France: Instructions for Use.

France: Instructions for Use

Alison Culliford and Nan McElroy

Illustrata Press

c/o Beagle Bay, Inc.,

14120 Saddlebow Drive, Reno, NV 89511

ISBN 9781885436405, $14.95, http://www.beaglebay.com

"France: Instructions for Use*: The Practical, On-site Assistant for the Enthusiastic (Even Experienced) Traveler" is ingenious! At first glace I wondered how a small book as this could possibly cover all the information I need when traveling in France. I soon found out this is the most concise book there is on the market. Great things do come in small packages! A package small enough to fit into your purse, pocket, or fanny pack. At 4 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches, it actually holds 118 pages. And the wonderful thing is that I didn't need a magnifying glass to read it! More so, I wish I had it on my last trip to France but I can assure you it's coming with me on the next trip.

Okay, now to the content. I don't see anything missed because it covers how to get around by various means of transportation, money, drinking and eating, shopping, shipping as well as tourist information and a section called "let's be perfectly frank."

There is even a section of common phrases. My experience in the larger cities, particularly Paris, is that most people know how to speak English; however, this is not true for smaller communities.

Reading the section about driving a car made me smile and reminisce of why I wouldn't want to drive there. Being used to space to drive in and driving on the right side of the road, driving in France could be a challenge. However, after reading what the authors have to say, I may change my mind on the next trip.

On my last trip to Paris, I did take the train. It was very confusing and how we ended getting to our intended spot, I really don't know. After reading the section, I'm amazed we actually got to our destination. It would have been less stressful to have read this book!

There is so much more to "France: Instructions for Use*" than I can write in this review. It's a very practical, well-organized, concise book that is a must for any traveler to France, especially due to its size and content. This is not a tourist book giving you places to see or eat at, it's a book that give you sensible and matter-of-fact information that every traveler must know before embarking to a foreign country.