Google Maps in Normandy vs. GPS from rental car company

I would not rely on GPS or Google Maps alone. I think you need a good paper map of Normandy with lots of detail. You can buy one from Amazon. Get the largest scale available. Paper maps are indispensable for planning your route before you start out. I always plan my route the night before, so I have a pretty good idea of what to look for, where to turn, etc. You just can't get that kind of detail on Google Maps and see the big picture at the same time, especially on a phone. When I had GPS in France I used the map feature while driving more than for directions, but because I had planned my route on a paper map, I had a pretty good idea where I was going. Once I was looking for a specific address, the GPS was great.

I agree that 7€ a day added to your rental car is excessive. Do you have a Garmin or TomTom that you use at home? If so, you can download French maps and take it with you, which is what I did.

I agree about a paper map such as Michelin.

I tried Google Maps offline in May driving in Slovenia with my Android phone. It worked pretty well. (I had mobile data available but turned off data just to see how it would work.) Occasionally, I'd get an error "Could not load map," but it never stopped navigating (it would keep talking), and if I just hit the "back" button it would pick up right where it left off.

I suggest you try out Google Maps offline at home before you get to France. Download the map for the area around where you live. Put the phone into airplane mode. Then try to navigate somewhere. It is a little different than the normal Google Maps. But at least you'll know what to expect.

But I drove in Normandy 15 years ago without any GPS - it was really easy, actually (I took the train from Paris to Caen and rented my car there, so I never had to deal with driving anywhere near Paris). I must have had a map - but it was still pretty easy driving around there. (Very beautiful countryside, too!)

But - no, I wouldn't pay 17 Euros a day just for the GPS.

Although I would have no memory fifteen years later about how to get around Normandy now, if I were going back, I probably wouldn't bother buying a fancy map now, actually. But I would though not rely on Google Maps blindly, either - I would look at the major roads the night before (maybe on a larger screen) and get an idea of the major driving routes. If Google directed me to some detour, and I knew there was a big highway that was more direct, I'd take the highway (unless Google was trying to tell me about a big traffic jam or something).

On my past three trips driving in Normandy, I have used my mobile Garmin GPS from the states for which I purchased their European map package five years ago. It worked fine, except for the few small local roads that have changed since I bought that map package. That being said, I also have a selection of IGN maps (far superior to Micheline IMHO, but hard to find unless ordered from overseas). But I never look at them them when I am in the car. That is just too dangerous unless you want to constantly stop, pull over, and look at your map before heading on. But I do use the IGN maps before heading out for the day to get an idea of where I want to go, or to locate smaller areas for points of interest, running routes, etc. I find their blue maps (1:25,000?) to be great for locating things in a specific area. I will add that when in Paris I use Google Maps I have downloaded on my cell phone beforehand for street navigation while walking.

On our trip from Lille thru Normandy to Mont St Michel and back last year I brought printed maps (Michelin), printed routes (google maps), a GPS device with loaded map of France, the rental car had free GPS, and we ended up using google maps on iphone and donated the GPS and maps after a while to other Americans we ran into who were trying to wing it.

Google Maps works but I like CoPilot better. It seems more like using a regular GPS. You have to download Europe maps though for CoPilot and it was $30 (I did it before my trip). I used Google a little and it works without data (same as Co Pilot)using the phone's sattelite positioning (at least for my Samsung S-7). You need data or wifi to search for an address though; after that you can turn data off and just navigate - no phone coverage needed.

Google Maps worked for me in England, Ireland, and France. Be sure to download the maps in advance while you are on Wi-Fi. When you are traveling, you do NOT have to be online to have them work--you get voice directions for each turn offline. Even if you take the wrong turn, it will recalibrate offline and give you new directions. However, if you are offline, it will not give you traffic conditions or road work updates. Be sure to bring a phone mount and a car power adapter when using these apps--they eat up a lot of power even when they're offline.

For more info, see https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838