New Edition for 2008 but not actually updated!December 3, 2008 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I purchased this after having owned a number of previous eyewitness guides for various cities.
I already owned the old paris guide but decided to get the 'new' 2008 guide, Updated is a very loose term for what has happened. The guide is hopelessly outdated and the author who is supposedly a Parisian should be ashamed that they have done an injustice. The book contains outdated information regarding the public transport system and the maps used in the book are truly terrible. There is no mention of the 'free' for hire bikes, Velib which were introduce in 2007 well before the Feb 2008 print date.
All in all i would avoid buying this book until it is totally re-written from front to back, the updates are useless and they are still using the photos from the original edition which means the photos date from the early 90's. How hard is it to have someone walk round paris for a week retaking photos?
Save your money and buy a pocket map and use online guides to decide what you want to do during your visit!
Detailed, but extremely easy to use - essential...May 2, 2008 7 out of 7 found this review helpful
If time is tight, or you just like to arrive at a holiday destination very well prepared, a guidebook is a valuable and important investment. So choosing the right one is crucial.
Whilst I suspect that "Time Out" and "Lonely Planet" books probably sell in greater volume, having looked through them both I'm extremely glad I opted instead to use this Eyewitness Travel Guide for my recent trip to Paris. It helped me make the most of my trip.
As with most guidebooks this breaks down Paris into a series of districts - but then very clearly labels the key attractions, how to find them and even proposes short walks that will enable you to get the most out of your time in that area.
Accepting that flicking between pages as you try to find different streets, where to eat, where the nearest Metro station is (etc etc!) is a fact of life, the Eyewitness Guide makes all that extremely straightforward so navigating your way round each section is a breeze.
Also, unlike a number of other guidebooks, aside from numerous photographs this guide provides immensely useful illustrations of key attractions. So you don't find yourself pouring over endless pages of text - as a guide it's therefore clear and very easy on the eye.
All in all, this is probably the guidebook I've found the easiest to use and would highly recommend it.
Standards seem to have dropped. Disappointing!!!April 11, 2008 5 out of 9 found this review helpful
One of the beauty that I like about DK guides is not only the colourful illustration of sites/buildings that you need to visit, what I treasured most is their recommendations to where to eat and where to stay. I used several DK guides and it seems what they recommend are spot on(at least to my taste). Having had the same guide book for Paris for the last 11yrs, I have decided to upgrade to the latest version which was published this year - Feb 2008. I have recently travel to Paris (beginning of April) using the new version of this guide, I managed, in 1 day, to find 2 restaurants which they have recommended is no longer there. How disappointing!!!! I would not recommend anyone to pay the Retail price to buy this book. If you can get it for a fiver, go for it. Otherwise I would use another one.
