Route Planning

csthomo
csthomo Forum Participant Posts: 13
edited August 2018 in Overseas Campsites & Touring #1

We're about to take our first trip to France.  Not wishing to rely solely on SatNav Digital route planning we will be taking a 'paper' Atlas.  

There are a number available.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the best i.e. most accurate/easiest to use?

Thanks.

 

Comments

  • RedKite
    RedKite Club Member Posts: 1,717 ✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #2

    Michelin is what we use and you can get over in France more detailed maps also Michelin and IGN which are like our Ordinance Survey Maps available from most Hypermarkets or supermarkets and local shops also Autoroute Aires with Fuel stations and shops.

    Hope this helps and enjoy your stay we are in 2 weeks to go the other way back to UK for a break.

  • Dave Nicholson
    Dave Nicholson Forum Participant Posts: 408
    edited August 2018 #3

    Michelin map number 721 (National) covers the whole of France and I also use the AA Touring Map France series 1;180000 (see Amazon) which give more detail than the national map but as said above, most Fuel Stations in France sell decent maps but you may pay more in these garages.

     

     

  • eurortraveller
    eurortraveller Club Member Posts: 6,830 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #4

    Go to WHSmiths or Waterstones  and choose the format, size and scale you like - depending on your eyesight ! 

  • NevChap
    NevChap Forum Participant Posts: 180
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    edited August 2018 #5

    Another vote for Michelin. The National France one is useful when planning your route as you can see the whole journey at once: I find the map books OK for when you are in an area but not so good for planning a full journey. The Michelin regional ones are great when you are in the holiday area as they are much more detailed. As stated above they are easily found in most French supermarkets.

  • DavidKlyne
    DavidKlyne Club Member Posts: 13,864 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #6

    We have always used the Michelin yellow road Atlas. They do a laminated version now so you can mark a route in chinagraph and wipe off when finished. They also do Atlases for other European countries.

    David

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited August 2018 #7

    the AA Big Road Map of France is about 3m to the inch (from memory) a great map book in a ring binder format..so can easily be folded back on itself...

    not that we do much, i do the high level planning on this and then punch the selected route into the sat nav....

    tried to get the same scale for Spain/Portugal but not available in as great a detail...

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
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    edited September 2018 #8

    I find the SatNav invaluable in conjunction with “Archies” POIs (which lists all the sites) but mainly for the last few kilometres on approaching the site. It is always sensible to plan the route and be aware of which major towns you are heading for. The other day when driving from St. Remy to Millau the SatNav tried to take me on a detour through a village centre. I then missed a “take slip road” instruction and ended heading for Aix instead of NImes with a 10 mile detour. Had I been looking out for the Nimes sign I would not have gone wrong.

    For 30 years of travelling through France we always had Michelin maps, the first of the whole of France, the second the detail maps spiral bound 1/200,000. Replaced them every few years.

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited September 2018 #9

    I realise it's a personal thing, but I find the AA 'colour scheme' far easier to use than Michelin, which I find 'too purple'undecided

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,388 ✭✭✭
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    edited September 2018 #10

    Michelin for me as well for all countries other than the UK.

    peedee

  • iansoady
    iansoady Club Member Posts: 419 ✭✭✭
    edited September 2018 #11

    I find the IGN series much clearer than Michelin. Available from many supermarkets. But each to their own.

  • Kontikiboy
    Kontikiboy Forum Participant Posts: 304
    100 Comments
    edited September 2018 #12

    I prefer the AA Easy Read France one which includes IGN detail.   On the inside cover there is road map of all France showing all autoroutes and RN roads, Then a few pages with blow ups of all the regions, then the detailed road maps which are big and easy to read.  Hard back bound version, don’t like the spiral ones.

     Everybody to their own. Best advice above, is to go to a big book shop and look and feel the book and then buy it.    Decent book shops will have a selection.

    Enjoy your travels....

    BillC

     

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