Brassaï , Le Paris Secret des Années 30 (Gallimard, France). Extraordinary photos of the capital's nightlife in the 1930s - brothels, music halls, street cleaners, transvestites and the underworld - each one a work of art and a familiar world (now long since gone) to Brassaï and his mate, Henry Miller, who accompanied him on his nocturnal expeditions. This friendship with Miller is captured in his book Henry Miller: the Paris Years (Arcade; Timothy Bent, translator). 

Robert Doisneau , Three Seconds of Eternity (Neues Publishing Co.). The famous Kiss in front of the Hôtel de Ville takes the front cover, but there's more to Doisneau than this. A collection chosen by himself of photographs taken in France, but mainly Paris, in the 1940s and 50s. Beautifully nostalgic. 

Norma Evenson , Paris: A Century of Change, 1878-1978 (o/p). A large illustrated volume which makes the development of urban planning and the fabric of Paris an enthralling subject, mainly because the author's concern is always with people, not panoramas. 

John James , Chartres (D. S. Brewer, UK). The story of Chartres cathedral, with insights into the medieval context, the character and attitudes of the masons, the symbolism, and the advanced mathematics of the building's geometry. 

William Mahder (ed), Paris Arts: The '80s Renaissance (o/p), Paris Creation: Une Renaissance (o/p). Illustrated, magazine-style survey of French arts. The design and photos are reason enough in themselves to look it up. 

Willy Ronis , Belleville Ménilmontant (o/p). Misty black-and-white photographs of people and streets in the two "villages" of eastern Paris in the 1940s and 50s. 

Judy Rudoe , Cartier: 1900-1939 (British Museum Press/Harry N. Abrams). Marvellous photos of the world-renowned Paris-based jeweller's creations including Art Deco necklaces, rings, bracelets and brooches, among other objets d'art . 

Vivian Russell , Monet's Garden (Frances Lincoln/Stewart, Talson & Chang). An exceptional book illustrated with sumptuous colour photographs by the author, old photographs of the artist and reproductions of his paintings. 

Edward Lucie-Smith , Concise History of French Painting (o/p). If you're after an art reference book, then this will do as well as any, though there are of course dozens of other books available on particular French artists and art movements. 

Yves St-Laurent , Forty Years of Creation (Distributed Art Publishers). Glossy pages of the best of Y-S-L's stylish fashion photography and creations. 

Anthony Sutcliffe , Paris - An Architectural History (Yale UP). Excellent overview of Paris's changing cityscape, as dictated by fashion, social structure and political power.