02/2009
Really work on including physical street addresses for all sites, restaurants, etc. I used a GPS for driving and walking, and it was often difficult to find even fairly well known sites simply by the name, and to look up places by name, it is necessary to write it in French - example: to find the Bayeux Tapestry, you have to write it in French (tapisserie)...seems like no big deal, but it was kind of a pain.
John Russell in Charlottesville, VA USA 07/29/2009
More detail on transportation, entering the museums. More detailed maps. Not crude drawings.
Eddie Mikell in Charlottesville, VA USA 07/15/2009
It would be nice to see a day trip to the Normandy beaches in future editions of the book.
Victor & Pam in Mundelein, IL USA 07/15/2009
No suggestions! Rick and his staff did such a wonderful job on this guidebook and it completely enhanced our vacation.
Alaina in Scarsdale, NY USA 07/12/2009
Remove GOLDEN AIR. I cannot express how disappointed I was after years of using Rick Steves guide books. I like other ideas people have given for spiral or perforated as I tear pages out day by day.
Mary Kane in North Wildwood, NJ USA 07/01/2009
Include "change" information and upscale hotels.
Elisse in Roanoke, VA USA 06/24/2009
More audio tours! Add a map of the entire city for overall orientation.
Henry Powell in Millersville, MD USA 06/22/2009
better maps-larger Maybe make a book that you can tear out the pages you need so you don't have to carry the whole thing every time.(Sell a shrink wrapped version at the book stores that has perferated pages!)
Have a series that is dedicated on attending events. We were in France for the Le Mans 24 hour race. You could start a whole new series on the best way to attend something like that.
Susan in Center Harbor, NH USA 06/20/2009
I absolutely loved the audio tours for the Louvres and Versailles. I see you have iPhone tours coming - can't wait to try those out!
Marie-Claude in Ottawa, ON Canada 06/18/2009
We took your advice on the museum pass. Excellent choice....we moved to the front of all lines and used it at least 10 times in 4 days. Well worth the money. I'd seriously consider adding the transportation pass--we used it from the airport, on the buses, the B and C lines and the metro to get around and found it invaluable. Although the transpo system is a little confusing, if you explained it in your guidebook, I think it is an excellent addition to the experience. Paris' metro stations are clean, well lit (unlike the DC metro) and once you get familiar with their configuration--very functional. Thanks for the assistance in a once in a lifetime experience!
Melinda Grow in Davis, CA USA 06/13/2009
A map with the metro and attractions shown and drawn to scale. We found one at the hotel that was great.
Jim Gauntt in Little Rock, AR USA 06/01/2009
Thank you for all of the help you have given us!!! Even if we didn't like La Varangue!
Bonni Tromello in Newbury Park, CA USA 05/30/2009
?
James B. Dailey in Suffolk, Va USA 05/29/2009
The instructions on how to get to Auvers Sur Oise were horrible and did not seem like they were intended for anyone to actually follow. It may seem commonsensical, but the book does not advise that you must purchase a 5 zone metro ticket on the RER to get to Pontoise before transferring to Auvers. Additionally, the guidebook says the buses run more regularly than the train from Pontoise to Auvers, so we left the station for the bus. The book failed to note the bus weekend/holiday schedule. We went on a holiday and there were no buses to Auvers. Once we were in Auvers, we found out that there is a DIRECT train, without stops, from Paris to Auvers on weekends and holidays. There is no mention of this train in the guidebook. We really wasted a lot of time fumbling around because of the poor directions. It would be really helpful if the travel instructions were clarified for future travelers, it is a guidebook after all.
Morgan in Seattle, WA USA 05/28/2009
Book was great. Couldn't have navigated or enjoyed Paris as much as we did without it!
Mary Lehman in Shepherdstown, WV USA 05/17/2009
too much...too big...smaller books were less cumbersome and easier to handle.
Doug Wall in Winfield, IL USA 05/11/2009
Following the maps for the various walks was challenging especially if we picked up the walk in the middle. (Larger map and print? If possible.) Really this is a VERY MINOR problem.
Karen Adair in San Diego, CA USA 05/09/2009
Wherever we travel, restauranters ask us to put our "Rick Steves'" out of sight as they complain that you get paid off for recommending certain places. I have agressively defended you and your materials as useful. In face of my guests at Bofinger's, I took some aweful heat. Improve the book?, remove Bofinger's.
Doug Hartt in Halifax, Canada 05/05/2009
We are headed to Paris May 8th to take the RS tour of Paris & South of France beginning on May 16th - our seventh RS tour and many more to go. Keep up the good work.
Charles M. Carter in Seattle, WA USA 04/18/2009
Add information for people with disabilities including wheelchair travel and people who are visually impaired. In fact it would be a dream to work for your company researching places to travel that accommodate the special-needs factor of travel. I have experience in Assistive Technology and Accessibility with regards to travel. Please contact me as I would enjoy working with the Rick Steves Family. I spend hours watching your shows and I would love to record a program with regards to accessibility in Europe as well as the process getting through the airport to van rentals for wheelchair travelers.
Daniel Onn in Sarattoga, CA USA 04/16/2009
Loved the book! Will never go anywhere without a Rick Steve's guide if possible. I have been to Paris many times, but the guide still made things new and exciting for us. Th only tip that I would recommend is to encourage travelers to call the hotel in advance and see if they are willing to make a deal with you. We did that and got a great deal on our hotel.
Violaine Romans-Murray in Gainesville, VA USA 03/26/2009
Add "AU NAIN BLEU"!
hubert in paris, france 03/20/2009
While researching on the internet, I came across a website that had great information on the arrondissements surrounding the center of Paris. The detailed info about these districts gave me a good idea of what area I wanted to stay in (ie: Latin Quarter for the night-owls). I understand Rick's favorite place is near the Rue Cler area, but focusing just on that area doesn't do the other areas much justice, especially considering that people of all different interests read the book.
Katy Hewson in Houston, TX USA 03/01/2009
Other than the changes mentioned above, I can't think of any suggestions. The book is great.
Shannon in Wilmington, DE USA 01/20/2009
MAPS! If it were possible to list the names of most of the streets that you pass on these walks, it would save so much time and I would not have to back track to get on the right path! I will always use your guidebooks, they are the best of what is out there. But the maps of your walks every year that I go to Europe (four years in a row) create moments of frustration because only a few street names listed. Meeting other travelers carrying "the blue bible" shared simular frustrations.
[Editor's Note: See our note about maps on p. 538 of the 2009 Paris book. We always recommend buying a good local map upon arrival as it is just not possible for any of our maps to show every street in Paris.]
Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009