This is the standard to which all French chefs aspire and three stars is the greatest accolade they can achieve, in spite of more new-wave guides coming along. Entries only get into this guide when they have proven their durability and reliability, so it is utterly dependable. What is interetsing to those of us who buy it every other year, is to see how entries change, some promoted to one or two stars, occasionally someone demoted or removed altogether, eg Jean Bardet at Tours for a year when he was found out using "false" ingredients ! The guide is so logical in every way that it can be used as a road map and street guide to major cities too.