Paris 2010

Favorite discoveries or tips:

I noticed some folks had problems bringing back those "tempting little tins of foie gras". At CDG airport you can buy them duty free which we did along with a large number of other items from the big name stores and carried them on board. Entering Canada they checked it out but it was fine as long as not opened.

Charlie Galan in Nanaimo, BC Canada 11/13/2009

Late October. The Taxi ride from CDG to the 7th took an hour and cost 55 euros. It was rush hour, around 9AM, weekday, and RER was on partial strike resulting in terrible traffic. The Taxi ride from the hotel to CDG, 8AM weekday, took 30 minutes and cost 62 euros(!?). Taking a taxi to/from CDG is the way to go, unless you don't mind climbing metro stairs with luggage after a long flight. Just wanted to share what we paid. The trip as a whole, due in part to Rick's great recommendations, was memorable and AWESOME!

Travis Well in Dallas, TX USA 11/07/2009

Yen - 22 rue Saint-Benoit 75006, TEL 01 45 44 11 18 exceptional Japanese food - truly a great experience

Mai Tai (Vietnamese restaurant) 1, Rue Villehardouin 75003 Paris, France +33 1 42 72 18 77

Exceptional Vietnamese food and very fun experience. Definitely need reservations.

Chez Omar 47, Rue de Bretagne 75003 Paris, France +33 1 42 72 36 26 This was recommended by David Lebovitz, well-known cookbook writer and expat living in Paris. If you love couscous and ratatouille, this is your place. Absolutely packed with locals of all ages at lunchtime. It was a treat to see the elderly, very refined Parisians who had obviously been coming here for ages. Steak au poivre was out of this world. Very fine dining, very worth the experience.

evelyn in dallas, tx USA 10/30/2009

Frankly, cannot stand the baby coffee caffeine jolts served in most of Paris, but thank goodness for Starbucks. From Grand Hotel Leveque, there's one on Rue St. Dominique - go right out the door, past Rue De Grenelle to next block (a long block) and turn right - it's on the left hand side a 100 feet or so (also a good pastry shop at the corner of Rue Cler and Rue St. Dominique). We don't like Starbucks regular coffee (too strong for us), but just ordered that and poured in lots of half and half (along with powdered French Vanilla creamer we bring along on trips), and we had our "normal" coffee fix every morning. Note that it doesn't open until 7:30 am (8:30 am on Sundays).

Michael in Charlotte, NC USA 10/21/2009

Taxis from/to airports are WAY underrated. We got 4 people from DeGaulle to Grand Hotel Leveque, with extra charges added in and tip, for 50 Euros - walked right out of airport with baggage, found cab willing to take 4 people right away (first available cab, which was rather small, said no). Granted, that was early in the morning on a Saturday - returning to DeGaulle following Sunday morning, with much heavier traffic and charge rung up when cab arrived (meter runs from starting point of where cab is at when it goes to pick you up), with 6 bags and tip, still came up to only 62 Euros, and you simply cannot beat the convenience. If you have 4 people or more traveling, particularly if one or more are older, I highly recommend just taking a cab.

Michael in Charlotte, NC USA 10/21/2009

BEST PART of Versailles is the Queen's Hamlet.

Kirsten T in San Francisco, CA USA 10/19/2009

a restaurant called L'Etape on Rue de la Convention -- just a small place with maybe 8 tables, and I think the husband is the chef and the wife is the hostess/waitress/cashier. Fabulous, authentic French food -- but they don't speak very much English!

Laralyn Sasaki in Columbus, OH USA 10/09/2009

Had a great time in Paris, due in part to Rick's book on the subject. Enjoyed using the RER and the Metro. Others have said buy a Carnet, I agree. We did the Open Top hop-on hop-off bus tour, which is a great way to see the city. Be warned however, that the tour can end at any point around 6:30 pm, leaving you wondering how to get back where you started. In addition to the maps in Rick's book, pick up a copy of the "Paris Tourisme Travel Kit". Has a great map of the city including the Metro and RER routes. Would like to report that the "found ring" scam (page 24) is alive and well. Being aware of this scam ahead of time was helpful. Other helpful tips in the book: travel light and have a good pair of walking shoes. Wish we had more time to do the Bus #69 tour. Next time. We're going back, for sure!

S Heath in Issaquah, WA USA 09/30/2009

classictic.com-We've attended concerts offered by this company twice before in Rome and Florence. When they offered another opportunity in Paris we purchased tickets again. We were not disappointed when we attended a performance by a string quartet playing works by Vivaldi in St. Chapelle. St. Chapelle is under reconstruction and was a little rough but the musicians were flawless and the sound vibrating around the St. Chapelle's natural acoustics was shear joy to the ears.

furnacefighter in Philadelphia, PA USA 09/26/2009

Loved using the 2009 book this August. I might add that a side trip to St-Denis was inspiring and well worth the metro ride. It is not only the first Gothic building, but it is the royal burial place of all the kings of France.

John Nici in Rego Park, NY USA 09/22/2009

Le Loup Blanc and Osteria Ruggera Restaurants in Quartier Montorgueil are fantastic with great service.

Dawn in St. Paul, MN USA 09/19/2009

Le Petit Plateau 1 Quai aux Fleurs 75004 Paris tel 01 44 076186

This little place was just t the entrance of Il de la Cite, near Notre Dame. 2 blocks or so.

Wonderful tarts, tea and salads. Rhubarb tart was lovely. Good place for a rest and a snack!

Carla in Hollister, CA USA 09/17/2009

Credit union ATM cards, as Rick suggests, are inexpensive alternatives to using either your bank's ATM card or a credit card to get cash in the local currency. I opened an account at a local US credit union and got an ATM card that is valid at ATMs that are a part of the Cirrus or Star networks, which most European ATMs are. The credit union charges $1 per transaction and there is no currency conversion fee. If the European bank's ATM charges a transaction fee, you'll see that posted on the ATM's screen. Bank ATMs in the UK do not charge a fee. The credit union asked me when I would be in Europe so that they knew to expect multiple withdrawals from my account. Check with your local credit union before you leave for Europe. Do this well in advance of your trip, since it may take several weeks to get your ATM card and PIN.

Emerson Smith in Columbia, SC USA 09/17/2009

best/cheapest place for souvenirs probably Montmartre

Andrew in Ottawa, ON Canada 09/15/2009

This is more of a fan letter- I require my students to buy your guidebooks (London, Paris, french phrasebook) they make our trip successful and the kids love them. They have turned "Ricksteves" into a verb, as in "I rickstevesed that last night, and he says we should...."

Sandra Williams in Lincoln, NE USA 09/09/2009

Regarding Paris Private Shuttle: Three of us just returned from Paris and used this service. It was wonderful. We were, as their website says, met at the baggage claim area. We had great, personable drivers to and from the airport and were given a tour as we made our way to the hotel in the Latin Quarter. I highly recommend this service

Lisa Kibler in Kent, Oh USA 08/26/2009

Rick always says to "check with the T.I.", and he's right. I found out the hard way that the new Musee du Quai Branley often doesn't open until 11:00 AM (It's a long hike from the Metro, and lots of walking when you get inside), and that large parts of the Louvre's French painting (upstairs, not the big gallery with the oversize monuments to French painting...) galleries at the Louvre are closed on Thursday. If you buy a Museum Card, don't forget to set aside a day the card doesn't cover to hit the sights that it doesn't admit you to. Alas, these include the trendy Jeu de Paume, and most private museums (like Jacquemart-André), and the Eiffel Tower. The card does get you into the Louvre's separate Musée des Arts décoratifs, which is very much worth several hours if you have the time. It's an astonishing collection. I didn't get to try the associated fashion museum (la Mode et du textile).

Timothy Buchman in Wyckoff, NJ USA 08/06/2009

The Marais District is to us, the heart of the city. Lenotre saved us.........regarding good food.

Terri Bonner in Little Rock, AR USA 08/02/2009

Honfleur has a fabulous Saturday morning farmer's market. Hotel Monet was very charming and owners Christoph and Sylvie were so friendly and helpful. The whole town is beautiful and easy to walk everywhere. Definitely worth the visit.

Barbara J. in San Diego, CA USA 07/30/2009

I recommend you had the restaurant 7eme Sud to your guidebook. It is conveniently located near rue Cler, the prices are reasonable, the mediterranean menu is fantastic, and the service is wonderful. In fact our server, while French, spent most of his childhood in Detroit and spoke perfect English.

Colleen Earls in Vancouver, WA USA 07/29/2009

Echoing what others have said here, Coreen Samo at 1 rue du Champs de Mars is a fantastic and authentic Korean restaurant - we had the Korean BBQ which you grill at your table, and it was incredible...Rick, be sure to check this place out on your next visit.

John Russell in Charlottesville, VA USA 07/29/2009

sandie5740@gmail.com PARIS 2009

sandie carpenter in WHITEFISH, MT USA 07/27/2009

The free ITunes travel podcasts were invaluable and made touring the Louvre, d'Orsay, and Versailles very enjoyable!

Carol N. in Newport News, VA USA 07/27/2009

1.L'as Falaphel, in the Marais is to die for. Pay a little more but go inside and sit down to eat.

2. Take Rick's advice on early entry to the Louvre and Versaille. Both were a breeze using the books advice. We were in the Hall of Mirrors alone, except for the guard.

Steve Roddy in Penn Valley, CA USA 07/24/2009

I am just wondering why Rick does not recommend staying/eating in the Latin Quarter? I have stayed there twice in the Hotel du Levant and it is a fantastic hotel. There are many cheap food stands nearby, including a fantastic falafel place called Maoz Falafel (5.50 Euros for falafel pita with your choice of vast toppings). There are also Metro stops within 1 block, and many attractions (Notre Dame, St. Chappelle, etc.) are right there. I did not see the big draw of the Rue Cler area...don't know why Rick touts this area so much, but that is just my opinion.

I bought my Paris Museum Pass (4 days was 48 Euros) at the Pantheon and they did not stamp the date on the back. My sister bought hers at Notre Dame and they did stamp the date. Cheap cold soft drinks in the Metro stations for 2E, although I found cheaper food/snacks at a Monoprix store-you can buy toiltries, etc. here, too. Friendship bracelet scam still going on at Sacre Coeur as well as countless gypsy women asking you if you speak English. Did not see the ring scam

Joy in Dayton, OH USA 07/23/2009

To get the most out of the Paris Museum Pass, you really need to plan ahead as Rick states in his book. The pass is great for skipping the ticket lines, which can be long at many sights, but if you're only planning to visit a few sights, it's actually more cost-effective to purchase regular admission tickets.

Victor & Pam in Mundelein, IL USA 07/15/2009

While Paris truly needs to be explored on foot, I strongly urge travelers to use the Metro system as much as possible. The system is incredibly efficient and most sights can be reached by one connection at the most. You will also ride the trains with the people that make Paris so diverse and you will feel like a local. Please also definitely buy a carnet - you will use all of them and you will save money!

Alaina in Scarsdale, NY USA 07/12/2009

Les relais de l'Entrecote, 15 rue Marbeuf. This was a big hit with our grandchildren and the adults. One meuu except for dessert. One price. No reservations so you have to wait in line. We were a party of 7 and had to wait about 40 minutes but they set a tale for us. This location is just off Champ Elysees but there are other locations.

Jeanette Finlon in Seattle, WA USA 07/09/2009

The rooms on the 5th floor street side at the Grand Hotel Leveque have a small balcony . Cool place to drink wine & watch Paris go by . You can also see the top of the tower as it sparkles at 23:00 .

MIKE DEMPSEY in WESTMINSTER, MD USA 07/07/2009

Forgot to add one note:

On the "Sleeping near Charles de Gaulle Airport" section - Page 437 - You may want to mention that people staying in hotels in Roissy who don't want to pay hotel restaurant prices can walk a short distance to the town itself. We had a great pizza picnic the last night of our trip, but only because I used the hotel Wifi to look on Google Earth and see there was a town just beyond the trees (the Kyriad Prestige makes no mention of it, hoping you'll go to their restaurant)

Jack Martin in Lawrence, KS USA 06/28/2009

Musee Guimet -- Asia art museum, better collection of South Asian art than the Metropolitan in New York.

Art Lover in New York, NY USA 06/26/2009

Yes. You recommend taking $500 with you to Paris, then say that using an ATM without taking out over 100 E is a waste of time. How do you exchange the American dollars quickly and easily without going to a bank? The answer is to go to any "change" (equals change in English) store which abound in Paris. A typical street would have at least 2. So, if you take $500, you get back the equivalent in euros minus a 2% charge. the more money you exchange, the less the charge. At the end of the trip, we converted leftover euros back to dollars, saving some for the internet cafes inCDG airport.

