Driving in France without a navigator - any tips?

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DD and I are off on our first holiday abroad together. She is only 16m so although I'm sure she'd be delighted to sit in the front and chew the map, I'm not going to let her navigate.

I have driven in France a few times so I'm not fazed by the actual driving but in the past I have always gone with a friend and we have shared the driving, navigated for each other and been each other's second pair of eyes on the road.

The drive is coming out at 4.5 hours on the route planners. I have printed out a route planner for the journey from ViaMichelin. Looking at this I'm 90% sure no toll roads are involved so at least I don't have to worry about dealing with toll booths. I will write the key junctions on a post-it and stick it on the dashboard.

Does anyone have any tips on managing the drive on my own?

I'm torn as to whether to use Googlemaps or not. I use it in the UK to navigate around traffic but traffic shouldn't be an issue out of season in France.

Why wouldn’t you use Google Maps? No hassle then. It took me perfectly right across France last year, telling me where to turn at all points. Just listen to the robot and don’t gaff about with reading directions as you’re driving.

Google maps is your friend in this situation and if you are able to avoid tolls that's fine, but if you can't, it's worth getting the little button for your windscreen to do it automatically as you will be on the wrong side of the car otherwise. Sanef Toll is the name to search for that. Brilliant invention.

I suppose I'm paranoid about using mobile data abroad even though I know my sim says it includes 'roam like at home'. I'm still in the mindset of mobiles costing a fortune to use abroad!

I would absolutely invest in the automatic payment method as you will be on the wrong side for the tolls. I can not see how you can travel 4.5 hours without going through one. what if you are diverted? I printed off instructions off Google and took a road map as I was not sure what would happen with data on my phone and sure enough - I had none when i got there so we would have got lost with out them. Post its on your dash board is the way to go.

Download the maps for offline use, then you won't use much if any data. But honestly you might as well take advantage of free roaming before March!

I've checked again and the only bit of motorway en route is the A84 between Caen and Rennes and this appears not to be toll. It would be a big diversion that saw me on a toll road. So I don't really want to pay the 10E registration plus 5E annual charge for something I'm fairly sure I don't need. Of course I'll regret it if it happens but I'm sure I'll cope.

OP you can download a map of Paris (or anywhere) now and save it on your phone and then you can use it without using data. GPS doesn’t require data either. Here are the instructions. If I recall it’s not obvious how to do it but it is easy once it’s done.

Oops here’s the link:

support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en

Get a cheap sat nav? Google maps chews data on my phone and the battery!

I used Google maps to navigate in France for 2 weeks this summer. It used surprisingly little data!

I drove with DD at a similar age in France. With regard to toll roads, they all take cards now so you just lean over and tap and then go. You can also get out if need be, but I would just lean over the passenger seat.

Data is free in France, but I'd download the maps first before you go as reception can be a little sketchy in places.
I find signage in France quite logical and clear so you will be fine on the major roads.

Also most of the larger paeage stations have one booth that is double sided for payment.

I'd also stop often as 16 month olds need a run. Even better is find a McDonalds as a lot of them have indoor play areas for burning some energy off.

Ok, I would say get a sat nav. One with a screen big enough to actually see, and learn how to use it before you go.

Tbh, I find the motorways (paege or toll free) really easy. Much much quieter than Uk ones and with regular aires (rest areas) for you to stop at.

The toll booths are pretty much all automated now - you can either put cash in or credit cards.

Where abouts are you heading to? We always use the Caen ferry port and I am nosy!

Use the Roam Like At Home. It means it's identical to using it here, no additional costs. Call your carrier and make sure if you like. Then use Google Maps (or whatever) and don't worry about it.

Caen to Rennes has no tolls. Where are you going after Rennes.

Best tip to navigate in France is to know the names of the major towns on your route, even the ones after where you are headed. Most road signs concentrate on town names rather than road numbers.

No need to bother with the toll thing. Even if you end up on a toll road they are easy.

You can download sections of Googlemaps to use offline.

That being said we've just spent a week away using data constantly for Googlemaps, no charges as it does truly just use your normal plan data.

We've just driven from Calais to southern Brittany and back and Google maps was great. You can download if you like.

There were some hilarious French street pronunciations (even worse than mine!) and a surprising number of roads called Rue General (with a hard G) de Gaulle. The route to Rennes is really easy, though we didn't have a 16 month old along, but there are plenty of Aires to stop at.

Buy or borrow a sat nav.

Waze is heaps better than Google maps. It collects data from other Waze users to identify traffic hotspots

We're traveling from Cherbourg to St Nazaire (ish) so down the West of the country which doesn't seem to have toll roads. On the way back we're sailing from St Malo which is a really long crossing but shortens the drive on the French side. That's a good thought re contactless and being able to lean across to pay tolls anyway - not like fumbling around with coins!

I'll use Googlemaps on my phone. I definitely don't want the added cost and faff of buying a Satnav system. I use my phone happily for navigation here and it's a short enough journey that my data should cope.

Thanks everyone for your advice!

I use my phone and google maps. I have one of those sucker things from Halfords to attach the phone to window screen and plug phone to car charger. Whack the volume up and away we go.
That leaves the car hifi free for song and rhymes and audio stories to amuse DC.

So from Cher bourg follow signs to Rennes, at Rennes follow signs to Nantes, at Nantes follow signs to St Nazaire. If you don't see St Nazaire and have a choice between Paris and Bordeaux choose Bordeaux.

You really can get around France like this. I only use the Sat nav for once I'm in the right area and need to find the village or street.

We used the iPhone maps app. Siri talked us our directions all the way from Brittany to the centre of Paris. We’d have been lost with a traditional map as he told us which lanes etc...

There are no tolls in Brittany (I live here!) depending on which rumour you believe it's either because Anne de Bretagne agreed it 100's of years ago or because the French farmers wanted to be able to easily and cheaply transport their produce! Anyway, don't worry! I find the road signs way easier to follow than those in the UK - you will normally see the eventual destination and several other places along the way, which to me is more logical. I know the route you've described (we live near Vannes and my son boards at school in La Baule) and am happy to help further if I can!