Some kind Fodorite posted a link to downloadable city guides of Paris. http://en.parisinfo.com/practical-pa...ris-cityguides They seem well worth while in the downloadable format, but I cannot find how to order actual copies of the maps or guides. I'd happily pay for hard copies of the publications, including postage, but I'll be damned if I can find a way to order them. I know I can pick up copies when I get to Paris at the Tourist Office, but I would really like to have them now for planning our trip next May.

Can anyone help?

How about clicking on Share and then clicking on Print? Does that work?

Oh, yeah, St. Cirq, I can print them out, but then they are big and bulky, and ----------- well, I just want the real guides in my hot little greedy hands so I can plan all the unhealthy and unwise things I am going to do to my feet, my bank account, and my arteries in May.

So there!

The site mentions a paper guide and a shopping basket so you must be able to order one. How about contacting this company - there's a "contact" bullet at the bottom of the page.

I tried that, Adrienne, and it goes nowhere. You only get to add tickets and such things to your basket.

I could, of course, write the Convention and Tourist Bureau via snail mail, which is probably what I will end up doing. I could print them out as St. Cirq suggested, but the four booklets have almost 400 pages between them, and I would end up with a huge pile of paper.

Sigh ---

Download as PDFs and put on a tablet? You can get an Android tablet for under 200 bucks. Some versions of Kindles would work too.

nukesafe, you're on TA also. I think travelnutty has downloaded a PDF version of that thingie that works well.Check it out.

Why not download the PDF and print the pages you want. I don't think these maps are very good; they're not detailed. Buy a Streetwise map.

Have you considered any of the other excellent guides to Paris that you can buy ahead of time? What makes you think these are especially worthy?

I'm sure nukesafe, who's been to Paris countless times, has a particular reason for wanting these. It's not as if he needs a general guide to Paris. It is a VERY good condensed guide straight from the Paris Tourist Office, which is enormously useful for people who can't or won't get their hands on something else. I'm sure he has a good reason for wanting it.

Good to know -- thanks.

Yeah, I do want the actual booklets for good reasons. Firstly the English versions appear really well put together and useful.

Also, I have friends who are struggling with the idea of going to Europe and to Paris for the first time. I thought these Guides would make a valuable addition to the guidebooks I have already given them in helping them make the decision to go. Once they do decide I thought we could use the guides to focus their planning and to answer their questions as they come up.

I guess I am of a generation for which holding an actual book in my hands sparks the imagination and fires the wanderlust.

Have you tried calling the French tourist office in the US and asking for the booklet?

I can understand wanting the actual booklet rather than printing them, it is a lot more convenient, because they are a lot smaller and less bulky.

I'm pretty sure you can get those in Paris at any Tourist Office booth. There are several (ones at most train station, like Gare de Lyon and Nord and de l'est), and the main one is near the Pyramides metro stop.

I also think it is possible you could get them from the tourism office in the US, that's a good idea to call them to ask.

Hi nukesafe,

Those look like excellent guides, thanks for the info. I'll be in Paris early November, and now plan on stopping by the Tourist Office to pick some up. If you haven't got your hands on them by then, I'd be happy to pick some up and mail them to you when we get home. A fodorite once mailed me a box full of guides to Morocco when we were heading there, so I'd love to be able to pass on the favour.

I phoned the French tourist board in NYC and they no longer take calls from the public. The recording directs you to a web site and an email address but I didn't have a chance to write these down. If you want to call the phone number is 212 838 7800.

Thank you, Adrienne. I did go to that link, filled out a form, and request the guides. I almost immediately got an automatic response saying they would send them.

Glad that's resolved. Let us know how those guides are. I didn't like that the maps were only of small areas of Paris so you'd need a full map to see where you are if you're unfamiliar with the city. I'm also interested in the print size.

I frequently recommend these guides for anyone who wants something seachable for trip planning. The physical copy is 5 in x 7.5 in, and I would guess the font is similar to Ariel 8.5 or 9 - - my 60yr old eyes can read it fine with my normal glasses.

Thanks, Travelnut.