No help to you, but especially when towing, I would trust a good road map and AA routefinder/Google maps checked out in advance over a sat-nav any day. Once I've decided on the route, I'll set the sat-nav (which is built-in to the car), as it can be helpful with roundabout exits, which lane to be in at junctions etc, but only if it matches/catches up with the route I've chosen. For me there's nothing worse than blindly following a sat-nav, with no idea where you are and where you're going! However, many people (including my children) completely disagree.
We do that. Today we came from Ellesmere to here, between Clows Top and Abberley and did not want to tow through Kidderminster. Mind you, Cleobury Mortimer was bad, but a lot smaller.
As above I use a Michelin map book, Google and have a general look at the route chosen using streetview. Satnav is useful for junctions/roundabouts/lane choice and sometimes petrol stations/ laybyes
------------- Grahame
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I have an onboard sat nav in my motor, and while I do use it, I always check route on map and google maps before blindly following the sat nav. I made that mistake many years ago, never again.
I usually print out the route so wifey can check using map and see if miss Know it all in the dash is correct.
------------- 74,going on 25
Beauty is in the eye of the beerholder
I used Google Map for my recent trip to Normandy in France from Eurotunnel in Calais, avoiding Rouen.
I found the Via Michelin site difficult to use and Google Map much easier.
For sat nav, I just use my mobile phone using the map/route saved in advance.
I have unlimited data and free EU Roaming included in my mobile phone plan though, mainly for work purposes.
And yes to printing out the route in advance in case there is any issue with the phone, and I also have my old phone as a back-up.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Quote: Originally posted by les + june on 19/6/2023
I purchased one of these prior to coming to France. It has been brilliant.
Cost me £114 including hard case and yearly updates.
Just to add to my post since my renewed phone contract I am limited to the amount of data hence why looking for sat nav instead, the lidd0 put a link up for looks promising just so many variables nowadays is the basic one good enough for instance, I don't need to have reverse camera media and dash cam built-in just want to get toy destination hassle free lol
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Quote: Originally posted by steve mx on 20/6/2023
Just to add to my post since my renewed phone contract I am limited to the amount of data hence why looking for sat nav instead, the lidd0 put a link up for looks promising just so many variables nowadays is the basic one good enough for instance, I don't need to have reverse camera media and dash cam built-in just want to get toy destination hassle free lol
Be careful which Sat Nav you buy (including the one on above link!), a great many use the data capacity of your phone for live info, like traffic etc. using a Wi-Fi type link to phone. To avoid that you need a Sat Nav with it's own inbuilt Sim card!
If live traffic info is important to you, you might as well use an App on your phone and put the saved purchase price of a Sat Nav towards buying extra data if needed!
With phone Apps, worth picking one that allows you to download maps to memory (via cost free home Wi-Fi etc.) for use 'off line', that'll save you a lot of data usage on the road. I've used apps that only download traffic data (via phone) and they really don't use that much, come no where near my data package bundle of 2Gb (only used less than 100Mb), on long journeys across UK.
Recently discovered a free phone App (Magic Earth) from another post on UKC that has a 'truck' vehicle setting that should suit caravan/MH (you can enter vehicle dimensions and max speed etc.). Not tried it towing caravan yet, but tried it on solo car journeys, it's been OK with a minor glitch or two (but experienced the same on other apps and hardware sat navs too!). I've tried it planning a few routes and it certainly picks the caravan friendly routes to places I know well, and avoids the more unsuitable routes that are fine for a solo car (it will pick those if you set vehicle to 'car', so guess it takes some heed of the 'truck' vehicle and input dimension settings!). Not used it enough to thoroughly endorse it, but will continue to trial it, and it looks promising.
I've got inbuilt Sat Nav in car, and a standalone TomTom, neither of which has a 'Caravan/MH' setting, so loath to spend a lot of money on yet another one for when towing! So far I've found planning my caravan routes with TomTomMydrive online, and then transferring them to my Sat Nav (with the auto re-route disabled!) has served me well for 5 years now!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Sat nav France
via mobile 18/6/2023 at 2:55pm