Elisse in Roanoke, VA USA 06/24/2009

Follow as many of the guided walks and tours (especially the the audio tours we had on an iPod) you can. We did most of them within one week and felt like we had an complete experience.

Henry Powell in Millersville, MD USA 06/22/2009

The Eiffel Tower at night. Sunset is about 10:30 pm. If you climb the first stage of the tower and then take the elevator to the 2nd around 9 pm, you miss the lines. Have dinner at the restaurant (58 floor?) and watch the sun set. Some what pricey but well worth it.

Susan in Center Harbor, NH USA 06/20/2009

Champ du Mars is always nice during summer nights. Unlike the Trocadero side of the Eiffel Tower, it's not overrun by tourists, just a lot of people picnicking.

Joel in Seattle, WA USA 06/19/2009

The whole Paris experience.

Melinda Grow in Davis, CA USA 06/13/2009

We loved the Tour de la Eiffel hotel in the located between rue Cler and the Eiffel Tower. The staff was helpful, friendly, and professional. The location was wonderful.

Krstin in Richfield, MN USA 06/12/2009

Just got back from Paris, 6/10...Le Passport to Versailles no longer sold as of 1/09...found out at a RER station. Did do the guided tour at Versailles..Rick was right about going in to the side entrance, as if cutting line...we ended up finding the exit area...and walked right up to the Information desk to get our tickets and reserve an a personal guided tour. It allowed us to wander around on our own to get the lay of the palace, if you will...and then go back to hear the rooms we visited (which others could not on the audio guided tour) -- our guide was extremely informative. ALSO...a note on travelling with teens, the museums we visited (I took my daughter who is 15) she was free...) - Children under 18 in most cases were free...but DO bring an ID. (We visited the Lourvre, Orsay, Orangerie, Versailles, Napoleon's tomb)---however, they still have to pay for the 'audio' guide part.

Jill in Jupiter, FL USA 06/11/2009

Chateau de Vincennes. If you are fond of medieval history visit this castle. It has a great audioguide and is worth about a 2 or 3 hour tour. Easy access from Metro Chateau Vincennes. Open daily 10 to 6. Tip number two: The Petit Palais. This is a beautifully remodeled museum that has one of the best garden cafes you will ever see. Free admission. Metro: Champs Elysees Clemenceau. Daily 10 to 6.

Anderson in Portland, OR USA 06/04/2009

We stayed at the Hotel Kensington -- very satisfactory. However, we had breakfast at a Brasserie around the corner -- Le Royal. Slightly better price and much more atmosphere. Same food, but more generous portions at the Brasserie!

Jim Gauntt in Little Rock, AR USA 06/01/2009

Bike About Tours was a great bike trip in Paris. Enthusiastic guide who love the city, lunch in a bakery, history and art, wonderful. Website: www.bikeabouttours.com . Tele: 33(0)624 58 02 15.

Claire in Woodbridge, VA USA 05/26/2009

Having the Paris 2009 book on an iPod Touch (using Kindle format) was fantastic!

We just returned from a week in Paris and it is so much easier to carry an iPod around to read, especially the chapters for museum tours. Before going out, we'd bookmark the page for the info we needed!

All of your guidebooks should be available for Kindle/iPod Touch/iPhone!

Cameron in Chapel Hill, NC USA 05/14/2009

A great day (and easy Metro navigation) starts with breakfast on the lawn of Parc du Champs de Mars, Trocadero, metro to Arc de Triomphe, same metro line to Parc Monceau, same metro line to Montmarte and Sacre Coeur, then easy metro switch to Louvre - full but great day.

Doug Wall in Winfield, IL USA 05/11/2009

I arrived in Paris on May 1 at the Gare de Lyon. Because of the Labor Day protests, my cab driver said that he couldn't take us to our hotel (in the St. Germaine area). We pleaded with him to try a different route, anything to get us closer to our destination (note that he did not announce this as soon as we got into his cab. This was after we had been enroute for some time.) He ended up dropping me and my 79- year-old mother off at the Les Goblins Metro stop and told us to take the Metro to our destination. There was no way that we could take the Metro, given we had luggage and my mother's age. So, we walked the entire distance. It took us two hours and we had a terrible time trying to cross main streets due to the protests. I don't know what the caution is here - perhaps don't travel on holidays? It was a terrible experience that I wouldn't wish on anyone else.

Joanne in San Francisco, CA USA 05/10/2009

I bought a Passe Navigo for the almost-a-month that I was in Paris. It took only a couple of minutes to buy and get on my way. It is necessary to have your picture trimmed to about 1" square and ready to hand to the agent when you make your purchase. The pass is enclosed in hard plastic after the picture and your name are affixed, so be prepared. The monthly pass (mensuelle) was 55.10 Eu plus 5 Eu for the pass itself. It works by swiping a reader at the entry gates in the Metro and also on buses. Even tho I probably didn't save much money, the convenience of having a pass was worth it. Now I have to go back to Paris so I can use it again. I believe you can use the Passe Navigo only for a week (beginning Mondays), a month (beginning the first) or maybe a year. There are machines for re-loading the pass, or ticket agents will do that. Anyone who has used the Oyster card in London will find the Passe Navigo similar. I don't think it can be used in a "pay as you go" fashion. The carnets are still used for that.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/01/2009

The Batobus (boat) is a hop-on-hop-off excursion boat that stops at a number of the top sites. With a Passe Navigo you can get a discount. I paid 13 Eu for a 5-day pass and used it every day. The boats run at least every half hour. The glass roof panels slide back when it is warm enough, so you don't get that "greenhouse effect."

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/01/2009

We had a heck of a time getting our clothes washed. Luckily, a young French man who spoke broken English came in about 30 minutes later and rescued us. He told us how to load our money, choose the washer and dryer, select the right washing cycle, and pour our detergent (we had already put our soap in the wrong dispenser!). Very confusing -- and very different from our laundromats back home. We even took pictures!

Suzanne J. in Angleton, TX USA 04/21/2009

I found that Le Pain Quotidien a bakery out of Belgium has the best sandwiches,organic breads and other products. I go here in the USA to have my taste of European flavor. They are a few locations in Paris. Visit www.lepainquotidien.com.

Also you can listen to NRJ and Cherie FM online to get a taste of French music. www.cheriefm.fr and click on the ecuter(listen button) as well as NRJ.fr and find the ecuter(listen button). A nice way to hear European music online..

If you are a Priority Pass member you can access airline lounges at CDG airport via www,prioritypass.com to find the lounges at CDG. Its a nice way to relax before or after the flight depending on the lounge location. Some Platinum Credit Cards like American Express also let the cardholders into airline lounges such as American Airlines and Delta worldwide.

Daniel Onn in Sarattoga, CA USA 04/16/2009

Accomodation: Le Village Hostel in the Montmarte area, close to the Sacre-Coeur. Nice location, English speaking staff, kitchen and good breakfast and a great view of the SacreCouer to boot (from rooms 405,406)

Cons: Wifi is not free Contact: 01 42 64 22 02, Email: bonjour@villagehostel.fr, Web: http://www.villagehostel.fr/ Address: 20, rue d'Orsel, Paris 75018, France

Sathish Jothikumar in Santa Clara, CA USA 04/09/2009

Correction I left out a part of park name,it is Parc Des Buttes Chaumont'

Phillip Pelch in Houston, tx USA 03/29/2009

I would like to recommend an addition to your great Paris guidebook. The 'Parc Des Chaumant' is as great and beautiful park as you will find,waterfalls,small lake,creek,a promomtory with a statute on top and a view of Montmare and Sacre Coure from the top. It is on the M-5 Lumiere Metro stop. Also when you get off Metro go left to the best bakery in Paris! A small place but the best eclairs,tarts I have ever eaten.The owner a lady speaks no English so just point to what you want! When you go to Versailles and it's crowded go first to Marie Antoinette's 'Domaine' and surrounding gardens and bypass main palace, then go to palace second

Phillip Pelch in Houston, TX USA 03/29/2009

I spent a month in Paris with my sister who uses a wheelchair. We went to visit Musee Carnavalet in the heart of the Marais as it was mentioned in Rick's book as a place to enjoy. We were not permitted to make use of the elevator so my sister struggled up the great staircase while I carried her travel wheelchair (small wheels). We examined all the items on the top floor that were listed in the guidebook and enjoyed the explanations. The museum itself wrote up tags only in French. We were alone walking around except for the guard who had been watching us study so many items using our own book. When it came time to go back downstairs we were stopped by the guard and he motioned us to the elevator. He smiled as he bid us adieu and on the way down some other persons got on with us looking so surprised to find us there. We used our best French to explain and later thought to ourselves that we'd been saved by Rick Steves. The guard saw us interested in the lovely items and using our Rick Steve's book. So, "Thank you, Rick!" for saving us a difficult trip down the grand staincase. By the way, everytime we left out apartment in Paris, my sister would say, "Do you have Rick in the bag?"

Olivia Werner in San Diego, CA USA 03/28/2009

Rick, You can take a train, 2 euros, direct from the Gare Montparnasse to Versailles, and it only takes 12 minutes. The trains run every 12 minutes and it is a great deal. We read in your guidebook but our hotel told us about the direct commuter train. It was well worth it and much less expensive than the RER. Also I think a lot of guidebooks overlook Montparnasse great place tos tay. You are right on the Metro, with most of the major sites on the same line. The train station is steps away. There a lot shops and the Monoprix, for groceries or misc., is near. We just stayed at the Waldorf Hotel in Montparnasse and loved it. This is not our first time to Paris and we carried your guidebook everywhere. It was very useful and extremely informative! Thanks,Violaine Romans-Murray hvromansmurray@comcast.net 703.754.7980

Violaine Romans-Murray in Gainesville, VA USA 03/26/2009

Dear Sir, I'm writing to you to see if our house “Au Nain Bleu” could appear at the right place in your Paris guide. "Au Nain Bleu" is a very famous house in Paris since 1836! It's already known from many parisiens and tourists and I think that you could add it to your guide too. thank you very much for considering this.

Marie-Elise Hubert

“With its creations and prestige, Au Nain Bleu has taken part of the history of toys since 1836. We can find exceptional products that make the reputation of the brand and always refined articles at sweet price. Au Nain Bleu is the only manufacturer with 100% Made in France teddy bear: you can order a “made to measure” Teddy and embroidered a name on its paw within 3 days!”

Au Nain Bleu

5 boulevard Malesherbes, 75008 Paris +33 (0)1 42 65 20 00 contact@aunainbleu.com http://www.aunainbleu.com Monday 2:00pm-7:00pm Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 am- 7:00 pm

hubert in paris, france 03/20/2009

We walked everywhere! Seeing Paris life on the streets was way better than getting around on the Metro. We stumbled upon several little darling rues that gave us a great appreciation for Paris life that we would have missed had we used the Metro. We walked a total of 14-16 miles in 2 days but it was all completely worth it!

Katy Hewson in Houston, TX USA 03/01/2009

I have just returned from Paris and we discovered a wonderful Italian restaurant in the rue Cler area. The tiny restaurant Il Giramondo is located in the basement of their storefront at 175 rue Grenelle. When you are first seated a complimentary glass of Prosecco is served. The service and quality were superb and the prices are fair. We loved it so much we went twice!

Christine Snow in Palm Beach, FL USA 02/19/2009

Overall, this book was a great help to us. We carried it around everywhere and it had so many useful insights for us. Additionally, downloading the walking tours made our visits to Versailles, Louvre, Orsay and the historical tour great. I am sure everyone was wondering why we had Ipods at the Louvre. I also enjoyed the maps which were very helpful.

Shannon in Wilmington, DE USA 01/20/2009

I can't believe it but we too had an encounter with a Parisian scam artist that Rick mentions in his book. While walking past the Quai Branly Museum, we saw a man ahead of us reach down pick up a gold ring from the sidewalk. He then said, does this belong to you like he is some good samaritan trying to find out if we lost a ring he had found. We said no, and then he made it a point to show us that it was marked inside with 14k. He then tried it on all of his fingers and it did not fit any of them (his fingers were quite swollen). He offered it to us because of the ill fit. Then he asked for money for a sandwich. We gave him back the ring. My boyfriend then made fun of me for not picking up right away that it was a scam Rick mentioned in the book. I am telling you, the whole thing happens so fast and is well planned out that it did not register right away. It was quite amusing though.

Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009

When staying in Rue Cler neighborhood, it is so cheap to shop for groceries at the small grocery store that is a few doors down from hotel Champs du Mars. We bought cheese, crackers, yogurt, juice, candy, wine, all under 5 euro! No joke. It was a nice change of pace from paying 50 euros for dinner.

Kelly in Gulfport, Fl USA 01/03/2009

At the Arc de Triomphe, if you are holding a Paris Museum pass and wish to climb to the top and also have children with you, please note...Even though they are free you must stand in the ticket line first and show your Museum pass to receive a free childs ticket that you then present at the entrance to climb the Arc. It was very frustrating to wait in a long queue to climb up and then have to go back downstairs and wait in another queue, get a "free" ticket and then go back to the original queue.

Wendy in Sydney, Australia 12/20/2008

Rick! I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I grew up watching your show on our PBS station and it inspired me to want to travel! Now that I am in my 20s I have the ability to do so! I am going to Paris for the 3rd time this winter and I was thrilled to find your Paris 2009 ( to add to my Paris 2000) guide book! Thank you so much for all the hard work you do in inspiring people to travel and see culture outside of their own! Lihz

Lihz in Linwood, NJ USA 12/19/2008

If dtaying in Les Halles area, Bistrot D'Eustache on Rue Berger was a great value - excellent steak au poivre and cheese plate. If you attempt French, the staff is very friendly. Museum pass is a great tip - we each saved EUR 23, plus saw a lot we might have skipped. Rick's tip to carry around a filled water bottle to be reused is a big money saver - drinks cost big in cafes.

Joanna in Milwaukee, WI USA 12/01/2008

We also booked a tour through Paris greeters which was fun (and free!)

Ann in Arlington, VA USA 11/30/2008

Addition to Department Stores/Shopping: BHV - Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville 52-64 rue de Rivoli [or 14, rue du Temple, 4e, Metro Hôtel-de-Ville tel: 01 42 74 90 00

great variety - more "affordable" than Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, Bon Marché

Evelyn Wrin in Washington, DC USA 11/02/2008

1. For English language serious book collectors, forget the bouquinistes (as colourful & atmospheric as they are). Go to the annex for Shakespeare & Company (to the left as you face the store). A decent offering of modern firsts, with emphasis on Hemingway & Miller. 2. There are over 100 Arago disks in Paris. I only found 2; they're elusive. Before Greenwich was adopted as the world-wide meridien, Arago had this imaginary line plotted out through France. Cute little guys imbedded in sidewalks.

Brian Lee in London, On Canada 10/22/2008

It worked out well to use the bus system as it was close to our hotel in the Latin Quarter.

Judy in Alexandria, MN USA 10/21/2008

You can save 2 Eu by buying a 2-museum daypass to D'Orsay and Rodin. It was 12 Eu.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 10/17/2008

Begin each new conversation with bonjour madame, monsieur (day) or bonsoir (evening). It's magic. Good manners are appreciated in Paris.

sam blackman in tempe, az USA 10/05/2008

Our use of the Paris 2008 book made the short visit to Paris so much more pleasant than other past short trips. The most useful sections of the book were "Daily Reminders", "Historic walk", "Louvre Tour", and Notre Dame details. The Loure Tour Podcast was a tremendous way to explore the Louvre. We really enjoyed encountering the man trying to sell us the "pure gold ring he found at our feet". We delighted in showing him your mention of him in the book and telling him that he was not even doing it very good.

Mike Metcalf in Poplar Grove, IL USA 09/24/2008

We couldn't get rooms in the hotels you recommended in the area I wanted (made late plans) but stayed at the Hotel Aviatic, just off of Rue Montparnasse. My criteria for a hotel room are clean, quiet and safe. This hotel fulfilled all three. POSITIVES: rate was pretty good (105 Euro for most basic room including private bath with tub and shower), helpful front desk, clean, quiet room, comfortable safe area, near good metro station (Montparnasse), restaurants and cafes nearby, bed was comfortable. NEGATIVES: basically not next to any tourist spot, but equidistant from the majors (a short subway ride or 20-30 minute walk away), room was very basic (we had the low end room) with no TV (but who cares about that...), breakfast not included (although I think you could get another rate to include b'fast). (Contact for hotel is welcome@aviatic.fr or www.aviatichotel.com).

Jessica Barry in Rowley, MA USA 08/15/2008

Our family visited England and France in July 08. We carried "Uncle Rick's" guidebooks (as Mr. Steves was fondly referred to) for London, Southern France, and Paris. Whenever we had a question, the book had the answers. In Provence, what's the sound in the trees (les cigales!)? In Paris, where is the taxi platform at the Gare du Nord? In London, where's the best place to see the changing of the guards?

We can't thank you and your staff enough for doing so much of the exploratory leg-work, making our family vacation an excellent adventure.

That said, by venturing outside your guidebook recommendations we enjoyed the most wonderful seafood salad at Mistral in St. Remy, Provence, and stayed in excellent accommodations in St. Remy and Paris -- all of which we encourage you to visit on your next trip!

Beth Triggs in North Vancouver, BC Canada 08/06/2008

Restaurant tip in the St Germain de Pres neighborhood, straight from a Pacific Northwestern, seafood-eatin' reader! Le'on de Bruxelles Les Moules seafood restaurant chain. Price: 16-18E ($25-30 American), I call this 'moderate' by travel standards, I don't expect good food to be cheap. I ordered their mix of squid, mussels, and prawns. The squid rings and mussels were PERFECTLY cooked and the portions were enormous. The prawns were slightly overcooked by my snobby PNW standards. Still, I'd go back in a heartbeat! The atmosphere was fun, the service was good, it could be family-friendly (3 generations of happy eaters at one of our neighboring tables) or a light-hearted romantic evening (table on the other side). The 'house beer' was good.

Dianne Lattemann in Seattle, WA USA 07/26/2008

When visiting the Louvre, Coldplay fans should be sure to check out Delacroix's "La Liberté guidant le peuple" (Liberty leading the people) located in the Salle Mollien, room 77, 1st floor, Denon wing. Coldplay's new album "Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends" uses this painting for its cover.

Mike in Warner Robins, GA USA 07/19/2008

Loved your book. Very, very helpful. Our Dutch family and friends were also very impressed. You should publish in Europe. We did a 6000 km car trip from Holland to Paris, Brittany, the Loire, Provence, Riviera, Lake Iseo, Switzerland, Verdun, and back to Holland in 16 days

[Editor's Note: We don't have a European publisher, but there are bookstores in Europe that carry our titles. In Amsterdam, there are four places to buy a Rick Steves guidebook: Waterstones, Pied a Terre, American Bookcentre and Scheltema. Also, you can always purchase them at our online travel store or through Amazon.]

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

Outstanding restaurant recommended by my Parisian friend, who is a college professor, living in the Latin Quarters: Bouillon Racine, 3, rue Racine, 75006 Paris, 01 44 32 15 60, www.bouillonracine.com. The cuisine is EXQUISITE. A former restaurant where local Sorbonne University workers would eat for lunch. Beautiful interior with cuisine the locals rave about. Two course lunch for 14 euros. For this quality, this is a true deal and an unforgettable experience. I hope Rick will have a chance to experience this restaurant.

A fabulous find for dinner - incredible traditional french cuisine in a country-style, small restaurant is Auberge de la Reine Blanche, 30, Rue Saint-Louis en L'ile, 75004 Paris, 01 46 33 07 87. One of the most delightful meals I have had with the friendliest staff and chef. 3-course dinner meal for 25 euros. I will return here again, without a doubth.

Beverly Lui in Thousand Oaks, CA USA 07/11/2008

Stay near the Opera Garnier. Central location near metro and rer. Stayed in Hotel Choiseul Opera, 1 rue Daunou. Clean rooms, friendly and helpful staff.

Two restaurants near the Opera that were very good:

1) L'Absinthe, 24 Place du Marche (fabulous and adventurous menu, friendly staff, a bit expensive but good value for money).

2) Gambino, 6 rue Gomboust (great pizza and antipastos, nice atmosphere and a fun wait staff, mid level prices but good value for money, nice inexpensive wine list).

Sanford Lavine in Alameda, CA USA 07/11/2008

THE museum pass does get you ahead of the line at all the museums mentioned in the guide. THE Only reason it does not at St Chapelle is that the entrance is also for the courts and the quidelines for checking bags is very strict. I used my pass this past week at the museums mentioned and waited in no lines.

Joanne in paris france, Paris 07/11/2008

My granddaughter and I were both able to buy Cartes d'Orange passes for the Metro system. We took our pictures in the booth in the Metro and picked up the form at the ticket window. We paid at the ticket window, but could have also done it at the machine.

M. Hughes in San Francisco, CA USA 07/03/2008

I visited Paris for the first time during a month-long study abroad program through my university, the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Rick's book made my trip so much more enjoyable and rewarding. My favorite tip was taking the Trocadéro metro stop to the Eiffel Tower. My friends loved it and the views were great.

Krista Balgeman in Madison, WI USA 07/01/2008

1) Really. Pack light. The metro stations are surprisingly not handicap friendly, very few or no elevators/escalators. 2) You can't buy Carte Orange on late Thursday for the same week (i.e. balance of that week). They start selling it again on Friday but it's for the following week. 3) Versailles - If you have the Museum Pass, use the side door past entrance A (even though TI may tell you to use entrance A) where the interpreter/guided tours wait. The Equestrian Performance is IMO a waste of time and money. It's just riders on beautiful horses riding around for an hour with very little choreography or performance. Big disappointment for 11 Euros. 4) Go up in Arc de Triomphe to the top near dark. It has one of the best views of the Eiffel at night. 5) The sewer tour is really interesting but smelly. It's a working sewer, not some dried-off old time passages on display. 6) Be patient waiting for the organs to play at St. Sulpice. They do play a recording until about 12:30 when the organist starts doing her thing.

Missy in Orange, Ca USA 06/29/2008

Yes, we stayed in the 13th arrondissment at a lovely B and B called La Villa Paris (la-villa-paris-com). Marie speaks English well and offers four lovely rooms at a moderate price. There is a small room for even less that has a private door that opens onto a patio for sitting, but Marie does not advertise as there is not enough room for a lot of luggage (I told Marie about Rick Steve travelers who pack light). The price includes all tax and a HUGE breakfast of cheese, meats, fresh pastries from the bakery across the street, fruit, jams, cereals, yogurts..you get the picture so you don't need to spend money on lunch. The neighborhood is a mix of students and working class with nice and reasonably priced restaurants nearby. The bus stops across the street and you are a ten minute walk to the RER or metro. Close to a large park for running and a children's park and bike rentals right across the street. Very clean and quiet. Laundry down the street. We liked coming home to this charming neighborhood at night after being in the busy city all day.

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

We discovered a wonderful authentic Breton creperie in Paris! It is called Ty Bernic on 54, rue d'Argout in the second arrondissement (tel: 01.45.08.05.23). It is run by a couple and she is from Brittany. The crepes are delicious - lunch, dinner, dessert - and you can have a meal (before beverage) for 6-10 euro. Their hours are a little funky - I don't think they are open for dinner every night of the week. I lived in Brittany for a year while in college so know a little bit about crepes! Please do check it out. They owners are very friendly, too. Feel free to tell them an American traveling with two teenagers who spoke French and related her college days in Brittany made the recommendation. Thank you.

Joan in Kampmeyer, MN USA 06/28/2008

Eric Fredeau "Cook'n with Class" wine and cheese tasting was lovely (although a bit pricey). http://www.cooknwithclass.com/

Victoria Van Wie in Cypress, Tx USA 06/22/2008

Shop the street market behind Les Halles for cheese, wine, fruit, bread, etc. Pull up a bench in Les Halles old space and have a pique-nique. C'est bon!

Tom & Kathy in Orange, CT USA 06/18/2008

Spend the night in Giverny, we got there in the afternoon and spent enjoyable hours at Monet's gardens and home, then we had a great dinner at Baudy restraunt, and were able to tour thier rose gardens, spending the night in a lovely B&B and waking to the birds singing. Its a great retreat for those who are going glassy eyed from museums and a must stop for those who are fans of Monet.

Get the Paris Pass, it allowed us to go into museums we would have skipped, it got us to the head of the line more then once, and it allowed us to return if we didn't have enough time at the end of our day. We saved over 30 euros with it.

