Openshaw Gene - Rick Steves Paris 2014

PARIS 2014

Rick Steves, Steve Smith & Gene Openshaw

Paristhe City of Lighthas been a beacon of culture for centuries. As a world capital of art, fashion, food, literature, and ideas, it stands as a symbol of all the fine things human civilization can offer. Come prepared to celebrate this, rather than judge our cultural differences, and youll capture the romance and joie de vivre that this city exudes.

Paris offers sweeping boulevards, chatty crpe stands, chic boutiques, and world-class art galleries. Sip decaf with deconstructionists at a sidewalk caf, then step into an Impressionist painting in a tree-lined park. Climb Notre-Dame and rub shoulders with the gargoyles. Cruise the Seine, zip to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and saunter down Avenue des Champs-Elyses. Master the Louvre and Orsay museums. Save some after-dark energy for one of the worlds most romantic cities.

Rick Steves Paris 2014 is a personal tour guide in your pocket. Better yet, its actually three tour guides in your pocket: The coauthors of this book are Steve Smith and Gene Openshaw. Steve has been traveling to Franceas a guide, researcher, homeowner, and devout Francophileevery year since 1985. Gene and I have been exploring the wonders of the Old World since our first Europe through the gutter trip together as high school buddies in the 1970s. An inquisitive historian and lover of European culture, Gene wrote most of this books self-guided museum tours and neighborhood walks. Together, Steve, Gene, and I keep this book current (though, for simplicity, from this point we will shed our respective egos and become I).

The book divides Paris into convenient neighborhoods (shown ). In this book, youll find the following chapters:

Use this legend to help you navigate the maps in this book.

Orientation to Paris includes specifics on public transportation, helpful hints, local tour options, easy-to-read maps, and tourist information. The Planning Your Time section suggests a schedule for how to best use your limited time.

Sights in Paris describes the top attractions and includes their cost and hours.

Self-Guided Walks cover six of Paris most intriguing neighborhoods: Historic Paris (including Notre-Dame and Sainte-Chapelle), Rue Cler (near the Eiffel Tower), the Left Bank, the Champs-Elyses, the Marais, and Montmartre.

Self-Guided Tours lead you through Paris most fascinating museums and sights: the Louvre, Orsay, Orangerie, Eiffel Tower, Rodin, Army Museum and Napoleons Tomb, Marmottan, Cluny, Carnavalet, Picasso, Pompidou Center, and Pre Lachaise Cemetery. The Bus #69 Sightseeing Tour gives an inexpensive overview of the city.

Sleeping in Paris describes my favorite hotels in five appealing neighborhoods (plus hotels convenient to Paris two main airports), from good-value deals to cushy splurges.

Eating in Paris serves up a range of options, from inexpensive cafs to romantic bistros, arranged by neighborhood, plus a listing of historic cafs.

Paris with Children includes my top recommendations and helpful planning tips for keeping your kids (and you) happy, along with information for visiting Disneyland Paris.

Shopping in Paris gives you tips for shopping painlessly and enjoyably, without letting it overwhelm your vacation or ruin your budget. Read up on Paris great department stores, neighborhood boutiques, flea markets, outdoor food markets, and arcaded, Old World shopping streets. Try the suggested boutique strolls in the Left Bank, the historic core, and Montmartre.

Entertainment in Paris is your guide to fun, including music, bus and taxi tours, and the best night walks and river cruises. Youll also find information on how to translate Pariscope, the weekly entertainment guide.

Paris in Winter provides tips on how to enjoy the City of Light during the wonderfully untouristy holiday season and beyond.

Paris Connections lays the groundwork for your smooth arrival and departure, covering transportation by train (including the Eurostar to London) and by plane, with detailed information on Paris two major airports (Charles de Gaulle and Orly), a remote airport (Beauvais), and Paris seven train stations.

Day Trips include the great chteaux of Versailles (with a self-guided tour), Vaux-le-Vicomte, Fontainebleau, and Chantilly; Chartres majestic cathedral (with a self-guided tour and a town walk); the Impressionist retreats of Claude Monets Giverny and Vincent van Goghs Auvers-sur-Oise; and, finalement, the Champagne city of Reims. For those who like to linger, I list accommodations near most of these sights.

France: Past and Present gives you a quick overview of the countrys tumultuous history and contemporary challenges.

The appendix is a travelers tool kit, with telephone tips, useful phone numbers and websites, recommended books and films, a festival list, a climate chart, a handy packing checklist, a guide to pronouncing Parisian landmarks, and French survival phrases.

Browse through this book and select your favorite sights. Then have a fantastique trip! Traveling like a temporary local, youll get the absolute most out of every mile, minute, and dollar. As you visit places I know and love, Im happy youll be meeting my favorite Parisians.