Knopf Mapguides: Paris: The City in Section-By-Section Maps

My husband and I used this mapguide in Paris in December of 2005 and absolutely LOVED it. It is extremely detailed without being cumbersome and is also very inconspicuous. We even used it several times to design our own walking tours of the City of Lights. We lost it at a patisserie on our last day and actually went back to look for it, because we didn't want to leave it behind. A must-buy for a trip to Paris.

I travel quite a bit and when I travel I try hard not to seem like a "tourist" no big bags, camcorder.. huge guide book and map. I love these guides because they're small and handy. I can pop them in my purse and when I need to pull it out, I don't look lost at all! I love how the guide is laid out by neighborhoods and they have recommendation for restaurants and shops etc.. I have a mapguide for Paris, London, Rome, Barcelona, Madrid and all have been so helpful. I recommend these guides for your next adventure.

In 1987 I visited paris for the first time. When I purchased this guide it was like going there many times over. It is truely one of the best books I have ever purchased. It is an art guide, history book, architecture study, travel guide and more. What more could there be? This is an excellent reference all around. Its easy to research a novel from this tome alone. I felt that I stepped off a plane and had an excellent english speaking tour guide with me. I naturally proceeded to get the rest of the set of travel guides. It was better than all the encyclopedias I had in school. The benefit of this series is that unless the world changes dramatically, the travel guides will not go out of style of years to come.

Just got back from 7 days in Paris and will never travel without one of these guides again. It was the handiest and most convenient guide. Never got lost!!! We went to several of the recommended resturants and enjoyed them.

No I do not work for the publisher, but as someone who will spend 4 months planning 14 days away. I must say if I could bring only one book, this would be it. I have used it on every trip to Paris, and have not been led wrong by it. The book touches upon almost every conceivable church, museum, square, fountain, etc. that is within the City proper. If you were to study this book for 2 weeks with a larger Michelin map of the City,(one that is entirely on one looseleaf page, you could put the book down and completely navigate around the City on your own and find everything. Yes it is that good and well thought out. The ultimate writers of the guidebook deserve 'props' for how they did the book. I like the Knopf guides in general, but this one is the best.Some caveats:1. The hotel and restaraunt section IN THIS BOOK, in the back is too short and dated. The first and only time I booked a hotel in the back of a Knopf guidebook was in Venice and I GOT BURNED BAD! Unless you are talking about something world renown, like the Crillon, or the Cipriani in Venice, use another guidebook! For Paris, Cheap Sleeps/Cheap Eats has never done me wrong. In fact they have been uncommonly good.2. There are a lot of tricks for getting around the City, getting into museums, etc. You won't find them in this book, you are going to have to go to Rick Steves for that!3. The guidebook cant tell you what is best to see in this City, although it is not the Knopf guidebooks fault. It is the fault of the City of Paris. There is so much in that City, if you step off the plane and honestly look around, your head will spin, and perhaps you will start a lifelong love affair with it, as probably millions of others have. I don't think I have ever been happier, or more content, then sitting around drinking wine and eating frites somewhere in the Latin Quarter. Enjoy yourself and relax, the way the U.S. and the world is going, you may not get back there for a long long time.