Rebecca in West Lafayette, IN USA 06/16/2008

The Museum Pass was great; we were able to avoid lines, which was especially fantastic on rainy days!

Jean Hoffmann in Pleasant Prairie, WI USA 06/05/2008

We took two tours (1/2 day at Versailles, full day at Mont St. Michel) through City Tours, both of which were extremely enjoyable thanks in part to very comfortable transportation and charming, informed tour guides. The City Tours office is located at 2 r. de Pyramides; I assume they have a website.

Michelle Kelly in Ft. Collins, CO USA 06/03/2008

I was able to enter the Pinocoteque gallery to see the terra cotta warriors without a reservation. I simply showed up at 4:30 pm last Friday and was allowed to enter and buy a ticket (10 Eu). Man Ray also has an exhibition there for an extra charge. The warriors and their horses along with various artifacts--well worth the trip. Explanations were all in French. The gallery is located on one side of the Madeleine square. At Musee Rodin there was a long line waiting to enter for the Camille Claudel exhibit. They take reservations. Plan ahead for that one or try showing up late in the day.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/27/2008

The Cafe du Marche was excellent--everything you said it was. I was especially delighted to discover the American Church. Sorry I wasn't able to attend a Sunday service.

Ann Scott in Alabaster, AL USA 05/25/2008

When traveling to Auvers from Paris take advantage of the combo ticket at www.transilien.com for roundtrip train ticket and entrance to Chateau d"Auvers. It's only €16.20 instead of buying separately for around €33. You may also be able to buy this at the many SNCF train offices in Paris.

Robert Slattery in Minneapolis, MN USA 05/25/2008

Get the Museum Pass! See the Notre Dame Cathedral at night. Go for walks when it gets dark. Paris looks very different (in a good way!) at night

Kate Buechler in Winnipeg, MB Canada 05/22/2008

In addition to bus line #69 from the Rue Cler area, you could also recommend line #92 from Ave Bousquet up to the Arc Triumphe. Easy to use.

We were able to buy the Paris Museum Pass, tickets to the L'Open Bus Tour and a carnet at the London Eurostar Terminal. The desk is inside the waiting area against the right wall. You have to have tickets and go through customs to get to this location.

Catherine Roberts in Henniker, NH USA 05/17/2008

Kindle Edition - Fantastic! I hope this is only the beginning. What could be more helpful to a traveler than a way to carry all travel/guidebook info in one lightweight device? Plus, it's searchable, and you can highlight and annotate with places you want to visit. Plus, I can store novels, blogs and magazines to read on my journey, and play audio books and podcasts. I love it, and I can't wait until the rest of your guidebooks are available on Kindle.

Marjorie Solomon in Atlanta, GA USA 05/16/2008

Paris Walks provides a wonderful 2 hour guided walk on numerous themes. The guides are very well educated Paris enthusiasts, Brits or Americans. No reservation needed - we did 8 tours in 10 days, each one a gem!! The info on the Metro, RER, and SNCF was right on and enabled us to get to Versailles, Normandy, and around Paris all on our own - not one connection was missed!

Julie Pickup in Monee, IL USA 05/12/2008

St. Chapelle won't honor the skip the line part of the Paris Museum pass. You have to stay in a long line like everyone else. They do a security inspection, xray etc of everyone and this is why it takes so long.

When you go through the turnstiles from Gard du Nord station (Eurostar Chunnel) into the Metro, there are no large doors to take your luggage through, so you must go through a normal turnstile. Push your luggage through first and follow close behind to get both your and your luggage through. If you drag your luggage behind, you will get through and the doors will close on your luggage, trapping them. This happened to both me and my wife in side by side turnstiles. We could not get them out no matter how hard we tried. There were no attendants around anywhere. Our Metro Navigo Carte Orange passes would not work a second time (must be on a timer or something). One person finally came to go through and he went through the turnstile that my bag was stuck in. That opened the gate and I could pull it out as he was walking through. But no one else showed up, so this nice gent helped us tug and pull (all three of us) until my wife's bag was free.

There is little room in the standard train for luggage, so you might want to get there early to get on the train first and dibs a spot in the small luggage bins at the front of the cars. We got on late and there was no place for our two bags. They were too large for any overhead bins. They ended up asking us to get off, run to the rear of the train and put them in some storage car. Then run back and get on the train before it left. Better yet, take our lessons learned and believe Rick when he says to travel lighter so you don't have such large luggage. I know our next trip we will definitely be packing lighter and taking Rick's packing skills to light.

Steve Onustack in Lynnwood, WA USA 05/06/2008

Not so sure that Versaille is a 'must see' on my list any more due to the level of difficulty involved in seeing it.

A) It's a substantial train ride outside of Paris,

B) the crowds are scary, even early in the day (yes, we bought our Paris Museum pass simply to avoid the lines and considered it worth it just for time management!)

C)there appears to be very little real thought given to how best to move the enormous quantities of people through this venue in the most effective manner (we were directed to corridors that were closed off, doors that were locked?)

D) there is nothing onsite to cater to visitors in the way of simple restroom facilities, much less more inviting things like a place to grab a snack, have a cup of coffee while enjoying the gardens, etc., as at most other French/European venues. It is as though the organization that runs Versaille really doesn't want to encourage visitors after all.

This overall impression was not improved when my traveling companion (already horrified by the crowds) paid for an audio-guide that wound up not working. When we turned to a uniformed attendant to explain the problem (the audio-guide doesn't even begin until the 2nd floor, something no one thinks to point out.) we were not allowed to retrace our steps to get a replacement, but were directed to a door around the corner to go downstairs. Of course, when we reached it, that door was locked. After this misdirection happened twice, my friend and I gave up and settled for sharing one audio guide between us. When the tour was complete and we were once again on the ground floor, we explained the situation, asking for a refund for the non-functioning audio guide. We were refused, and not politely. We were advised we should have come back to get a replacement when it first stopped functioning!

In complete contrast to my unfortunate experience at Versaille was our visit to Paris' Musee D'Orsay. This wonderfully remodeled old train station was obviously designed to attract repeat visitors and we were immediately impressed simply because it was so organized. Using our Museum Pass, we spent a couple hours during the morning, left and had lunch and went shopping, then returned for their evening hours to even more space and freedom to move about due to reduced crowds. Not only that, but for the evening hours, there were what appeared to be art history students stationed throughout the museum in front of a number of exhibits prepared to go into some detail explaining the significance of a particular work, usually in more than one language! What a treat!

Mary Freelove in Wiesbaden, Germany 05/04/2008

View from the 3rd level of Eiffel Tower definitely worth the wait. Also it was fun to sit by the fountain at the far side of the Champs de Mar where the dogs were playing in the fountain - they were great fun to watch! Make sure to leave time each day to sit back and "watch the world go by". Some of our best trip memories have been when we just watched people or even the baby ducks in a pond and took our time to stay in one place for a while and didn't rush from sight to sight.

Sue in Newport Beach, CA USA 04/26/2008

St. Denis is wonderful! Apparently they have recently made audioguides available in English (my cousin went a few months ago and they didn't have them). My daughter (15) and I found the visit extremely interesting, it was my favorite part of our Parisian visit.

Julie McLendon in Alpharetta, GA USA 04/17/2008

The whole book was a favorite discovery. We went to Paris last year for Spring Break, and didn't realize how much we missed! I'm so glad we went again, this time with Rick Steves in hand, to make the most of our trip! Our favorite sights/experiences were:

Montmartre walk: We went to Montmartre last year, but didn't know where the "good stuff" was, so we walked around Sacre Coeur and Place du Tertre and left. This time, we saw it all, thanks to the book. We LOVED seeing the cafe from "Amelie"! Left Bank Walk: Was brilliant... again, we had been there before, but didn't know what to look for. This time we saw it all - the toy store was a highlight, as was the Pont des Beau Arts. Carnavalet Museum: After sticking to the Louvre and Orsay last time, this time we decided to go with Rick to the Carnavalet. The walking history tour via paintings was AWESOME! It was practically empty, and FREE! The art nouveau jewelry store was a GEM. Bus #69 Tour to Pere Lachaise: after taking this fun bus (using our Carte Orange) to Pere Lachaise, we wound up taking busses all over the city. They were faster than the metro in most cases, and you saw everything along the way! A wonderful, cheap way to see the city and get a sense of where everything is. (Instead of popping out of the metro with no clue where you are in relation to everything else!) Orangerie: Monet's Water Lilies were sublime.

Favorite restaurants: We kept going back to the Rue Cler area because we loved going to see the Eiffel Tower each night after dinner. These are the restaurants we frequented: Cafe Constant: We ate here on our first night, and it was a lovely "welcome to France"! The tagliatelle and roasted chicken was sublime. Le P'tit Troque: The food was delicious, but we did feel rushed here. The food came out very quickly (too quickly) and we didn't feel the French "keep your table all night" vibe here. La Terrasse du 7eme: We ate here on our last night, and it was LOVELY. Cozy atmosphere, extremely friendly staff (and owner!) and the food was AMAZING. The owner came out and chatted with us for a while and it turns out he had lived in the U.S. when he was very young. This was a favorite.

Peg Sewall in Lambertville, NJ USA 03/30/2008

Hotel Grand Levesque on Rue Cler is great, but if you are not an early riser, ask for a room in the back - the local merchants start stocking their shelves at 6:30 AM by hitting big sheets of aluminium with baseball bats - it is not a quiet street in the morning. If you are up early - we were - it is all part of the Rue Cler charm.

Howard Dellar in Aurora, On Canada 03/24/2008

We went to Paris March 14-22, 2008. In the Tuileries between the Jeu de Paume and the carrousel is a trampoline area for kids 14 and under. It consists of eight seperate highly springy nets. A child gets 5 minutes for two Euros, with each kid getting their own net. My seven year old daughter loved this! We went three times. As the temperature was in the 40s there were not a lot of people so the attendant let her go for around 10 minutes instead of the posted 5 minute limit. I did not see this in your guidebook and my family highly recommneds it.

Kevin Hans in Arlington, VA USA 03/23/2008

I wholly agree with the previous poster that Bike About Tours align much more directly with Rick Steve's aims of a Backdoor Europe. I also had an amazing experience with the hilarious and knowledgeable Paul (the owner). His bike tour really was one of the highlights of my trip. The comparatively small tour groups (but not too small) provide for a few hours of VIP treatment from someone who knows the city like the back of his hand (a far cry from the 30+ bike groups Fat Tire brings through the city). Please consider adding Bike About Tours (Paul at www.bikeabouttours.com) to your guidebook, so that more backdoor travelers can share in the amazing experience I had.

Brent Miles in Seattle, WA USA 03/09/2008

I would like to recommend an addition to the next addition of the Paris book. Bike About Tours bike tours were wonderful. Easily the best part of our trip. They are a much smaller company than Fat Tire and seem to fit better with the Rick Steves "Back Door" philosophy. Our guide Paul (one of the owners) showed us some of the main sights, but also gave us a wonderful insiders tour of the city. We saw and learned so much! Also, they limit their tours to 10 people, leaving a much smaller more intimate group for your tour! Their website is: www.bikeabouttours.com, and the contact information is located on the site. A big thanks to Paul for the awesome tour! I hope to see them in your next book.

Casey in Landstuhl, Germany 02/21/2008

Although Rick's Paris 2008 book advises against using an airport shuttle service, I had a very positive experience with airport-connection.com. I booked online a week in advance. The round trip (CDG/Rue Cler) discounted cost was €42 per person. After deplaning, I called the toll free number while waiting for our bags, and the van was there when we walked out the door. On time for pickup to the airport, I highly recommend this method over dragging baggage over, around and through buses, Metro stairs and turnstiles. It was comparable in cost to the Roissy bus and Metro costs. Note: we traveled at the end of January. High season may a different story.

Cheryl Dowdell in Charlestown, RI USA 02/08/2008

L'Os a moelle, 3 rue Vasco de Gama 01-45-57-27-27. A short Metro ride and 5 minute walk. Recommended by NYTimes Mark Bittman. Very reasonable prices - set menu of 36 Euros. Superb food.

William Botkin in Centennial, CO USA 01/28/2008

We appreciated your tip of not bringing our stroller on the metro or to the museums. Also, we completely agree that the museum pass is a must have item. We saved plenty of money and time using it. We even came out ahead by a substantial margin using a four day pass for only three days.

