Frommer's France 2004 (Frommer's Complete Guides)

Frommer's 2000 France is a beautiful package, with nearly 800 pages of stellar text sandwiched between gorgeous color photography and comprehensive maps of Paris and France. The pictures are stunning; showcasing the diversity of France, with the controversial 71-foot glass pyramid of the Louvre and the ancient grandeur of the Cathédrale Notre-Dame, a village street in Rouen and a Loire Valley château, plus Monet's gardens, Rhone valley vineyards, market day in Dijon, and a game of petanque along the Côte d'Azur.

The "Best of France" chapter offers even more highlights, and ultimately helps narrow the field to a doable itinerary. After browsing the "best of" lists on romantic escapes, driving tours, museums, vineyards, upscale restaurants, and affordable hotels, you can begin to plan your trip in earnest. Focus on Paris, Brittany, and Champagne country, for example, and you can use those chapters to decide on lodgings, plan activities and sightseeing excursions, and dream about specific restaurants and bakeries. To flesh out that dream, an appendix is available on French food, as well as France's history, art, architecture, and wine. There are also appendixes of basic menu vocabulary, an online directory, and useful French terms such as Je voudrais acheter ce livre and Au revoir, Je vais à l'aéroport.--Stephanie Gold