GPS vs. maps in France

Karen...I'm a map kinda guy myself, but the last few years have sold me on the GPS, especially when driving in Europe. They're better than any passenger-seat navigator in telling you what roads to take, when your turns are coming up, and the like. They'll take you directly to your destination without you having to worry about one-way streets or the exact block where your hotel or other destination is located. I have not found them difficult to program...simply ignore all the extra features some manufacturers are piling onto their machines, and just use the destination address function. You can purchase some GPS models that already have European maps installed. I use a Tomtom 920 that I purchased refurbished...and while the maps are not 2009, I have not had major problems. Bring a map as a backup, tho.
If you do opt for maps, take some time at maps.google.com to locate the exact spots you're travelling to. Not only will that give you an exact location, but you'll get a chance (with satellite view) to see exactly what the area looks like....a good visual reminder when you arrive there.

Amazon has some great deals on Garmin GPS. I bought a Nuvi 270 for my recent trip to Italy. It was easy to use and worked great despite not having the most recent maps. Cost was only $150 preloaded with european maps. I'm very good with directions and a map person like Norm, but would likely have gotten lost a couple of times without the GPS. Since you'll be driving in the French country side, I think a GPS is the way to go. By the way, Sarlat is great. Try to be there on market day.

Great info! Thanks to you both. Karen

Agree with Norm and Frank and would encourage you to try the gps. Take a good map as well. Just did the Normandy, Loire and Dordogne areas with my almost 3 year old tomtom 910 and it got us where we wanted to go just fine. Those here who were reluctant to try a gps the first time, including myself, and decided to give it a try were glad they did. Personally I would not want to go again without one.

I think I'm one of the two who rarely uses a GPS. I just like maps better, and sometimes, I enjoy getting a little lost. I can say for Amboise and the Loire, though, you definately don't need a GPS here. Two main roads run parallel to the river on each bank, and all the major chateaux sit just off either of these roads, well marked by signs. In general, I find Europe (at least, western Europe) easier to navigate than the US, mainly because the roads are so well marked. One big exception, though- the cities! Here, a GPS is invaluable.

How about the roads in and around Provence? Easy to navigate without a GPS?

You may want to check with Autoeurope car rentals. I can't say about France, but we just returned from England where the GPS for 2 weeks cost $96, including shipping (they mail it to you, you mail it back...strange, yes, but check out that price). I know rates may vary from country to country, but in addition to the deal on GPS our English rental with automatic transmission and CDW for 7 days was less than the Avis rental last year in the Loire for 4 days. Autoeurope also had free GPS in some locations when I checked in April. A good company to work with.

We travel alot in France and always drive. For years we used maps... some good ..some bad. Now we only use our own GPS... but we know how to use it well before we leave. It has been wonderful!! You do not have to use it all the time . If you have found your hotel and the next day you just want to wander around, do it. Make sure you put a marker on your hotel and then when you are ready to return, just press the hotel. When you find that special place to picnic or a neat restaurant , put down a marker and you can always return.My husband is a photographer and when he sees a shot , but the light is bad he puts down a marker and we return when the light is better. We still use maps, but the best place to get maps is in France in each area. The regional maps that you buy there are much better and have many more small villages. For example, in Burgundy, we went into Avallon and found a stationary store with maps. They were just of Burgundy and quite detailed.We found some neat places in the Morvan forest area that we would never have found with a map from the US.

We just returned from vacation around the US and used a GPS for the first time.

It was just amazing! It found and recognized small gravel roads in Arkansas and short streets in Grand Isle, La.

I will never travel without a GPS again. We bought the Garmin Nuvi 780. Costco has had the 780 for $250 and the 880 (I believe) for $299. Well worth the prices.

It is also prudent to get the Lifetime updates for the maps.

I found it easy to get around Provence w/o GPS. There are not really that many roads to choose from and the area is relatively small. In May when I was there, there was not much traffic on the roads. However, I should imagine that it will be quite different in August if that is when you are going.

I study maps carefully before I leave so I have a pretty good idea of how to get where I am going an on which roads. I am definitely a map person!!! The road atlas books are invaluable for each country.

We used maps everywhere, but if we did it again would use a gps. Much faster, no guess work, never lost, 100% piece of mind.

Maps are usable though...

-Brett

We have always used maps in France & other European countries and always will. The secret is to use the most detailed maps available, use your noggin, always know the name of the next town on your route (because that town will be on the highway or road signs) and enjoy the good French road system. If you pass through a town on market day, STOP. Enjoy the market. Are GPS thingies programmed to tell you about markets? Are they programmed to show the "rue Principale" in the next town where the good lunch time restaurants are? Driving in France should be fun and will be fun if you have good map, a good mind, a good car and a good navigator.

This may be an aesthetic thing, but even if I got a GPS I would still want a good map.

GPS may tell you where to turn next, but a map will tell you where everything is in relation to everything else. This is more complicated but also immensely useful for itinerary planning and contingencies.

Maps also help me to connect better to the land, one of the reasons I travel.

One final note... for some reason, areas of eastern France and a small sliver of adjacent territory in Switzerland seem to be a GPS "dead zone". I don't know why, but on at least two separate trips on two differen machines, the orientation of the GPS was wrong.

MY TOM TOM 920 worked flawlessly in Provence a couple of weeks ago, and then for our drive back North, stopping in the Loire, Normandy, and Paris.

This one thing has been the best enhancemanet to our 30+ years of marriage!

Make sure that you buy a GPS that has built in EU maps. Every time that I go somewhere, I go to the TOMTOM site and load the free updates. And make sure you buy a GPS that sounds an alarm when you approach the fixed radar camera sites! I love that feature.

We also believe in bringing a map and a compass. We bought a great small fold up Michelin map of France, and used it to plot our route.

"If you pass through a town on market day, STOP. Enjoy the market." A common question we encounter on this forum is "How do I find things off the beaten path?" I think Norma's suggestion is about as close as we will ever arrive to a definitive answer. Plus, it's a great reason to build some flexability into a trip, rather than following the herd on a dogmatic schedule of "must-sees".

I don't disagree with Norma. Stop and take advantage of what you see. I also think having a map to look at your progress and other things in the area is a great idea.

I will still take the GPS. A good TomTom or Garmin with N. American and European maps isn't that much more than renting a GPS.

Why bring the GPS? When you see that market you want to stop at. A touch on my TomTom will instantly show me where public parking is available. It's much better than trying to find parking then giving up after 20 minutes and missing the market anyway.

When you need gas, a touch will show you where the nearest gas stations are.

If I'm staying at a small hotel or B&B, that most people have never heard of, I can enter the street address and the GPS will take me there even when there are no street signs to tell me which road is which.

I suggest getting a GPS and learning how to use it before you are on the road so you can get full use of its features, which is another reason not to rent a GPS.

I have used gps in France and Italy and it's so much better than a map, especially in downtown Paris. The newer Garmins have about four hours of battery life, so you can take them with you in many of the towns that do not allow cars - Florence, Venice, etc.

Brad hit the "nail on the head"! There is absolutely no reason not to use a simple lo-cost technology that will enhance your trip, and contribute to your safety.

Just knowing that you cannot get lost, and knowing that the GPS always knows where you are is security in itself.

I was with a friend one time on the freeway when he broke down in the middle of nowhere. There were no addresses, and no cross roads. I touched my GPS and turned on the "where am I" feature. It gave me the coordinates, and then told me how far we were from the nearest roads. When I got on my cell phone and called for help I could tell the tow truck driver exactly how to get our location. What a relief!