My wife and I discovered that bringing our 4 month old to the Eiffel Tower was a bad idea. Although we were there in the middle of January, we had to wait over an hour in line just to get into the tower (1/2 hour was after going through the security checkpoint). There is no convenient place to sitdown should the baby need attention. My wife couldn't find any facilities to nurse or change diapers while I waited in line. Even though my wife surrendered all modesty and nursed and changed our daughter in the line, my daughter continued her colic tantrum into the elevator, at the top of the tower, and then back down. Not only was our experience unpleasant, but we also tarnished the experiences of the other vistors that had to endure my daughter's screams in the crowded line, elevator, and observation deck.

Also, for being such a stunning museum, finding a baby changing table is nearly impossible in the Louvre; I don't think they have one. All of the other museums (especially the d'Orsay and Pompidou) have adequate facilities for babies and nursing mothers.

All of the restaurants you recommended were fantastic.

John, Yvonne, and Kaytlin Galle-Bishop in Naples, Italy 01/24/2008

I am curious why two of our favoritie Paris restaruants were deleted from your 2008 Paris guide - L'Affriole (last ate there in 2006) and Les Vignes du Pantheon (last ate there in Feb 2007). Both were excellent and we have eaten in Les Vignes du Pantheon at least 6 or 7 times - always excellent.

William Botkin in Centennial, CO USA 01/12/2008

Please strongly advise travellers to France not to use travellers cheques of any type. They are almost impossible to cash.

Dan J Newbold in Kelowna B..C. , Canada 01/02/2008

There is Metro work going on with closures that are listed on the lighted stop listing on each subway car. Some of these closures are for only a few months

Michael in New York City, NY USA 12/31/2007

Sitting in Phillippe's (spelling?) restaurant in rue Cler and noticing that 3 out of 4 tables were perusing a Rick Steves' guidebook to plan their day while trying to figure out how to get the bill. Luckily we had been there before and knew to walk up to the counter. When in doubt, observe the locals!

Brett in Fresno, CA USA 12/21/2007

We just returned from our firsy ever trip to Paris. We wish you to know that there is no way that we could have enjoyed our trip as much as we did without your guidebook. It was the most valuable aid we had, and we thank you so much for your recommendations.

Bernadette Dunn in Madison, CT USA 12/05/2007

On a trip to France in 2006 the best French-style breakfast we ate in our entire 3 weeks was at the little cafe on the main TGV platform concourse of the Gare de Lyon while waiting for our train to Avignon. The standard baguette, croissant, jam and coffee, but excellent quality, full of flavour and deliciously fresh. For those travelling to Provence or the Languedoc Avignon makes a fantastic starting point if you're travelling from Paris by TGV. The station is outside the city and is a great place to collect a rental car to avoid negotiating the city's walls and one way street system. Also plenty of easy access when it comes time to drop off at the end. The TGV service from Avignon includes a train that goes directly to CDG airport which makes a great alternative to travelling back to Paris if your flight out is later in the day (ours left Paris early evening and the connection from Avignon was perfect). Signage at the TGV station at CDG was excellent and directed us to our terminal easily. Only downside was our train was late into Avignon and while there were frequent overhead announcements, they were only in French. We also found a really interesting shop in Paris called Deyrolle (or similar) in the Rue du Bac (6th). The downstairs sells very expensive but glamorous gardening equipment. The upstairs is a fascinating space that sells taxidermy of every type imaginable - including lions, tigers, polar bears - a fabulous diversion for children.

Absolutely learn to speak some French - we had some great chats with all sorts of people in shops with my schoolgirl French and definitely no grumpy waiters or shop assistants (of course, being Australian, we are considered somewhat exotic, which I am sure helps.)

Jo in Sydney, NS Australia 11/18/2007

Visiting in early November gave pretty good walking-around weather, generally in the 50s, and smaller crowds than I've heard about from summer visitors. I'd do it again.

Anon in Eastsound, WA USA 11/11/2007

At the end of the subway line is the Chateau de Vincennes. Few tourists visit this area. I took a tour in French since I speak French. The chateau has an interesting history and served as a prison for some celebrated French (Diderot, Raspail, etc). It also has a beautiful cathedral on the grounds. Explore the town of Vincennes. It is very easy to get to--go to the end of the subway lin

Kathy Nega in Apollo, PA USA 11/10/2007

While in Paris, check out a fairly new guide service "Meeting the French" www.meetingthefrench.com They offer several unique opportunities to meet a local artisan (bakery, jewelry-maker, chocolatier, etc.). You can select your tour via phone or internet. An English-speaking guide will meet you at the place of business and you will get a 1-hour face-to-face interaction with the store owner. We did the bakery tour of Pudlo Paris Guide 2007 Baker of the Year Veronique Mauclerc in the 19th. One of the last few bakers using a wood-fired oven. It was just myself and my husband with Veronique (and the translator). At 10Euro each, it was $$ well spent - Veronique even gave us some bread samples to take with us. The translator said this type of guide service had only been around for the past 2 years but word was slowly getting out. Even the locals are signing up! Highly recommend the tours.

A in Wang, OR USA 11/05/2007

In the Rue Cler area I highly recommend Bistro du Monde at 85, Ave. Bosquet. The owner, Olivier, speaks perfect English, is very friendly, and his local clientel is very interesting and also friendly. Another Paris MUST is the newly opened Architecture Museuum at Trocadero; relicas of facades of monuments and buildings throughout France. Truly spectacular.

Robert Boulette in Honolulu, HI USA 11/01/2007

I experienced a transportation strike Air France Shuttle Buses at the Charles de Gaulle Airport upon arrival. There were no signs or announcements posted at the bus stop or ticket counter. I found out after almost one hour of standing around that the buses were not running that day and no employee at the airport knew about it. At least 10-20 others were waiting patiently for the shuttle buses to take us into Paris. I gave up after 55 min. of waiting and had to find alternative ways to get into Paris. Fortunately I have been to Paris before and knew the RER B line connects into Paris. i had to look aroundfor signs and finally found them leading to the elevators to go down and purchase tickets from the machines, then finding the right gate, right directions and finally knowing where to transfer to the correct Metro. Asking for directions at Charles de Gaulle Airport can be confusing with a lot of travelers around and not familar with the French language. It is probably a good idea to have a map of Paris and a metro map of Paris on hand with you upon arrival in Paris. Looking for one can be very overwhelming when you are in a dilemma to look for alternative means of transportation upon arrival from a 15 hr. transatlantic flight!

k. moy in san francisco, ca USA 10/28/2007

Accomodation and more restaurants in Montmartre area should be added. While this area is on the fringe of the tourist area, the short walk to Sacre Coeur, the artist's area and good restaurants and street markets makes it a great place to stay. We stayed at the Hotel Damremont, 110 Rue Damremont, 33 0 1 42 64 25 75. It was only a 2 star, but was clean, quiet and a bargain, complete with daily breakfast. It was also located close to stops on two Metro lines (12 & 13)which gave easy access to tourist destinations as well as quick access to Gare du Nord for TGV and Eurail trains.

Oh and getting back from Versailles is easy, even if you screw up. We made a mistake and took the "wrong" train back. It took us on a different route back to Gare St. Lazare. A fabulous modern station with great subway and train connections. We took the Metro to Hotel de Ville and walked up into a madhouse on the Saturday afternoon streets. An MTV music parade was going on with wall to wall people on the streets and also a giant TV at Hotel de Ville with the World Cup of Rugby playing. One travel mistake that was a nice surprise.

Allan Gould in edmonton, AB CANADA 10/21/2007

We heard that Musee du Quai Branly was a must-do sight, didn't find it in any guidebook or in real life (we were told it was near the Orsay). Happy to see you are including it in 2008.

Chris and Mary Ray in Cincinnati, OH USA 10/15/2007

By far, the best way to see the city of Paris is on a bike tour; and by far, the best way to do it is with Bike About Tours (www.bikeabouttours.com). There is no better way to become acquainted with an otherwise potentially overwhelming city. If you're planning to visit Paris and to see the sights, then don't even hesitate to book this amazing tour. You'll be provided with the unique opportunity to experience Paris as a local; you won't feel like a "tourist" and you'll see more on your tour than you could ever hope to see in a week of wandering the city. Christian and Paul are the founders, owners and tour guides of Bike About Tours. Not only do they live in Paris, but they're incredibly well-versed on the history of the city and they'll show you sights and sounds you'd never see as a regular "tourist". They're friendly and charming with great senses of humour and immediately put you at ease. If you have any reservations about being on a bike, then put them to rest. Paris is relatively flat so there is no strenuous pedaling and the city streets you'll be on have designated bike/bus lanes. We felt completely at ease and at no time did we feel in danger. The bikes are comfortable, impeccably well-maintained and easily shifted from the hand grip. Truly, this was the best part of our visit to Paris, what an incredible way to see the city! When you go to Paris, don't miss out: www.bikeabouttours.com. Book it! Believe me, you'll be glad you did.

J. Koch in Ottawa, ON Canada 10/15/2007

One of my favorite discoveries was an open air market on Wednesday morning across from the Montparnesse cemetary. We found great bargains on scarves, jewelry, cheese and breads....plus it was a great window into a little of local Parisian life. I have to say the Parisians were very friendly to us and most knew English, and with my basic French, we had some laughs and were able to understand each other. Saying bonjour and merci go a long way!

vicki probst in Pinellas Park, Fl USA 10/14/2007

Jean Claude Fleury of the Residence Versailles recommended a wonderful resteraunt to us in Beynac - Le Petit Tonnelle. We did not save their business card (sorry) but their phone number is 05 53 29 95 18. The food was beautifully presented, absolutely delicious and the prices were reasonable. There were two servers the night we were there, a man and a woman and the woman spoke enough English to answer menu questions completely. We would highly recommend this resteraunt.

Jeff and Erica Pearl in Sammamish, WA USA 10/14/2007

Recommendation: Stay at Hotel Le General on Rue Rampon near Place de Republic. It is a very nice, modern 3 star, but you need to find an internet deal with your airfare to afford the cost.

Albert in Clanton, AL USA 10/02/2007

I found by chance this company that does tours of Paris in a "2CV", it's called Paris Authentic and I think you should definitely mention them in your guidebook. Me and my wife went on that 2CV (you know that old typical French car you see in the movies) car ride and I strongly recommend it to everyone. The driver was an authentic Parisian who told us random stories about the city and France in general. They stopped in front of every main monument to let us take pictures or sometimes even took the pictures for us and the view was just breathtaking. We could stand up (even though the car is so cosy you don't feel like standing up) to take advantage of the view on the Champs Elysees etc. It was such a great experience we actually decided to do it again.

So the next time they picked us up from the restaurant and drove us around (Moulin Rouge, Eiffel tower, Notre Dame), with all the lights. There was no traffic, and we definitely appreciated the bottle of Champagne they let us take in the car. Finally, they drove us around Montmartre through some tiny streets and places only locals know. I won't hop on any of those touristy buses ever again.

Freeman in Athens, GA USA 10/01/2007

We ate lunch on the 4th floor of the Musee d'Orsay and it was absolutely wonderful. Good, interesting food in a beautiful setting. Museum prices, but worth it!

Gina Lamparella in Syracuse,, NY USA 09/30/2007

Marguerite's Cooking Courses-

schedule-www.elegantcooking.com/schedule.htm

or marguerite@elegantcooking.com

I booked this cooking class prior to going to Paris from a tip in Transitions Abroad. It was wonderful and well worth the money. The market trip was equal to the actual cooking class and her house (where the school is located) is fabulous!

Beth Hutten in Winter Haven, FL USA 09/29/2007

We stayed at the Hotel Sophie Germaine (12, Rue Sophie Germain) and recommend it to other travelers. It was reasonably priced (95 E with breakfast), the rooms were adequate with cute little balconies, and well run. A metro station was close by.

Roxanne Lieb in Olympia, WA USA 09/28/2007

Ride Velib - the bicycle rental service that is new to Paris. Only caveats - they take only amex, and some stations are nearly impossible get bikes from (or return bikes too). Otherwise, it beats the Metro (on a sunny day), and is a great way to see the city. Extremely cheap too - ride for 30 min. or less at a time, and you ride free. This is easy to do, if you "hop" from velib station to the other along the way to your destination.

