The Mini Rough Guide to Paris (Miniguides S.) - Softcover

Brown, Amy K; Kaberry, RACHEL; Rough Guides

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1858286794 ISBN 13: 9781858286792

Publisher: Rough Guides, 2001

Synopsis

The ultimate pocket handbook to the city, featuring: Perceptive accounts of all the sights, from the Louvre to the Cité des Sciences. Insider's reviews of the best hotels, restaurants, shops, markets and much more. Excursions to Chartres, Versailles and other day-trip destinations. Full-colour maps, with grid references for every attraction and accommodation.

About this title

About the Author

Ruth Blackmore is a senior editor at Rough Guides, co-author of Paris Directions and a contributor to the Rough Guide to France and the Rough Guide to Classical Music. James McConnachie is a writer and photographer from London. He is author of the Rough Guide to The Loire, co-author of Nepal and Paris Directions and contributor to the Rough Guide to France.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

WHEN TO GO The best time to visit Paris is largely a question of personal taste. The city has a more reliable climate than Britain, with uninterrupted stretches of sun (or rain) year-round. However, while it maintains a vaguely southern feel for anyone crossing the English Channel, Mediterranean it is not. Winter temperatures drop well below freezing, with sometimes biting winds. If you’re lucky, spring and autumn will be mild and sunny; in summer it can reach the 30s°C (80s°F). In terms of pure aesthetics, winter sun is the city’s most flattering light, when the pale shades of the older buildings become luminescent and long shadows criss-cross the parks. By contrast, Paris in high summer can be unpleasant, with the fumes of congested traffic becoming trapped within the high narrow streets, and the reflected light in the city’s open spaces too blinding to enjoy. One of the quietest times of year to visit is during the French summer holidays from July 15 to the end of August, when large numbers of Parisians flee the city for the coast or mountains. However, a lot of Paris’s shops and restaurants will be closed during this period. There is, too, the commercial calendar to consider – fashion shows, trade fairs and the like. Paris hoteliers warn against visiting during the months of September and October, and finding a room even at the best of times can be problematic. Early spring, autumn if you book ahead, or the midwinter months will be most rewarding.

Edition details

• Publisher: Rough Guides
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1858286794
• ISBN 13: 9781858286792
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400