Which Paris guide book should you pack for your trip to France? There are so many Paris travel guides on the shelves that it’s hard to narrow it down to just one (or two!). When I was planning for my own recent trip to Paris, I read twenty-five Paris guide books before I found the one I wanted to carry with me on my trip. Here are the ten best Paris guidebooks that I read, and the ones that I ended up purchasing for my guide book collection.
Lonely Planet Paris – The #1 Overall Best Paris Guide Book
At press time, the most current edition of the Lonely Planet Paris guidebook was released in 2024, but I still recommend the 2022 edition, which you can order on Amazon here. This edition still uses the traditional Lonely Planet format (the good one) and is worth buying before the brand switches to their extremely unpopular new format. In fact, if you plan to travel to Paris in 2026 or 2027, buy this book before it completely sells out.
This edition (with the gold cover, shown above) is great because every single entry in the guidebook was checked to make sure it’s still operating, and the information about opening hours and prices is accurate. A lot changed in Paris in 2020 and 2021, so it’s good to know that the businesses mentioned survived that two-year downturn in tourism.
I was relying on the older edition (published in 2018) when I was selecting a Paris guidebook. Still, it was my favorite Paris guidebook, and the one I’d recommend for anyone traveling to Paris. The Lonely Planet Paris clocks in at 416 pages, and includes absolutely everything you could possibly want: recommended day-by-day itineraries, guides to each arondissement (including attractions, restaurants, shopping and nightlife) and all the most popular day trips from Paris. It has colorful photos, easy-to-read maps and, in the new edition, a detachable card with all the information you need to get from the airport to your hotel.
Rick Steves Paris – The Best Paris Travel Guide for First-Time Travelers
I have such a soft spot for Rick Steves guidebooks, and his 2024 Rick Steves Paris guide book is no exception. This is a huge book, with 720 pages, but because they use tissue-weight paper it’s hardly any thicker than the Lonely Planet.
Rick Steves’ books are written for novice and first-time travelers, who want a balance of authentic local experiences and can’t-miss attractions during their Europe trip. This book includes itineraries for up to seven days, with neighbhorhood guides, transportation connections and bistro stops along the way. A highlight of any Rick Steves book is the self-guided walking tours; the Rick Steves Paris guide book contains eighteen different routes in Paris, complete with detailed maps and information about the sights you’ll see en route. If I were buying my parents a guidebook for their trip to Paris, this would definitely be my top choice.
Lonely Planet France – The Best Paris Guidebook for Travelers Going Beyond Paris Too
Released in late 2021, the Lonely Planet France guidebook is the best Paris guide book for anyone whose trip includes Paris and other destinations in France. Like the LP Paris guidebook, this book is still in the brand’s original format and is worth buying now before it’s completely sold out.
Like their city-specific guide book, this edition of the Lonely Planet France (shown above) has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure that information is up-to-date and accurate, and reflects any changes over the past two years.
⭐ New! My Top 10, unmissable Paris tours, excursions and activities are now available in one list here. ⭐
This is a big book, with more than one thousand pages, so it’s not the best choice for people who are packing light. But for someone like me, with a suitcase and an itinerary that crosses the country from north to south and from east to west, this is the best balance of information about Paris and information about the rest of France. The section on Paris is about 120 pages long, with full-color maps, illustrations and photos. There’s a further twenty pages about day trips around Paris, including Versailles and Giverny.
Note: There is a newer version of the Lonely Planet France guidebook here, but it’s the new format that I don’t love.
National Geographic Traveler Paris – The Best Neighborhood-by-Neighborhood Paris Travel Guide
First, I have to say that this book just feels nice in your hands. I like the cover design, I like the paper, and the whole thing just feels good. The National Geographic Traveler Paris guidebook would be ideal for gift-giving, if someone if your life is planning a trip to Paris.
This book has about 250 pages, including a brief introduction that leads into eleven neighborhoods guides (starting with the islands in the River Seine, ending with the “peripherique“, or the less-visited districts outside the city centre). Each section contains the top attractions, recommend restaurants and other useful tips, like walking routes and local history. On the inside back cover there’s a handy map of the Paris metro, and tucked inside the back cover there is a full-sized pull-out map of Paris to help you get your bearings. The only warning that I have with this book is that the font is tiny, so I don’t recommend it for anyone who has vision difficulties.