Kevin Meadows in Seattle, Wa USA 09/26/2007

I very carefully studied the guide book. It gave us confidence beyond our age (77) and stamina. We took the RER from CDG to St Michel Metro, I had a two wheeler, but it wouldn't fit thru turnstiles. We received lots of help from very strong young men who lifted our luggage over the turnstiles. It was worth E 40 to take a cab back to the airport. Your travel guide was more than important, it was essential. My wife handled the metro like a pro. The metro map was a GREAT help

Bob Williams in Lebanon, NH USA 09/26/2007

Just back from 10 great days in Paris with my sisters. We had a ball on the Fat Tire Bike Co trip to Versailles, loved Museum @ L'Orangerie (Impressionists, much less crowded that Orsay), enjoyed new Quai Branley Museum (non- European art). Had 1 of our best lunches in the cafe (not the restaurant)there. I think it was the veg. tart, oozing warm wonderful cheeses... heard Baroque string music in Ste. Chapelle Fri nite. Gorgeous even tho altar seems to be under repair & was draped w/ canvas. Bring a wrap, it can be chilly. We got tkts thru Classictic.com or google classical music in Sainte Chapelle; there are concerts in several other churches too. Found the Musee de la Mode et du COSTUME closed. (careful, there are 2 w similar names but this is the 1 I like best. It has changing exhibits of designers like Coco Chanel.) Took a fun cooking class where we met teacher @ market to purchase ingred., then went to her hse to cook & dine. Had both a French & an Irish sports bar nearby & w/ world rugby chmpionship going on, were VERY glad we'd remembered ear plugs. Hearo brand worked best. Also recommend travelers wear pants, vests etc w/ POCKETS for change & metro passes. We even had good meals on Continental.

lucie butler USA 09/24/2007

No discoveries or tips that I can think of now, but wanted to say that all over Europe I have used your guidebooks and they have helped everywhere with great information, easy to digest history and humor to make it all much more fun and interesting. Thank you so much for being there. Love your TV show too, and we watch whenever we can.

Nancy Kline in Mission Viejo, CA USA 09/18/2007

Rick,

I am a long time fan and your original 22 Days in Europe served as my bible back when I was young enough to backpack and hostel my way across the continent without a care. I am planning a trip to Paris next spring and I recently picked up your 2007 Guidebook. Makes me want to go NOW!! I have a suggestion for your "Recommended Reading" section. For fiction, I would recommend any of the books by Alan Furst. He has written a series of novels about WWII espionage and Paris is a prominent character in all of them. If I had to pick, I'd suggest "The World at Night", "Kingdom of Shadows" or "Red Gold". All of which are set predominantly in Paris. He does an excellent job of capturing the mystique of the city on the cusp of a great upheaval. Every one of his novels is like being immersed in "Casablanca". Brasserie Bofinger (renamed "Heinenger") is in every single one of his books, and I am planning on making a special stop there as a result.

John Nurkin in Charlotte, NC USA 09/13/2007

My favorite discovery was that the French are not rude, but friendly and helpful. We tried to use our very basic French but found that most service people speak very good English. The only rude people we ran into were other tourists.

Diane Mullins in Kerrville, TX USA 09/11/2007

The Institute of the Arab World has a wonderful free terrace that is a short walk from Notre-Dame. I also really enjoyed the Museum - it was a good quick stop with the museum pass. The gift shop was really enjoyable and the cafe was really nice. One drawback is that the collection and the gift shop does not have a lot of material available in English, but if more non-French speakers visit, maybe it would encourage them. I couldn't read a lot of the commentary but I still really enjoyed the visit. Also nice clean bathrooms and very nice staff.

I also had a wonderful time seeing a free outdoor film (Marie Antoinette!) at Parc Villette.

Also I don't think the book mentions that some Tourist Information offices have internet access and will look up/print info. That was very helpful for me.

Elizabeth in Brooklyn, NY USA 08/25/2007

Get a copy of the metro line before leaving. Can be chaotic once you get there and are trying to figure it out in the crowded station with all your luggage on you.

Aimee in Oakland, CA USA 08/25/2007

While i was in Paris i found an awesome bike tour company. you can visit their website at www.ibikeparis.com its run by two best friends and is not very well known. the tours are personal and interesting, they also involve eating a traditional French lunch along the seine! they have both day and night tours for only 22 euros.

Michelle Bauman in Edmonton, Canada 08/24/2007

Hotel de Never - Paris - Rue de Bac. Unbelievably awful! We had reservations for one week there. On seeing the hotel we couldn't believe you recommended it. The terrace you recommended with our room was only usable by walking out the window and it had plastic furniture. The room was awful. I wouldn't stay if they paid us. They locked us in the lobby & said we couldn't leave until we paid 3 nights stay. That was our introduction to Paris. After an hour or more they let me go out. I immediately walked across the street to the Hotel Saint Germain and was met by a very friendly gentleman. He gave us a beautiful room for 130 euros. I saw two policemen on the street & they accompanied me to the first hotel to release my husband. A huge argument ensued and served as entertainment for the passerbyers. Please remove this hotel from your book. We ended up giving the hotel €100 which they didn't deserve. Hurrah for the Hotel Saint Germain.

Patti Jones in Chicago, IL USA 08/23/2007

The newly installed Paris bikes throughout the city did not accept US credit cards. We were told by the tourist information office that the bikes are meant for locals only. We were directed to a very good bike rental company: Maisons Roue Libre with a couple of locations: Les Halles 1 Passage Mondetour Paris 01 44 76 86 43 and Bastille 37 Bd Bourdon Paris 01 58 76 59 53. We rented decent quality bikes with locks, baskets for a total of 20 Euros a day for both bikes. The bike lanes and ease of riding bikes in Paris was impressive. We had gone to Fat Tire Bike Tours to rent bikes but were told they do this only secondary to their bike tours so this was not a good option as described in the guide book.

C. Schu in Seattle, WA USA 08/19/2007

to get an idea about paris,good orientation of the town,the best way is by bicycle...i'll advise to take Bike About Tours.This company provides great bike tours,warm hospitality and cheap prices for the tour and to rent bicycle.

kamudin nur azree in petaling jaya, malaysia 08/19/2007

Since I am going to Paris soon, I've read a lot of the websites. I found that if you visit the Giverny website, www.giverny.org, you can print a voucher for two reduced tickets (4 euro vs 5,50). Also, the American Museum next door also offers a printable Special Price Coupon at www.maag.org. (It doesn't indicate the special price!) It also shows Giverny opening at 10 instead of 9:30 but that may be old data.

Virginia Lindsey in Sisters, Or USA 08/18/2007

I can't stress enough how great the Paris Museum Passes were. I bought them online before we left. Traveling with both older parents and teens, skipping the lines alone was worth the cost! You don't need to buy passes for kids under 18, which really makes the cost reasonable. As mentioned in the guide book, about the only line you can't skip is the climb to the top of Notre Dame, and that line was very slow moving.

Kathy in St. Louis, MO USA 08/14/2007

I am curious why you don't list Bonsoir (bohn-swahr) for addressing people in the evening? You did list both daytime and nighttime in the Italy book.

It seems polite to address folks correctly based on the time of day.

Otherwise, everything is great (as usual!). Virginia

Virginia Lindsey in Sisters, OR USA 08/08/2007

We stayed at Hotel de Londres Eiffel(a recommended hotel). We ate at a small cafe on the same street late one evening called Chez Agnez. It is casual, the chef very freindly, the food some of the best we had, and the patrons provided engaging conversation. Highly recommend.

DM Swayngim MD in Sandusky, Oh USA 08/08/2007

Hotel Valadon...http://www.hotelvaladon.com/index.htm

M, Kohl in Castro Valley, Ca USA 08/07/2007

We spent 16 days in Paris this April. Used Rick's book on Paris plus Internet. We give a hearty "YES" to his recommendation of the Carte Orange. We got one with no problem whatsoever from a charming young French man at the RER station Denfert-Rochereau when we got off the OrlyBus. Friendly locals then helped us find the bus which went directly to our apartment. The bus system, if you can master it, is infinitely more quiet, convenient, and friendly than the Metro. We used it so much that we got 3 times the value of the Carte Orange for each week we had one.

P. Hedgie in Prague, Czech Republic 08/06/2007

Get the Paris Museum Pass. We bought it at the Arc de Triomphe, where there was no line and used it to get into many sights around town including the Orsay, Louvre, Versaille, Conciergerie and Sainte Chapelle. We saved a lot of money as well as time by bypassing lines at some of the sights.

Devin Alexander in Olympia, WA USA 08/06/2007

I recently returned from 10 days in Paris and probably did 95% of the recommendations in this book (e.g., not the Paris cemetery). Loved it! The book was indispensable and helped a task-oriented traveler like me check nearly everything off the list.

Liz Tanner in Provo, UT USA 07/30/2007

Great book. One item we could have used is how to find Metro after leaving the Catacombs. They leave you out a fair distance from entrance and closest Metro is different . Sorry I forgot the station we used.

R Foltz in Emmaus, PA USA 07/26/2007

Another good, inexpensive restaurant "Along Canal St. Martin, North of Republique" (p. 378) is Restaurant Le Bourgogne at 26, rue des Vinaigriers, 75010 Paris, Tel. 01 46 07 07 91. This is just off the top right corner of the map on p. 349. It was recommended to us by the front desk at Hotel de la Republique. Not quite on the canal, but it seemed to be loaded with locals, not tourists. Food was almost as good as La Marine and a little bit cheaper.

Jack Klecka in Highland Park, IL USA 07/25/2007

Paris has recently added bikes all around the city that are available for a short time at a small price. You can pick up at one location and drop off at another. Velib is the name, and subscription forms can be obtained at post offices, bakeries, local town halls and over the internet. I don't know the probability of someone getting hit by Paris traffic on them though!

Julie Swann in Atlanta, GA USA 07/23/2007

I discovered a great Korean restaurant. Of course no one travels to Paris for Korean food, but then not everyone can travel to both Paris and Seoul (or Los Angeles) for great Korean meals. Thus, I recommend Restaurant Coreen Samo, 1 rue du Champ de Mars (at the intersection of Rue Cler), Metro: Ecole Militaire, Phone: 01 47 05 91 27. The staff speak Korean and French (we did not try English). All the dinners were either Korean or Japanese. The food is very authentic and of excellent quality (unlike the many substandard Japanese or Chinese resturants we passed by).

W. B. in Los Angeles, CA USA 07/21/2007

So many folks have commented on the thickness of the book that I thought I'd mention what I had done for my Italy trip with my RS book. I did take it apart and kept all the general information in the front and the back (needed the language help and index, phones, etc)plus both covers. Then I seperated the info on the cities I was going to visit. I took all of that down to a copying, stationary store in our little town and they punched and bound it with the plastic rings. It was great, less than half size, and would lay flat when open. I received many great comments from other RS folks in each city, that they wished they had thought of it also. I'm now going through my Paris book (thicker than the Italy book!)and will do the same thing after making all my choices. Virginia, Sisters, OR.

Virginia Lindsey in Sisters, Or USA 07/12/2007

While 99% of the guidebook was wonderful, I would recommend the removal of Paris Story. I'll never hear the end of Paris Story from my family. The film was far less entertaining than the lobby. Perhaps they should simply charge admission for that!

Wesley Green in Atlanta, GA USA 07/10/2007

Talk about through the back door! We found Fire and Stone Restaurant in the Clichy area across the street from the HI Hostel knowing nothing about it. OMG They serve you a wooden plate with a chunk of granite sizzling hot and a slab of raw beef on it. (I had a brouchet and others had fish and pork, all raw) You cut off a bite of meat, cook it on your stone and dip in one of three great sauces. Baked potato and beautiful little green beans on the side. Joseyanne, the owner, and Marie. her "collegue" (waitress) were wonderful. We took pictures with them the second time we ate there. Joseyanne brought us free champagne. Not inexpensive though. Dinner with wine and dessert took most of $35 for me. Fire and Stone 102bis rue Martre 92110 Clichy La Garenne

B.Ann Evensen in Austin, Tx USA 07/08/2007

Purchase Museum Pass and hop-on-hop-off pass for use in Paris at Eurorail Ticket Office at Waterloo Station in London.

WILLIAM WOODBURN in Estes Park, Co USA 07/07/2007

We had a great wine-tasting experience at a place called O Chateau. The wine-tasting is given in English, by a very down-to-earth sommelier. We learned a lot about choosing French wines and about the wine culture in France, generally. A bonus: O Chateau is in a decidedly un-touristy neighborhood in the 11th arrondissement. It's a chance to see the "real" Paris. For more info, go to www.o-chateau.com.

