I am going to be driving around Provence for a few days then driving to Beaune and exploring that area. I am wondering if I should buy a Michelin map here in the U.S. or are they readily available when you get to France? Specifically, I am looking at purchasing the Michelin France Atlas, but would rather just buy the necessary maps in France before I pick up my car. How easy is this?
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
or are they readily available when you get to France?
The Michelin folks got started in France , a little over a hundred years ago, and be assured their maps of France are way more available in France than here.
You can buy them when you get there. The first stop some travelers make, after they pick up their rental car and hit the Autoroute, is at one of the fine French Autoroute store stops to buy their Michelin maps--these Autoroute stores are generally much better supplied with maps than the typical exit ramp/convenience stores in the US.
Or you can get them at a French bookstore, before you pick up your car.
Or order them online, if you can't wait.
Another idea: Of those who have used GPS in Europe and expressed an opinion, it's 200 to 2 in favor of rave reviews of GPS when traveling in Europe.
Posted by
New Hampshire
182 posts
Hi James
Consider checking out maps.com
http://www.maps.com/Default.aspx (look in the "travel maps" section)
I used them recently on a driving trip to Germany and Austria. I had heard about the Michelin Maps too and I actually liked some others better. This site has the Michelin's and others to choose from for reasonable prices. You can also see close ups of the insides of some of the maps to see how clear they are before you buy them.
I actually found the maps by "Cartographia" to be clearer and easier to be read than the Michelin Maps. We used them for the entire trip and they had all the roads - large and small. I bought them here, plotted my routes before we left and while we did make some changes along the way, I had a pretty good feel for where we were going before we got there and that made things much easier.
Posted by
Sarasota, FL, United States
1 posts
Hi
When I drive in Europe I check out Michelin's web site it's great!
http://www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/int/tpl/hme/MaHomePage.htm
I also get a map from AAA which is ok.
It's not hard driving in Provence and it's fun getting lost, if you have the time or you can rent a GPS with your car. Did you check out Rick Steves you tube web site or check out Lost in francelation
http://us.franceguide.com/special/lost-in-francelation-a-video-blog-on-france/home.html?NodeID=1893 (older videos)
Have fun , if you have any question feel free to email me.
Jeannie
Ps I'm going back to Provence next year
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
and it's fun getting lost
With GPS you get to have the best of both worlds, as they say: When you want to go right to the place you're trying to get to, the first time, you turn the GPS on. When you want to "have the fun of getting lost", you just turn the GPS off, and you'll be lost real fast.
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I find it useful to have maps before I go, for planning. I would think you could buy the maps you need before you go. In my part of the world travel bookstores have many of these maps, also large bookstores have travel sections.