Jump to content

Please give me your advice on maps


mint
 Share

Recommended Posts

Need to get maps of an area in France near where we live.

Ideally, I should like them to be similar to Ordnance Survey maps:  1:2500 or 1:1250.

Am prepared to pay for them, just don't know where to start my quest.

Thanks in advance; you'd be doing me a tremendous service![:)] 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I too use the IGN 1:25000 maps - both paper and the electronic versions.

The maps are not (imo) the same quality as UK OS maps, both in terms of the strength of the paper and  the details, but are certainly good enough for hiking etc. On the digital maps where different areas overlap there is often a weird colour change due to the different dates on which the paper versions were produced - the digital versions are created from the paper ones.

I can recommend Memory Map software for the digital maps. I originally had the French equivalent software (cannot recall the name) but had a number of problems with that which took ages to sort out - frequent compatibility issues which were eventually sorted out by the supplier providing me with updated CD's. However Having updated my UK digital OS maps with Memory Map I then took the plunge and ordered their French maps as they had just got a licence from IGN to produce them. As the instructions are in English they were easier to load and to use. They also have a good forum for any questions which do occur.

I work out routes on my PC in the UK and can then download them to my French PC when I go there. The most advantageous thing for me is to then be able to download the route to my GPS unit which supplements my map and compass and makes route finding very much easier. As I often walk in the mountains alone when trying out these routes it is also an added safety measure.

The GPS records the track actually walked so it is a simple matter to download the track from the GPS to the PC to check the actual track taken against the route originally plotted - it is not at all unusual to find that the route you had planned is impractical for some reason or another - and then revise the route so it is more accurate next time.

Andy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree that the IGN maps are not as good as OS - even the blue walkers maps (sorry, can't remember the scale) fail to mark some paths that are marked with waymarks as rights of way, and mark others that don't exist.  And the level of detail of geographic features etc is not as good as OS either.  We supplement ours with numerous books and folders of circular walks, which often have more accurate and detailed maps (well, small extracts) and give us a better starting point for planning a route.

The other difference we notice, and this may just be our part of France, is that all the paths that we find with waymarks, of which there are many, are invariably hemmed in on either side by a hedge, wall or barbed wire fence.  There is rarely the pleasure of a path that heads straight across an open field towards some stile in the distance, as you oftent find in the UK.   It also makes picnics rather less enjoyable as it's difficult to get away from the track.  Is this the case everywhere? And what would happen if we dared to go into a field for said picnic - would we be arrested for trespass?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am not even sure that there is a law of trespass s I have yet to find the French word for trespass, regarding people coming onto my property to dump there rubbish, have a general poke around etc, the closest "vous n'avez pas le droite" never seems to cut any ice with the Picard voleurs.

Farmers and land owners in my experience prefer to communicate with their shotguns, if only I could do the same.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've found the farmers around here don't mind you walking around the edge of their fields, and through their farmyards. Though I always ask first.

Of course it depends what's in the field, animals or crops. I wouldn't feel comfortable picknicking in their fields though. Sometimes picnic areas are provided in the woods etc. There are some beautiful woodland paths near us.

Husband always says " there's no law of trespass in France" and goes where others fear to tread. But as JR says I don't risk it as they all have guns.

Helen, re the Série Bleue maps - I've found them sometimes inaccurate too. It's perhaps more a case of not being updated regularly. The scale is 1cm to 250m.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Helen - in the areas I walk (the Var) it is all wide open spaces so I do not seem to have the problems with narrow hemmed in paths. You are right about the paths - Having planned walks on the PC and loaded them onto my GPS I very often find that I have to be inventive when it comes to actually walking them! I download the track from the GPS back onto the digital map after the walk and it is amazing how many rivers/cliffs/unmarked paths I appear to have walked on. As long as you expect inaccuracy you will not go too far wrong.

The problem with using walks from books only arises if you get lost! The GPS will tell you exactly where you are within around 30 metres usually, and you can use the IGN map to locate that and reorientate yourself. My Garmin GPS can be set up to work on the same grid as the IGN Map (in the same way that it can for the GB OS Grid) which is better than Lat/Long as it is a smaller grid and easier to read.

Someone else has pointed out that much depends on how recently the map was made; on one of my walks someone has clearly bought up a load of land and has arbitrarily diverted the footpath so it is no longer as shown on the map. And that is on one of the Grand Randonee paths - is nothing sacred?? The varying age of the maps accounts for the odd colour changes in te digital mapping.

Another problem we have in the Var and also behind Marseille and Cassis is that in summer many paths are closed due to the fire risk. Having said that it is usually so hot then that walking is not a pleasure!

Andy

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Geoportail is a really good site and I use it a lot.

If you are using a TomTom GPS and want a really good way of preparing routes then there is a free programme written by a Dutch motorcyclist called TYRE, Trace Your Route Everywere, that uses Google maps to do your route planning and loads it straight to your TomTom. Dead easy to use too! This is the web site that will guide you http://www.janboersma.nl/gett/index.php

The last time I used this was to plan a route to visit some of the Cathar site near us, including Montsegur. It made the day so much more relaxing for me as the driver and my OH as nav!

As a matter of interest IGN maps are not as good as Ordanace Survey, they are the best in the world, but they are not far behind. I love good maps, they can tell you so much about an area and IGN are OK in my humble opinion...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks really really useful JJ.

I've been reasonably happy with my Garmin SatNav over the 2 years I've had it but I have to say that it's been a constant source of irritation that you can only programme in one waypoint. I've been toying with getting something else but been too lazy to put in the research to find one which doesn't have this limitation and this little utility might just be enough to prod me into getting a TomTom.

You'll forgive me if I stop short of saying thank you though because it's now going to cost me money [:-))]

[:D]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote user="ErnieY"]That looks really really useful JJ.

You'll forgive me if I stop short of saying thank you though because it's now going to cost me money [:-))]

[:D]

[/quote]

Tight wad!![:P][:D]

I have a Garmin Etrex handheld and it's fantastic if you don't know the road you are on because it gives the map of the road and not a diagramatic representation. But nowhere near as easy to navigate long distances with.

The TomTom came out tops in the reports that I read and that programme makes it even easier to use!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Nuvi 360 and it's a great little device in most respects, little in fact being one of them, and but for those waypoints...............

I blew a big hole in £250 on a new portable media player in Aberdeen airport less than a month ago (NOT iPod [+o(]) and 'justified' it because it was nearly my birthday [:$] but it will be a struggle both with my concience and 'er indoors to blow similar on a new SatNav so still not saying thank you!! [:P][:D]

Mind you, her birthday is not far off, hmmm, now there's a thought, she doesn't really need the new saucepans I was planning to get for her anyway [Www]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Erns, if you're going to be such as skintflint, why not just take her for a ride in the gypsy wagon, eh?  And, instead of taking her for a slap-up meal, just take the cool-box packed with some egg and cress sarnies plus a bottle of supermarket rose to toast her health?

I expect she'll still enjoy it and think you're one hell of a thoughtful fella![:D]

Only joking, Erns, please don't take any offence.[:P]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You could always buy her the GPS for her birthday and borrow it when she isn't using it?

A mate of mine did that, he bought his wife a wetsuit for her b/day and borrowed it to go sailing when she wasn't using it. He is divorced from her now. I had the feeling that she was not amused [:-))]!

Can't understand it really [8-)] ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...