JuliainVA

For our upcoming trip, we're renting a car through Auto Europe for time in Provence. We will be traveling with our kids, and of course I'd prefer not to get lost.

Auto Europe offers GPS and MiFi. The MiFi unit is like a personal wifi hotspot with a 1.25 GB limit and then speeds go down to 2G. For the number of days we will be there, the GPS and MiFi together cost $130.

We will have the $30 AT&T Passport international plan on our cell phones. That only provides 120 MB of cellular data, so it is mainly just useful for texting and using wifi when we are abroad.

I obtained the Michelin map that Stu recommends for Provence, #113. I also loaded offline maps apps HERE and Maps.ME onto my phone, and downloaded their Provence maps areas.

However, I've heard Michelin's maps have some errors (I'm not sure about HERE and Maps.ME). Do you think we'll want access to real-time maps over cellular data, and therefore we would want the Auto Europe GPS or the MiFi (so we can download Google Maps through our iPhones), or both?

Or do you think the MiFi or the GPS would be good for additional reasons I'm not thinking of? We are supposed to have wifi at the little house we are renting (knocking on wood), so I'm just thinking about driving.

Your thoughts would be welcome. Thank you!

sparkchaser

I would just use the GPS. It won't burn through your data.

And so what if the Michelin maps have "some errors" -- it's not like you will end up 150 miles from where you want to be.

Using the data to double check something that doesn't seem right it a good idea.

hetismij2

If you have downloaded Here maps you need GPS, but no internet connection. An internet connection is not normally needed to see downloaded maps and use them with GPS.
You can test this at home before you travel by downloading the Here map for your state, turning off all data on you phone an seeing if Here sees you and can give you directions to somewhere else in the state.

I have Here maps on my Windows phone and use them offline a lot - for 5 weeks in California last year, and more recently in Germany since we don't have built in sat nav in our campper. No internet connection at all.

hetismij2

I should have added that I also use paper maps, to give the bigger view, and sometimes to find nicer, prettier routes than Here would suggest.

Robert2533

If you had T-Mobile, it's all included at no additional cost. You would be able to use the Waze app to keep you up to date on traffice and road conditions, which can be helpfull.

Sarastro

I've heard Michelin's maps have some errors


I have found numerous errors on Google maps but never on Michelin. Where did you hear this?

Have you considered that you are over thinking your navigational requirements? The Michelin map that Stu suggested is all that you need.