Anywhere you plan to travel, maps are some very good tools to prepare your trip.
If you want to come and visit France, you can start with Google services like Google Maps, StreetView and GoogleEarth. I use the first and last very much.
If you want some more precise and accurate tools, you can have access to our best maps done by our National Geographic Institute (IGN) for free or a very small amount.
On your desktop, you can go to Géoportail where you will find all the maps and datas you could need even if you plan some wild hikes in the nature.
Internet on desktop is nice when you're at home but once arrived in France, you may prefer your mobile device.
Iphigénie (website here) is an amazing app available for Android and iOS giving you access to the maps from Géoportail. A nice caching system lets you prefetch your maps when you're online and read them offline if you're lost in the wild.
There are 2 versions of Iphigénie :
- The basic and free one.
- The extended and paying one.
The app will give you access for free to all the maps from IGN during one month but after you will need to pay. Maps can be licensed annualy or monthly. The annual license costs less than €15.
Of course, you can also buy the paper editions of these maps but they will be more expensive than the electronic ones.
I will end with a screenshot of my Google Nexus 7 showing Iphigénie displaying the map of one of my most recent outing along the Rhône river.
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