Also, people who are staying within walking distance of Notre Dame should check out the square in front of the cathedral after dark. Every time we went, there was some kind of entertainment going on---singers, musicians, fire-eaters, fire-baton twirlers---whoever shows up that night.

Debbie in Brooklyn, NY USA 07/07/2007

I don't recall reading about Napoleon's Apartments in the section on the Louvre. They're in the lightly-visited Richelieu section, and quite spectacular, rivaling Versailles.

Also, my daughter and I had great luck visiting both the Orsay and the Louvre late in the date on Thursday and Friday, respectively, when the museums are open late.

Carol Arscott in Sarasota, FL USA 07/06/2007

The listed and recommended Restaurant Les Vignes du Pantheon (near the the Pantheon, of course) has changed owners and will soon be called Le Vin Qui Danse. The new owners are a very friendly young couple, and the food is superb and still reasonably priced.

Charles Scott in San Diego, CA USA 06/24/2007

Restaurant "Au Canon des Invalides" had the best Tartar steak. It is a walking distance from all hotels in the Rue Cler area. 54 Rue St. Dominique

John Petrovic in Portage, MI USA 06/20/2007

Shakespeare and Company Bookstore, once, I'm sure, was a great resource, is now just a tourist trap. I found better stuff at the booths set-up along the Seine.

Lee in Long Beach, CA USA 06/12/2007

No one can rush from sight to sight in Paris without courting exhaustion. A relaxing break is the canal boat tour that begins on the Seine by the Musee d'Orsay and turns into the Canal St. Martin to end by the Cite d'Sciences after a two and a half hour cruise.

The trip itself is well narrated in French and English with many humorous asides. Few tourists see the Canal St. Martin, which connected barges to Paris from the north and eastern France. The trip turns from the Seine below Notre Dame and under the Place Bastille into a long tunnel, emerging in park-like environs of the 10th arrondisment. You watch neighborhood Paris go about its shopping and cafe-sitting as the boat moves through a series of locks.

This is a great trip for kids, particularly because it ends up in the Parc du Villette with an enormous dragon slide and play ground and one of the world's largest science museum.

We tried to reserve on its website (http://www.pariscanal.com but couldn't get a response. They have an English recording at their phone number and it may help to ask your hotel to call.

Doug M in Portland, OR USA 06/10/2007

We went to a creperie off the Champs Elysses that was amazing - called La Creperie Des Champs Elysees. 5 Rue Washington is the address. Swiss-type environment, good prices, and great food/service.

Pam Notar in Fairport, NY USA 06/05/2007

Looking for a place to stay in Giverny? I think most people must do this from Paris, so our Rick Steves guidebook did not offer many options in town. We wanted to spend the night there, so we looked through the Gites de France website and cross-referenced with the local tourist bureau. We found a gem we think should be added to the Rick Steves' recommendations! Le Clos Fleuri was just a lovely B&B-- great rooms and breakfast, and your hostess lived many years in Australia so language is never an issue. It is walking distance to Monet's garden, and is in a secluded garden setting within the town limits. A lovely beginning to our trip!

http://giverny.org/hotels/fouche/

Le Clos Fleuri Danielle et Claude Fouche leclosfleuri27@yahoo.fr 5 rue de la Dime Giverny

Jo Hinsdale & John Robandt in Salt Lake City, UT USA 06/02/2007

The Musee d'Orsay, Louvre and Versailles guides were perfect...the perfect amount of necessary information so I coudl avoid having to take long guided tours!

Melissa in Hoboken, NJ USA 05/31/2007

Highly recommended --3 start Hotel Victoire--small room but very clean, very quiet , near the Louvre, the Seine, excellent service. Benjamin, the manager was superior. Front desk person obtained tickets to the Opera for us--just great. dlua@adelphia.net

Susan AUld in Stuart , fl USA 05/29/2007

The shopping at the historic Samaritaine is closed now. Our guide, Marie, said that it closed very suddendly one day about a year or so, and that left a lot of people without work! Also, when we got to Paris, I used the guide book, used the Rossy bus from the airport. however, the connection to the Metro-line 8, was closed for repairs at that time ( I believe it has since re-opened) and I was stuck as I didn't know what line to take. I was a newbie and afraid to take an alternate route. We just went back up to the street and found a cab to our hotel. I had even checked the RAPT before we left to be sure everything was ok and on schedule- and their website did not mention that line 8 was going to be be closed!

Martha Ramirez in Corpus Christi, TX USA 05/28/2007

An excellent way to spend a full day is to go to the Eiffel Tower first thing in the morning. Then go to Les Invalides and visit Napoleon's tomb and the museums for WWI and WWII. Finally, stroll the garden at the Rodin Museum. The garden visit is only one Euro.

Lines at Orsay are long. Go on Thursday night.

Visit Vosges in Marais.

My tour director is an American who's lived in Paris for 12 years. His opinion is that the museum pass doesn't provide enough value to justify its price.

Try to avoid connections through Heathrow Airport.

LesLein in Alexandria, VA USA 05/25/2007

Just returned from our 10th trip to Paris -- guidebook extremely helpful -- we tore it to pieces and only carried relevant sections each day. We finally remembered to bring a binder clip this time.

Karen Possner in Bethesda, MD USA 05/21/2007

A tip: Learn a few key phrases and try to pronounce them properly! ("Bone-jawer" will get you as much attitude as just saying "Hi".) I speak rudimentary French, and my husband learned a little from me, and we found Parisians to be the nicest people we've met in any European country. I'm convinced it's because we made a huge effort to speak their language. Buy software for beginner French if possible. They really appreciate your trying, and I found that more often than not, they would happily switch to English. One fellow even said, "Parlez-vous francais?" When I said (in French), "A little, but I speak English", he laughed, put his arm on my shoulder and said in perfect English, "Okay let's do it this way, it will be MUCH easier..."

At a minimum, start every conversation with a polite, and decently pronounced: "Bonjour" or "Bonsoir". End every request with "s'il vous-plait", say "merci" instead of thank you, and leave them with an "Au revoir!" It did wonders for us. We didn't meet a single grumpy waiter or Parisian.

Cat in Charlotte, NC USA 05/19/2007

I'd like to recommend an addition -- Le Relais de l'Entrecote: Best steak frites we had in Paris! Really friendly, great service, about 70 euro for two people with a bottle of wine and two espressos. Locations: 6th arrondisement: 20, rue Saint Benoit, 01 45 49 16 00 and in the 8th arrondisement: 15, rue Marbeuf, 01 49 52 07 17

Cat in Charlotte, NC USA 05/19/2007

Jardin du Luxembourg has a fenced in play area just for children and their parents -- you pay a euro or two, and your kids can run, talk with other children, ride the little rides, and you can relax on a bench (knowing they will not dart off into the street or out of sight)! I had a VERY enjoyable couple hours there with my boys (age 7) before going to more sites!

Peggy in Washington, D.C., DC USA 05/18/2007

Marionette Theater in the Luxemborg Gardens

Mary Zikos in Princeton, NJ USA 05/17/2007

I found a cafe called Le Drapeau at 10 Rue de Temple was very friendly and a great place to hang out. Also there are two Americans who do Soirees in Paris, Patricia (parissoirees.com) and Jim Hayne. Worth telling people about.

Lachlan Cooke in Seattle, WA USA 05/14/2007

Instead of the bus shuttle between CDG and the RER station, there is now a tram-train. It leaves from the same area at CDG-1 as the bus shuttle used to.

Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/13/2007

Every recommendation in your Paris 2007 book was right on! From the Hotel Relais Bousquet to what entrance to use at the Louvre was perfect.

Stephen and Dorothy King in Palm Harbor, FL USA 05/11/2007

ah paris was great. we had toni clark as a guide and the world was ours. we saw as much as we could walk. having the bus/subway pass was a godsend.

Jerry DeWitt in franklin, tn USA 05/09/2007

vacationinparis.com provided me with an inexpensive studio apartment in the heart of Paris. They were informative and helpful, and I loved getting my apartment keys in the mail before my departure!

Jeri Cary in Juneau, AK USA 05/08/2007

2 Tips, the week before Easter seems to be a school break in France possibly all of Europe, Paris was very busy. Visa card now offers purchasing in the denomination of the country of the cards origin, in my case, Canada. However there is a 3.5 percent surcharge and as it turns out more expensive than charging in Euros.

Ed Lien in Victoria, BC Canada 05/05/2007

Re: Versailles info I traveled w/your Best of London & Paris tour - guide Toni Clark 4/15-4/21. Some of us were in Paris another day or so & decided to use our last day of the Museum Pass to visit Versailles. Directions from the guidebook & from Toni were great until we got there. We weren't sure what line to get in to use the pass. One of the girls & I tried the short line near the chapel & that was it. Maybe you can note this in your next guide book. It would sure save valuable time & confusion. I'm sure glad we didn't get in the long ticket line.

Sue Knabel in Louisville, KY USA 05/01/2007

Taking the bus between large cities is a great value.

Ken in Citrus Heights, CA USA 04/29/2007

It might be very helpful to remind your readers to notify their credit card companies that they are traveling out of the country. Unless they want to share the experience of my 13 year old daughter last Friday, when she had to wait by a phone booth, thirsty, while her frantic mother (me!) made call after call back to the states trying to reactivate my credit card with ATM capability. (It had been shut down to prevent supposed fraud.)

I was using another credit card to make the calls, until I used it once too often, and it was also shut off. At that point I had €30 to get through two days, and wasn't about to spend two of them on a bottle of water! With no credit cards to use, I could only place collect calls to my husband--who lambasted the bank (my wife and daugher are thirsty!) and got the service restored. What a happy vacation memory for a child!

One a happier note, Rick Steves had once mentioned getting a hair cut to get a feel for local culture. My daugher did so on our vacation in April 06, and we both had cuts and highlights last week at Coiffirst on Rue de Buci (ask for Guillem) in St. Germain. It was a bit of a leap of faith as our french doesn't include "hair cut works", but it was great fun--and we had the best hair cuts of our lives. I highly recommend it!

Jane Egge in Acton, MA USA 04/27/2007

An "attraction", although an informal one, that children may enjoy are the cats that live behind Notre Dame. My daughter an I discovered them on our visit in April 06, and on our return this past week (April 07) we saw that they were still there. They are behind a fence, but clearly visible, at the southwest corner of the cathedral, near a tarp covering some construction. Last year we were there for Easter and noticed that people had left donations of cat food outside the fence. This year we counted 5 cats, who we call the "Notre Dame kitties".

Another favorite from both trips is the Cafe Mondrian at the intersection of Rue de Seine, and Boulivard St. Germain. This is a great location for people watching the street market on Rue de Seine (which runs even on a Saturday evening), with great food, friendly staff, and reasonable prices.

After about 5 days of suffering with a messenger style Coach handbag, I replaced it with a meduim sized reasonably priced backpack purchased along the Rue Cler. Although it was slightly more difficult to access the contents, this was a lifesaver. The same amount of "stuff" felt like it weighed next to nothing! I then noticed that nearly everyone I saw, natives and tourists alike, had backpacks on.

You might explain that at Disneyland Paris your admission ticket is your fastpass ticket. You simply insert the admission ticket into the fastpass machine to get your assigned time to ride. My daughter and I waited about an hour for "Big Thunder Mountain" because we didn't know how this worked. We found out, and saved a lot of time with "Space Mountain". Beware, though, that some popular rides with limited capacity, ie Peter Pan, can assign all of their fast pass capacity fairly early in the day, and will then shut the system down for the day. Get your fastpasses for these kinds of rides early in the day. We were there about half an hour before opening on a Wednesday, and it was faily empty for the first few hours, but became very crowded by about 3 pm, and stayed that way until the 8 pm close. We ate a so so dinner in the park then realized that there are several fun looking restaurants outside the park, near the RER station in the hotel area.

I love Paris, love your book, and hope this information helps others have as good a time as we did.

Jane Egge in Acton, MA USA 04/26/2007

Rick Steve's audio guides for Paris were the best! I especially enjoyed looking at the artwork at the D'Orsay and the Louvre while listening to his commentary. In the past I had to read, look up, read again, look again, etc. I hope that there will be other audio guides available for other destinations soon!

Amy CA USA 04/24/2007

Cafe Le Musset at the corner of Rue St. Honore and Rue de l'Echelle, near the Louvre. Superb food and excellent prices.