Moon Paris Walks – The Best Paris Guide Book for Travelers Who Love to Walk
The routes covered include Montmartre, the area around The Louvre, Le Marais, The Latin Quarter, the Eiffel Tower and Canal St. Martin (plus some of the adjacent districts). The routes are illustrated on easy-to-read maps and described using turn-by-turn language like “Go back, and facing the direction you came from, take Rue Lepic, which veers to the right.” It doesn’t get much easier to follow than that! There are about 120 pages of walking routes, plus another 30 pages of general information about the city. This book doesn’t have great information about hotels, transportation or day trips, but it’s ideal for active travelers.
National Geographic Walking Guide: Paris – The (Other!) Best Paris Travel Guide for Travelers Who Love to Walk
It was totally a tie between the Moon Guides and this Paris travel guide. This is a series that I love- in fact, I kept the Berlin edition from this series in my purse on my most recent trip to Germany. Because it’s designed to be used while you’re out walking, The National Geographic Walking Guide: Paris really does fit comfortably into your bag so you can carry it around Paris every day.
Updated in 2020, this guidebook consists of fourteen different walking routes around Paris. There are “whirlwind” tours showcasing the highlights of the city in just one or two days, or there are more leisurely routes through distinctive neighborhoods and around famous attractions. Throughout the book there are colorful photos, illustrations and maps. If there’s a downside to this book it’s that there is minimal information about accommodation and dining, but if you’ve already booked your hotel and enjoy finding restaurants en route, this is a great Paris guide book.
Fun fact: There’s a French term for someone who spends their days sauntering around town without a specific purpose. Flâneur is the masculine form, while flâneuse is the feminine.
Eyewitness Top 10 Paris – The Best Paris Guidebook for Visual Travelers
This is one of the few Paris guidebooks to get a fresh update for 2025! If you’re not much of a reader but love to look at pretty pictures, the Eyewitness Top 10 Paris guidebook is perfect. Short on text but dense with full-color photos and illustrations, this is a feast for the eyes. It’s also another purse-sized Paris guide book (it’s actually smaller than my wallet!) so it would be perfect for carrying around during a day of sightseeing.
Like all Eyewitness books, the Eyewitness Top 10 Paris puts as much emphasis on images as it does on text. The book starts with a quick introduction (including suggested itineraries for two or four days) and then jumps into its distinctive collection of Top 10 lists: Top 10 Museums, Top 10 Historical Buildings, Top 10 Parks and Gardens, etc. The lists are followed by about 100 pages of neighborhood guides and general travel information. This would be an easy book to read on the plane to France, and as one of the more affordable Paris guide books on the list it’s also good for travelers on a budget.
Michelin Green Guide Paris – The Best European-Style Paris Travel Guidebook
Michelin guides are not common in North America, so many travelers coming from the USA and Canada are surprised to learn that oui, it’s the same company making the tires, awarding stars to restaurants and publishing guidebooks, including The Michelin Green Guide Paris.
It’s interesting to see how the book reflects the tastes of European travelers, who tend to purchase this series most often. It’s focused on people taking a short trip to Paris, including itineraries that focus on arts, culture and French cuisine. Of course, falling under the Michelin umbrella, this 192-page guidebook also has good maps and a logical star rating system.
Frommer’s Paris – The Best Paris Guide Book for Luxury Travel
I have always disliked Frommers guide books, and the 2026 Frommers Paris isn’t an improvement over their other titles. To get it out of the way, I don’t recommend you buy this book, but I’m including it on the list since Frommer’s such a well-known name.
My issue with Frommers is that their price range has always seemed skewed towards travelers with an unlimited budget. Even the hotels and restaurants that they flag as being of good value feel like special splurges to me, and I feel like people who have that much money also have the ability to work with luxury travel agents and trip planners.
Otherwise, this book does contain the basics, like a city map, metro map and recommended itineraries. There are lots of colorful photos throughout the text, which is an improvement over older editions. Frommers uses a heart system to highlight the spots the love the most, which is comparable to the Michelin star system.
If you are heading to Paris, make sure to these articles about Paris before you go:
🍷 The Best Wine & Cheese Tastings in Paris
☀️ The Best Time of Day to Go Up the Eiffel Tower
❤️ Where to Stay in Paris (My Favorite Hotels & Areas)
🏰 How to Visit Fontainebleau (It’s Like Versailles Without the Crowds)
🏊🏻♂️ How to Swim in the Seine Under the Eiffel Tower
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