Paris Eating and Drinking - 2004, 6th Edition
Penguin Books
Editor: Rosa Jackson
The annual update of this trusty guide does not fail to tempt and entertain. With typical Time Out spark and wit, it analyses everywhere in marvellous depth, from Hard Rock Café ('the explosion in the spray-cream factory that is the banana split was gargantuan but, by Bon Jovi, was it tasty') to Taillevent, considered one of the world's top 10 restaurants ('even the company of blasé bankers and other lucky dogs who might be described as regulars couldn't numb our constant, quiet pleasure'). It includes how to bluff it as a wine buff, and the correct method for scoffing quail - it's OK to hold a bone with one hand but never two. A minor criticism is that the book is organised by eaterie type rather than area, so comparing options in your arrondissement could involve confusing page shuffling.
TheRough Guide to Provence and the Côte d'Azur
Rough Guides
Kate Baillie, Chris Pitts and Neville Walker
The spot on Mount Ventoux where Tour de France competitor Tommy Simpson said 'put me back on the bloody bike' before dying of heart failure; the royal custom in Marseille that let the king's daughter choose her husband from the guests at her wedding celebration by handing him a drink and leading him up the aisle - nothing but a Rough Guide would fill you in on legend, politics and tradition alongside cafe listings and train fares with such reliable aplomb.
The guide is complex but never complicated and you trust its recommendations implicitly.
French Holiday Homes - Villas, Gîtes and Apartments, Alastair Sawday's Special Places to Stay
Alastair Sawday Publishing
Trawling through brochures for the perfect hideaway can become bothersome; this book aims to cut to the chase and recommend the rarest, most original pads for private rental, booked directly with the owner. You could choose Hameau l'Autourière near Var, which was once used for rearing silkworms, or bed down in The Cottage near Tarn, close to a museum of sculpted sugar. The simple descriptions are warm and pleasant, but the book would not make great bedtime reading - it lacks the usual quirky detail and creative prose.
Eating Out En Francais
Bloomsbury Reference
Editor: Simon Collins
If you've ever loved the sound of the word baleine so much you ordered it in a lovely French bistro, only to be horrified by the appearance of a large platter of whale meat at your table, this book is for you. It's a simple dictionary for French menus, with a handy wine guide, including descriptions of the region in which they are produced, plus instructions on how to eat types of cheese. It translates more than 2,000 terms, from banana split (banana split) to brains (cervelle), brawn (fromage de tête) and bone marrow (moelle). Cannibals needn't get excited to see Claire on the menu; it's a type of oyster. The book is a must for the fussy eater who couldn't stomach a surprise on their plate.
