The Best GPS Hiking Applications
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Visorando
Available on iOS and Android, Visorando allows you to use your Smartphone as a hiking GPS.
With this application, you can view the IGN 1/25000 maps of the whole of France (including overseas France). The IGN Cards are available for free for three days. After that, you will have to subscribe to a quarterly ($11.99) or annual ($18.99) subscription.
OpenStreetMap card pools from around the world (with unlimited caching) remain free after the IGN card trial period.
On Visorando, you can look for hiking ideas among more than 9200 trails in France. It is also possible to register, import/export your routes, or follow an existing hike.
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ViewRanger GPS
Available on iOS and Android, ViewRanger is the best app if you go hiking abroad. Through partnerships with various national mapping agencies, Viewranger offers topographic maps in 23 countries.
This GPS hiking app gives you free access for seven days to 1: 25,000 IGN maps covering the whole of France. After this period, you will have to subscribe to the IGN Geoportal ($5.49 per month or $ 19.99 per year).
ViewRanger makes available free international maps in open source. You can also purchase and install detailed maps for Europe, the USA, Canada, and New Zealand. Advantage? No need to change the app when you visit another country!
Another strength of the app is that you belong to a community with which you can share your itineraries.
Are you going as a family? Family hiking: our guide
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Iphigenia
Available on iOS and Android, Iphigenia was developed by the National Geographic Institute. It is a reference application for French maps because it uses Geoportal maps.
The application is a visualization tool of the maps and orthophotos of the Geoportal and functions as a conventional GPS. It allows you to display your position in real time, altitude, distance and to consult maps, aerial photos, street maps, etc.
Access to all the Cards is free for seven days; then you must subscribe to the Geoportal ($5.99 per month or$ 14.99 per year) for unlimited access. Iphigenia also offers maps of Spain, Germany, Italy, and Norway.
To create, import and export your tracks, you will need to add$5.99.
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SityTrail
Available on iOS and Android, SityTrail allows you to access topographic, tourist and cadastral maps of IGN France. The application is charged ($11.99 per month or $ 24.99 per year).
On SityTrail you will find more than 60,000 km of GR and PR trails, for thousands of hiking in France. The application also hosts maps for countries such as Spain, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, the USA, Canada, etc.
You can record your hikes in real time and create points of interest with photos and comments.
The app also has an alarm if you are moving away from the route. No need to watch your Smartphone all the time, this alarm system will save you from getting lost or having to turn back!
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Topo GPS France
Available on iOS and Android, the app makes your phone a complete GPS device. The topographical maps to 1/25000 of France are detailed. The accuracy of the location is less than 5 min favorable conditions.
The price of the detailed topographical map is 0.99 $ for four sections of 4 on 4 km. The purchased sections and future map updates are available for life.
Topographic maps of Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and New Zealand can be purchased on the application.
On Topo GPS you can record routes, with pause and repeat options. And the app gives you free access to the Topo GPS route collection.