Hi! I would like to begin my research for a trip to France. We will spend a few days in Paris and then drive to the south of France. I would love some imput on the first of probably many guidebooks for France. I usually go with Frommer's/Fodor's, but am looking for something a little different. I have a great need to research the area as we have never been and don't actually know where we would like to go. We tend to plop in one area and day trip to places close by. Thanks, Sharon

Pick up a copy of the Michelin Green Guide to Provence and the Green Guide to the Côte d'Azur. Then get the Michelin map for Provence and use it with the Guide to pinpoint spots that you want to visit. You can use mappy.com and/or viamichelin.com to get an idea of driving distances.

I also like the Fodor guide to Provence, and for in-depth research you can't beat the Cadogan Guide to the South of France. It provides excellent historical and cultural background as well as the usual sightseeing recommendations.

For my month's stay in Paris, I liked Rick Steves' Paris and Steinbicker's Daytrips France for Paris, all for walking tours. Also, I found the Streetwise Map the best for Paris augmented by Michelin's map for the couple of times I went outside the main city.

I have over 8 feet of shelf space for my France guidebooks. Another 3 feet for maps.

My favorite guides are the ones already mentioned here. I never go anywhere without my regional Michelin Green Guide. I also never go anywhere without the red guide (restaurants & hotels) because it also has city maps with one-way streets indicated and also the main routes in/out of town. I also get a Cadogan guide for the regions I'm visiting (I think I have all the guides they publish).

Get the Michelin 114 & 115 maps for the Cote & 113 if you plan to visit Provence.

For Paris, I use the Green Guide a little less - I prefer detail walking guides. My favorite is "Walking Paris" by Gilles Desmons. Last year I purchesed some sort of "deck of cards" walking guide & found them worthless. I've used the Cadogan guide to Paris also. Get the Michelin detailed map of Paris that can fit in your pocket. My 7 year old book is #11, but I think it's been replaced.

Stu Dudley

Thanks to everyone for their excellent recommendations. We live two hours from any bookstore and everyone must be ordered on line. I know there is so much to see in France and we don't want to run around like chickens and never get a true feel for any one area. I know Paris is a must see. I am trying to read the posts for different areas from the Fodor's site , but it seems difficult without a map. i did order the recommended map last night. Thanks again for the book advice. Sharon

Do you have my itinerary for Provence & The Cote d'Azur??

My wife & I have vacationed in that area for over 24 weeks since '99 & I've documented my favorite sites, drives, cities, outdoor markets, Provence fabric, lavender drive, etc. e-mail me at [email protected] if you want a copy.

Stu Dudley

For a short stay in Paris, my favorite guide is the Week-end in Paris by Hachette (a French publisher). All of their "Week-end" travel guides of European cities that we've used have been excellent (a new Vienna one was released last week).
This is from the Amazon.fr site but you can order it from "regular" Amazon as well:
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASI...894114-1272405

At the very beginning of travel planning, I like looking at an Eyewitness Guide, or other similar illustrated guidebook (I believe Fodors has one as well). You may even want to consider photo books (whether coffee table books or otherwise) to give you ideas. Once you've looked at an illustrated travel guide and/or some photo essays, then that will give you a better idea of what you really want to see and allow you to decide on which areas to focus on.

When you find an area that you are interested in, then you can then look for a more detailed guidebook for a given area, like the regional Michelin Green Guides, mentioned above. Once I've zeroed in on an area where I'd like to stay, in addition to consulting the various printed guidebooks I have, I always like to see what hotels/B&B's are popular with the readers of TripAdvisor.com.

If they gave out a Pulitzer Prize for guidebooks, Fodor's France would be the winner! It can't be beat for one-stop shopping. Each page is studded with witty apercus, tone-poem descriptions, mise-en-scenery, and plenty of parfum. The intro have plenty of get-up-and-go, to make you do precisely that! And it has ooodles of budget listings, or rather, lovely chateaux that go for rock-bottom prices. But the writing is the best thing of all---it “gets you” to Paris before you arrive and “leaves you” in Lyon after you've come home.

I have found that the book sellers in England have a better selection than most U.S. sources. I use Google U.K. searching for 'travel books'. Chaters is a store that comes to mind, but my mind may be addled.

Thanks everyone. Stu, I would definitelyy love any help that you could send me. I emailed you this morning and my email was returned. I'll try again later. My email address is [email protected] Again, thanks for all the valuable information. Sharon

For a fairly comprehensive guide designed primarily for the independent traveler on a budget, try the Lonely Planet Provence & the Cote d'Azur Guidebook.

Sharon,

In addition to guide books, I recommend taking a look at at travel magazines and newspaper travel columns for more current information on destinations and restaurant reviews.

Woody

Woody: Great idea! Thanks, I defintely will, when I can hit a Barnes & Noble or a B.A.M.

I like the AAA spiral guides. It gives lots of info about places to go and see and only a few resturants and hotels. I don't usually care for hotel and resturant reccomendations becuase I use other more up to date sources for that. I just want to know where a site is, when it's open and a good way to get there or away from long lines.

My husband and I spent a week in Paris in April 2004 (second trip for both of us) and wound up using Eyewitness Top Ten Paris as about our only guide. We had others along but Top 10 was great; small, good maps, lots of diversity in advice and experiences. Highly recommended.