Frommer's Paris from $80 a Day 2001

If you take one book with you to Paris, this is the one to take. Absolutely great book. explains how Paris is laid out. Recommends hotels in various price ranges weather you are looking for a youth hostel to crash in by yourself, or a hotel for the family with amenities to keep the kids entertained. This book includes current attraction listing along with current times and prices. It will guide you to great restaurants, night life, or attractions by arrondisement. It also includes a Metro Map and a Map of the City and smaller maps of each of the major neighborhoods in Paris. I have been to Paris 4 or 5 times in the past two years and this book has never steered me wrong. It does a great job of ensuring your trip to Paris is everything you hope for.

This book was recommended by a friend who had just been to Paris. It has all the information you need, from how to get from the airport to your hotel (shuttle is best), to hotels (listed by location and price), to restaurants(by area, specialties and price). It explains the cuisine of the different regions of France and which restaurants to find them in. It also notes the ambience of many restaurants, ie French attitude, or catering to non-French speaking patrons. It explains the best ways of getting around Paris, the top ten sights, off the beaten path sights, shopping guides for everything from jewelry, to wine, to porcelain, to food etc. It has guides and maps for wonderful walking tours of the different arrondisements (areas/distrcits) that take you past historically,literary and architecturally significant places. It tells you about the tourist sights (Moulin Rouge) where Parisians rarely frequent, as well as the places Parisians love to go. It also has information on organized tours, tips on Museum passes and Metro passes and a decent regular sized folding map of Paris is included in the back. Additionaly, there is wonderful information on trips outside of Paris, such as Versailles and Chartre. This makes planning your trip fun and enjoyable. This book is well worth owning if you are going to Paris soon, and if not buy it anyway, planning ahead is always a good idea!