As the former Paris bureau chief for the New York Times and a longtime resident of the city, Elaine Sciolino was well-positioned to write Adventures in the Louvre (Norton, Apr.). Her experience as a war correspondent also proved useful in navigating the fortress turned palace turned museum. “The first time you go to the Louvre you’ve got to be geared for battle,” she says. “It’s like being at Kennedy Airport the day before Thanksgiving. You’ve got to really plan it out. You’ve got to go to a café. You’ve got to fill your stomach. You’ve got to go to the toilet. And then you go to the Louvre.”
Visitors may find they need similar fortitude to venture out into a city that Sciolino calls “way overcrowded,” adding, “Since the end of Covid, you’ve had swarms of people coming to Paris.” And with good reason, she says: “It’s easy enough to get to, and it’s safe, and enchanting.” Here are five books that show travelers the way.
Adventures in the Louvre
Mixing history and memoir, Sciolino leads readers through the landmark’s many galleries, shares favorite artworks both famed and lesser-known, and gets to know the staff responsible for the museum and its treasures—the curators and restorers, the firefighters who protect the property and its people, the window washers who clean the I.M. Pei–designed pyramid.
DK Paris Mini Map and Guide
At a slender 200 pages and a scaled-down 5.6” × 3.9” profile, the abridged version of DK’s flagship Paris guide is geared toward visitors who want to make the most out of a short stay. A pullout map helps with route-planning, while practical info including a guide to local customs helps tourists avoid stepping in metaphorical merde de chien.
Do It in Paris
Editors of the digital magazine of the same name, which has 478,000 Facebook followers and is available online in French and English, recommend 450 attractions in this hardcover guide. The book is organized by neighborhood, pointing readers to the well-known vintage boutiques in the Marais as well as less-unexpected venues, such as a trio of Japanese eateries within a 15-minute walk of one another in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
The Eater Guide to Paris
Amid recommendations for the essential (bistros, bakeries, bánh mì purveyors) and the idiosyncratic (handcrafted homewares shop Astier de Villatte), longtime Eater contributor Tramuta, who has lived in Paris for almost two decades, offers primers on drinking culture, dining etiquette, and more. She also steers readers to worthwhile noshes near key attractions including the Luxembourg Gardens and Sacré-Couer.
Rough Guides Walks and Tours Paris
Ifans, a British travel writer specializing in France, outlines 20 itineraries for exploring Paris on foot or by car, guiding visitors to areas best suited to their particular interests. Art lovers, for instance, will appreciate the Musée Rodin in the 7th arrondissement, while bookish types can check out the Maison de Balzac in the 16th. Fast facts include how long each route takes, how much ground it covers, and how best to combine it with other tours in the book.