Jack Massa in Tucker, GA USA 04/23/2007

I just returned from my fourth trip to Paris. Regarding souvenir shopping,I agree that Rue Rivoli is one of the best places for typical tourist items. In particular, I liked the shop Totale Creations. I did not get the exact address but the phone no. is 04-96-124-336. They have a wide selection of attractive items at good prices. The owner speaks several languages (including French and English). Both he and the female assistant were very friendly and helpful. As I told the owner, not only did I make some good purchases, I also had fun shopping there. I will return there on my next trip.

Mary B. White in Alexandria, VA USA 04/21/2007

This guidebook was priceless, filled with great and useful information. I wound up carrying this book with me everywhere I went and constantly referred to it.

You must absolutely get the museum pass. We bought a 6 day pass and it paid for itself in no time. It was surprising how many sights accepted the pass.

Don't leave gift shopping for a Sunday. All major department stores and many shops are closed on Sunday. I waited until Sunday as I was heading home to Seattle on Monday and was disappointed that I had waited and missed out.

Larry Murr in Poulsbo, Wa USA 04/17/2007

I love Rick's guidebooks for two reasons - they only cover what Rick thinks is worth doing and you can remove the pages you want to take with you, securing them with a little binder clip, and not have to take the whole book. I'm off to Paris with Rick!

judy serie nagy in san francisco, ca USA 04/15/2007

This is actually about the book being available for the Palm PDA. I check PalmGear out frequently for new software and was excited to see that your books are being ported to PDAs. Since I used your books to travel to Paris two years ago, I thought I'd check the quality of the translation to Palm by downloading a trial version of the Paris guide. Unfortunately the trial version is so severely limited - I could not see any text or maps, no detail at all - that I couldn't tell if it was good or bad! You won't sell many of these without a better trial period. I sent this to the developer: "I've used Rick Steves books for years so I was excited to see this available for my Palm.

Your demo did not let me see any text, maps, nothing that would let me see how well you translated the book to the Palm screen. I won't waste $15 just to see if your translation meets my expectations."

Either allow full access to one area, say Rue Cler in the Paris book, or allow a time trial, say one week, and I'll try it!"

TC Curlee in Salem, OR USA 04/12/2007

Favorite culinary discoveries: I ate the best meal of my life at La Cigale Recamier, an outstanding souffle restaurant on rue Recamier. Asparagus souffle with orange sauce and a simple green salad (a bottle of wine and great bread, too, of course), followed by a chocolate souffle for dessert. Words can't do it justice. We also dined very well at Willi's Wine Bar at 13, rue des Petits-Champs.

Katherine Gordon in Palo Alto, CA USA 04/12/2007

I used the book and it had great information. One little problem I had however,was after reading and then returning to a section, I could not always easily find the metro stop that was associated with the site. I suggest that in future publications you put a small bold M in a circle next to the Metro stop to make it easier to find.

Richard Brim in Lansing, MI USA 04/11/2007

Eglise de St Ephrem le Syriaque on rue de Carmes, just off Blvd St Germain, on the way up the hill to the Pantheon. Candelight concerts performed by conservatory trained musicians bring Mozart, Bach, and Chopin to new heights. The wooden screen separating the priest from the congregation is one of only two that survived the Revolution.

Ellen Woods in Menlo Park, CA USA 04/09/2007

Bonjour, We are lucky enough to be traveling to Paris mid June 2007 and are looking for exciting things to do while we are there. Of course we plan to see all the major sites, but being that I am a firefighter here in the United States, I want to possibly visit some of the "fire brigades" as they call them in France. Well, I did a Google search and stumbled upon the following site: http://www.pompiersparis.fr/accueil.htm My French translation is nil, but from what I gather this is a benefit performance for the fire brigade association, and is to be held on June 15, 2007. Apparently this is a yearly event, and I was wondering if anyone knows of this, and if yes, what does the show consist of? From the pictures on the brochure featured on the website mentioned above, it appears to be something like a Cirque du Soleil type performance? Any help you can offer will be helpful. Thank you in advance!

John Shelton in Fort Worth, TX USA 04/08/2007

Your 2006 Paris book for a Versailles trip indicated the roundtrip RER fare is 6 euros. On Apr 3, 2007, we each purchased a roundtrip fare of 5.40 euros. By the way, your book should make it clear that, if you want to make a journey via an RER train from a Metro-only station, you can buy and use the same ticket for for both the Metro and RER journey from the Metro-only station, i.e., it's not necessary to buy a Metro ticket from a Metro-only station, travel to the RER station, then buy a separate RER ticket.

M.L.Fong in San Francisco, CA USA 04/06/2007

The open air market on Port Royal just east of the Port Royal Metro stop. Sets up on Saturday and has LOTS of great food.

Anderson in st. Louis, mo USA 04/06/2007

I just spent one month in Paris (1/15 - 2/15) and carried your Paris 2007 book daily. While I had been to Paris before, the book was invaluable. A day trip I took that is not in the book was to Reims. It was a great walkable town. The churches were incredible and I toured several champagne houses. I set the trip up at the tourist center at the Louvre and it was an extremely easy (40-45 min train ride), informative and fun trip. Also, we discovered a wonderful find for wine lovers. Le Musee du Vin. It is at Caveau des Echansons which were the wine cellars for the Friars of Passay Monestery in the 16th/17th century. The visit includes a wine tasting at the end and you can purchase wines from the collection. It's hard to find, but we found it worth it. Also, there is a great cosmpolitan restaurant/club called Cabaret. We have dined there three/four times and have had great meals. The overall experience is New York meets Paris. Be sure to dine downstairs for a more lively experience.

Joel Goldsmith in Atlanta, GA USA 04/04/2007

Bike About Tours. These guys have a cool little bike business in Paris. They're not the typical/boring/touristy Paris tour. That's for sure.

Jamie Summers in Chicago, IL USA 04/02/2007

Lots of great sidewalk vendors that sell baguette sandwiches and freshly made crepes by Notre Dame.

Debbie in Austin, TX USA 03/26/2007

In Versailles, The Place du Marche was open. A fascinating display of all things the French eat. Ate lunch at A la Cote Bretonne. We spent an hour sitting in the front, watching the lady make crepes, and stuff them with everthing imaginable.

Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/22/2007

The guidebook was excellent - we used it extensively to select places to visit in our short trip

Warren Galloway in Toronto, ON Canada 03/11/2007

The open air markets on Tuesday and Fridays on Rue Operkauf. Tons of locals, selling fruit, meats, cheese, breads, clothes, and other fun stuff.

Robert in Winston Salem, NC USA 03/07/2007

As you publish travelling guide books, I thought that this special World Heritage project would interest you. A free night in a UNESCO’s classified city’s youth hostel is part of a special program for citizens from a member city of the Organisation of World Heritage Cities, in collaboration with Hostelling International. Free nights in Youth Hostels! You are interested in world heritage cities? Youth Hostels, a Passport to World Heritage Cities is a new project made for a better understanding of our universal Heritage. Please click here http://www.hihostels.com/web/heritage and learn more about a 2nd night free in youth hostels! The programme Youth Hostels - A passport to World Heritage Cities is an initiative of Hostelling International (HI) and the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC). Spread the word in your books! Participating youth hostels so far : Cancale, Strasbourg, Carcassonne, Paris-Clichy, Lyon, Lübeck, Namur, Mexico, Sucre, Québec.

antoine gauthier in Québec, QC Canada 03/05/2007

I have used your guidebooks to both Italy and Paris and find them to be very useful and user friendly. I have a suggestion for the Paris guidebook: please include the Metro line number when mentioning the Metro stop as at times I found myself trying to locate the stop over a very wide geographical area. When listing the museum information in your "Paris at a glance section", please include these same Metro stops. Lastly, in the interest of Franco-American relations, please advise your readers to listen how softly Parisians (for the most part) speak in public areas and advise them to do the same.

Elaine Mazer in Richmond, CA USA 02/25/2007

We just returned from Paris and used Rick Steves'Paris 2007 for all of our needs. This was my seventh European trip using Rick's guides and they are wonderfully complete and accurate. We found the following: Hotel Leveque on the Rue Cler is remodeling their dining room and the workers are there 10-3 or 4 weekdays. The funicular at Sacre Coeur was not working due to "an accident." There is a bus which is actually a grand tour of the area which eventually gets you to Sacre Coeur if steps are a problem. The altar of Sainte Chapelle is totally covered and restoration is in progress. It does detract.

Dee Littrell in Walnut Creek, CA USA 02/25/2007

Another good option for sleeping on rue Cler is Hotel la Serre, website http://www.eiffeltower-hotel-paris.com/English/Main.htm, across the street from Hotel Levecque. We just left there on Feb. 19 after four great days, and we got a double with bath for 65 euros/night through the Paris tourist board website, http://www.parisinfo.com/en/. Nice room, friendly helpful English-speaking staff, TV (no English-speaking channels). They offer a breakfast for 8 euros each, but we followed Rick's recommendations and put together our own from the shops on the street for 6-8 euros per day total. It's a terrific location, as Rick says.

Leo Cotton in Bloomington, MN USA 02/20/2007

I really enjoyed having our hotel across the street from a Metro station.

Steve Marsh in Plano, TX USA 02/18/2007

i would like to advise each person riding the metro to keep their ticket until they have exited the metro system at their destination. we were throwing ours away once inside the turn stiles as not to get used and unused tickets mixed up. well, we were stopped inside by some not so nice transit officials who demanded to see our tickets. since we had trashed, them we had to pay 25E for each of us that did not have our tickets on us. they did take credit card or cash. i would like to say in all of our stay in Paris this was the only negative experience we encountered. we have found the parisiens nothing but warm and helpful.

nancy meyerdirk in danville, CA USA 02/14/2007

Does anyone know if Le Montagnard restaurant still exists in Montmartre (place du Tertre? Last time we were there the owner, Didier, was in some personal transition and it seemed iffy. We ate there on Rick's recommendation and it was one of the most memorable feast we've ever enjoyed. Just fabulous--tiny, no atmosphere, but the food!!

Judy in Hinton, FL USA 02/09/2007

Buy the local mapbook called "le paris pratique" or "un plan de paris." It can be bought at tobacco shops, train stations, even Monoprix grocery stores. It costs about 3 euros and is well worth it if you are planning on spending more than a day or two in Paris. It lays out the city into 20 small maps (1 for each arrondissements or district). All you have to do is look at your nearest street sign, which at the top will say a number and "eme", refering to the district. Turn to that number's page and have a nice close-up view on that district, which helps navigating from metro stations to sights, or if you stray a little bit from one of Rick's walks. Mine is my bible.

Vanessa USA 01/30/2007

Hi Rick I feel like we are friends after having visited Paris with you via your guidebook. The detail you provided was incredible. I know we would not have found some places without your help, for example Jim Morrison's grave or the Catacombs. We had saved and planned on going to Paris for years and as scary as it was, decided not to go with any tours. We wanted to experience Paris with it's people, customs and culture and not get labled as tourists. We were throughly pleased with our decision and never got lost or felt out of place, largely due in part to your precise tour book. Thank you, my friend, you're awesome! Looking forward to traveling with you again.....

Louise Solomon in Lakeland, Fl USA 01/23/2007

We live in Italy and use Rick Steves everywhere we go. Take a baby backpack to the Louvre if you plan to follow Rick's guide through. The elevators are scattered.

Deanna Buscema in Vicenza, Italy 01/18/2007

Gare de Lyon's Le Train Bleu has excellent WCs, all the way to the left as you walk in. No one cares if you walk in and use them, either, I just turn left and walk as if I'm going to the left to sit in that section. I use them every time I arrive or leave and need to (some trains don't have rest rooms).

Ellen Bothwell in Melun, France 01/13/2007

Cafe Ruc - 159 rue Saint-Honore 75 001 Paris 01 42 60 97 54

A little bit more money than the average cafe, but the food is brilliant. I cook in the classic French-style, and I can tell you with some authority that this cafe does it right. It is oppulent yet affordable. The staff are typically French, yet polite and more than willing to help struggling foreigners. I highly recommend this cafe and strongly suggest that Cafe du Marche, Tribeca and their other restaurant be stricken from your books.

JC in Edmonton, AB Canada 01/05/2007

On a Winter Wednesday night you can find the Louvre practically empty. There were fifteen or so of us in front of the Mona Lisa. The crowd was so small that I ended up recognizing Rick's local guide from the show standing to the right of me and most improbably, an acquaintance from home on my left. I stood in the corner of the Mona Lisa room and talked with my friend for about an hour. You probably can't get that experience in the middle of a July day.

Matt in Encinitas, CA USA 01/01/2007