Looking forward to you getting some responses ABCDEFG! I'm curious to know what apps are out there too.

Hello ABCDEFG

Rick Steves has some free apps for Paris:

http://www.ricksteves.com/ae/ae_menu.htm

Happy travels!

Correction to above: He's calling them downloadable audio guides, not apps. Might be what you're looking for, though.

thanks swisshiker! downloadable audio guides look perfect; exactly the type of thing I was hoping to find - we will definitely be at many of the museums so these should be very nice.

I found a decent free app with a map of the Paris Metro. Should suffice.

I got a lot of use out of the Rome2Go app on a recent trip. There's a Paris version too, so I'd definitely recommend checking it out. It has information about top attractions and searchable maps, all available without internet access once you've downloaded.

I also downloaded the Metr0 app for that trip - we didn't actually use it a lot, but that's because we didn't end up taking much public transportation in Italy. Might be worth checking out.

Among the iPhone apps we used and liked in October 2009:

Loney Planet French Phrasebook
eCurrency (dynamic currency exchange calculator)
Zagat to Go (helpful for restaurant reviews and contact info)
Paris Metro Subway (one of several apps we found in the iTunes store)
Wine Ratings Guide by Nirvino (helped us evaluate the myriad assortment of French wines)
iXpenseIt (budget tracking with live conversions of Euros or Pounds -- or several other currencies -- to Dollars. Tags the time and date of the conversion in its ledger)

Only downside is, with 3G roaming disabled on our iPhone (unless you have a $$$ data plan for Europe), we had to rely on WiFi to take advantage of live Internet capabilities of these apps.

That's Lonely Planet French Phrasebook.

I liked MetrO for getting around public transportation and escargo for menu translation. Paris Essentials (by Sutro media) isn't a bad app for random Paris attractions, and the Louvre has a great free app too. The Rick Steves audio app for Versailles wasn't bad.

Paris2Go
ParisLite
SpeakFrench Dining
French Lite
Paris Metro Subway
Wi-Fi Finder (use to find free wi-fi...only use your phone with free wi-fi!! pronounced wee-fee, I believe in France)
ditto on the iCurrency converter

There are several different Paris Metro apps apparently - this is the one I used for 6 weeks - it was excellent and can be used offline, an important feature.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/metro-paris-subway/id297404959?mt=8

Also the Louvre app was quite good - it features mainly the highlights ...

http://www.louvre.fr/llv/dossiers/presentation_alaune.jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673327657&CURRENT_LLV_FICHE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673327657&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500879&bmLocale=en

Just another comment re that Metro app - it's more than just a map in that it has an interactive FROM/TO feature that takes the guess work out of which line(s) to take and as mentioned can be used offline (while you're on a train)

bookmarking for info I can apply to our trip to Tuscany and Rome in early July!

I have recently downloaded "The Food Lover's Guide to Paris" by Patricia Wells on my iphone, and can't wait to use it on my trip next June!

I also d/l The Food Lover's Guide! Will use it in October.

Don't forget the free Fodors Paris Guide!

Hello,

I have a question regarding using the Paris2go app. Since this thread is about iphone apps relevant to Paris, am posting here instead of starting a new thread.

Ok, so to clarify on how I can use the paris2go app in Paris:

-my phone can have "Data roaming", "Cellular Data" and "Enable 3G" in "Off" position, as well as wifi in "off".
-"Location Services" for this app has to be "on"
-then, by touching the arrow at the top right corner, it locates my position - is that correct?

Sorry this is a naive question I know. Thanks for helping out.

Yes, that's right - I kept my data roaming turned off the entire time I was in Paris except when actively checking email or something, but was still able to locate myself on the map. It works using the phone's GPS, which doesn't require data to locate you.

(The app also works on an iPod Touch, but because that device doesn't have a GPS, it won't find your position unless you're in wifi range.)

iPhone users might reconsider when and where, or whether it's a good idea at all, to use an iPhone in public in Paris -

http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/iphone-stolen-in-paris.cfm#last-comment

jent103, thank you very much for answering my question about iphone usage, the information is very helpful for me.

I have both the MetrO app and the voyages-sncf.com app. All train travel questions can be answered directly from the iphone!

Just got back from Paris. I very highly recommend leaving your IPhone in your hotel safe. There currently is a highly mobilzed force of teen gypsies distributed all over tourist areas and subway exits scanning pockets for IPhones and pulling lots of other scams. It is a huge problem. Paris police have turned their backs on the problem. Read the other threads on the subject for recent personal experiences. Maybe take a cheap IPOD Touch instead.

There's no such thing as a "cheap" iPod Touch, at least not if you're on my budget. The cheapest one is $199. I love mine, but it does not have all the functionality an iPhone does - no GPS, for starters, and obviously no ability to make calls.

While realizing that one person's experience does not necessarily predict another's, I had no problems in March by keeping my phone zipped in my cross-body bag, keeping my arm on it all the time while walking. If I needed to use the phone map, I'd step out of the way (as would be common courtesy anyway) and do so. It's good to be aware of possibilities, but suggesting that someone buy yet another expensive device that could get stolen makes no sense to me.

A no contract IPhone can cost over $500. A used IPod Touch can be had for around $99. I would never under any circumstances take my IPhone out in public view in Paris to use GPS. How can you watch the GPS and what is going on around you at the same time? Just trying to help. Ignore at your own peril.

I don't "watch" it while walking down a crowded street; I agree that that's silly for a number of reasons. Hence the getting out of the way, under a shop awning or whatever. I find what I need quickly, put it away and move on. I know that your daughter's phone was stolen and I'd be upset as well, but many, many of the Parisians I saw were walking around chatting, texting or app-ing. Not the smartest idea, I agree (in Paris or anywhere else), but it's not as though everyone using a phone on the street is going to get it ripped out of their hands. Your point to be careful is taken. Your point to completely avoid using in public the device I bought for that purpose is where we disagree.