France for Dummies

France is like a second home to Darwin Porter, a native of North Carolina, and Danforth Prince, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Both of these writers know their destination well, as they've made many annual trips through France since Prince worked for the Paris bureau of the New York Times and renovated part of a 14th-century chateau in the Loire Valley. Porter, a former bureau chief for the Miami Herald and a survivor of a successful career in TV advertising, is the author of the definitive upcoming biography The Secret Life of Humphrey Bogart (1899-1931), which has been praised for its fine behind-the scenes depiction of Hollywood at the dawn of the talkies. As one critic said, "At last, Darwin Porter reveals what was really under that trenchcoat." Jointly, Porter and Prince are the coauthors of many Frommer guides, including Frommer's France, Frommer's Paris, and Frommer's Provence & the Riviera. Cheryl A. Pientka is a freelance journalist and literary scout. She's the author of both editions of Paris For Dummies and coauthor of Frommer's Europe from USD70 a Day. A graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism and the University of Delaware, she lives in New York when she can't be in Paris. Outside of her writing and professional career, she supports her pet causes: the Animal Haven shelter in Flushing, New York, and strayfromtheheart.org in New York City.

Introduction; Part I: Getting Started; Chapter 1: Discovering the Best of France; Chapter 2: Deciding When and Where to Go; Chapter 3: Four Great France Itineraries; Chapter 4: Planning Your Budget; Chapter 5: Planning Ahead for Special Travel Needs; Part II: Ironing Out the Details; Chapter 6: Getting to France; Chapter 7: Getting Around France; Chapter 8: Booking Your Accommodations; Chapter 9: Money Matters; Chapter 10: Tying Up Loose Ends; Part III: Paris and the Best of the Ile de France; Chapter 11: Settling into Paris: City of Light; Chapter 12: Exploring Paris; Chapter 13: Traveling beyond Paris: Five Great Day-trips; Part IV: Tours and the Loire Valley Chateaux; Chapter 14: Tours: Gateway to Chateaux Country; Chapter 15: The Best of the Loire Valley Chateaux; Part V: Normandy and Brittany; Chapter 16: Normandy; Chapter 17: Brittany; Part VI: Provence and the Riviera; Chapter 18: The Best of Provence; Chapter 19: Introducing the Riviera; Chapter 20: Nice, Monaco, and Beyond; Chapter 21: The Western Riviera: From St-Tropez to Cannes; Part VII: The Part of Tens; Chapter 22: Bon Appetit: Ten Foods You Must Taste While in France; Chapter 23: The Art of the Souvenir: Ten Gifts to Buy in France; Chapter 24: Pardon My Francais: Ten (Or So) Expressions You Need to Know; Appendix: Quick Concierge; Worksheets; Index