GPS & Maps for Europe
"Be able to navigate on your own"
Milan - Italy
Global Positioning System
(GPS)
The GPS was
designed and developed by the U.S. government for use in military, commercial and scientific fields. This science
was used to help vehicles, planes and ships determine their locations world-wide.
GPS is a
satellite-based navigational system created from a network of 24 satellites placed in orbit by the U.S. Department
of Defense. The system was made available for civilian use in the 1980’s. GPS systems operate in all kinds of
weather round the clock.
Use in
Europe…GPS receivers
are excellent travel guide sources… they work well in automobiles and travelling by foot… anywhere in the
world. Most auto rental agencies in Europe offer GPS with their rental packages and are
highly recommended. They are offered in English…can be excellent tools for finding the many
unmarked roads and streets in European.
You can purchase
your own portable GPS device in the USA and load it with International software.
 Google Maps
With modern technology today you can go to
Google and find an address with directions…anywhere in the World.
Many foreign hotels in small villages and towns
cannot be found on any maps, but you can locate these on Google. My travel workbook always has copies of many
Google maps.
Google Maps: www.googlemaps.com
The European version of MapQuest or Rand
McNally is Via Michelin which is a division of the French Michelin Tire Company. This is an excellent online source
for driving directions in Europe.
Via Michelin
Link: www.viamichelin.com
• Directions in U.S. system
• Lists and costs of all toll
roads
• Detailed distance and time
charts
• Important travel
information
On one of my trips to Europe, I downloaded and
printed my driving trip instructions from Paris to Honsfleur, France. I used the "Via Michelin" driving program
without any other maps.
My driving instructions started in Paris at the
Gare de Lyon train station, where we picked up our rental car from AutoEurope.
The information indicated that the trip would
take about 2 hours and was 209 km and the total cost for tolls would be 30.03 Euros.
I was given the instructions to take me to A-13
which is the road to Honfluer and returned back to Paris. The details for this trip were accurate and easy to
follow.
This is an excellent program to use and it is
free...
Via Michelin
link: www.viamichelin.com
Purchasing Maps
The largest online map store in the world
(Maps.com) has over 25,000 map related products of (Atlases, folded street maps, and travel maps). You will find
country, continent, and province and city maps from all international World and European locations. Rand McNally is
another good online Source.
Europe
• Western Europe
• Eastern Europe
• Northern
Europe
• Southern Europe
• Central Europe
Computers...
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