25 Best Websites And Apps For Travelling In France

Want to make your travels not only easier and more comfortable but also cheaper?  Here are the 25 best websites and apps for France that I have found and used. They are available in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Some are Paris travel apps and some cover the entire country.

These helpful travel tools are not limited to France. Most of them are useful for travelling anywhere in the world. And even better? They’re all free and I have divided up the list into these categories: Travel websites, Navigation, Transportation, Travel Planning, Communication, Currency/Financial, Food, and Miscellaneous apps.

Travel apps for France

**This post contains an affiliate link.  This means if you make a booking, I do earn a commission on each sale at no cost to you. It helps support the running of this website and I do appreciate your help.**

4 Travel Websites To Help Plan Your Trip To France

1. Michelin Route Planner

App: IOS | Android

Yes, the Michelin Route Planner is by the tire people. Google Maps is good, but the Michelin Route Planner goes a step further and not only tells you the route to take and the distance you will travel, but it will also estimate the COST of the entire trip—-including tolls and gas! Even better, it is available online or as an app.

The website and app were invaluable when trying to determine if I should drive or take the train between two cities. As an example: travelling from Avignon TGV train station to Nice’s Theirs train station by car was shorter and cheaper than taking the train.

  • by car: 255 km, 2:45 hours– cost about 53.53 € in gas and tolls
  • by train: 3.29 hours–cost about 66 € (2nd cl)

2. Skytrax

The Skytrax website is great for determining which airlines to use and avoid. Flyer’s reviews are chock full of information about each airline’s lounges, seats,  and service in economy and business. There are also reviews on the airports. When planning a recent trip to Paris, I used this site to research what Icelandair was like as I was interested in a stopover in Iceland. Skytrax was very helpful, especially in figuring out where to sit and what to avoid (ie. the airline food for purchase). I also used it to help me figure out their carry-on baggage policy which stated sizes smaller than most other airlines’ requirements. My post about it is here: Icelandair’s carry-on size restrictions.

3. SeatGuru

The website SeatGuru just examines airline seats and it is excellent. You can look up specific flights and see the seat map with information about the seat’s pitch and width and amenities (ie. power, on-demand entertainment). There are also comments about whether the seat location is good or bad (ie. perhaps because there’s a mechanical box at your feet) and its proximity to the galley and lavatories. The mobile app is not available in Canada.

4. AutoEurope

The ONLY company I use to book car rentals in France (or anywhere in Europe) is AutoEurope. I have always found their prices to be the best and their customer service is 5*. When I ran into a problem with a rental agency ripping me off (see the post here about roadside assistance), AutoEurope intervened to help me out and got me my money back. I also like them for getting money back if the price goes down before I pick up the car. This has happened a number of times and I recently got back $20. Not a ton, but every little bit helps.

Get the best car rental deal for your road trip at AutoEurope.

You might also like to read these posts:       
Flying Icelandair To Paris With A Stop In Iceland: Do It!   
Helpful Hints For Travelling In France   
How To Get Some Tax Back From Your Purchases In France: The VAT     
What It’s Like To Take French Immersion Courses In France                    

21 Best Apps For France

5. Google Maps (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

I use Google Maps when I’m driving and when I’m walking around a city. I haven’t had a problem with being misguided; however, I know others have. Often it just comes down to what you’re used to. It does use data so you’ll need a mobile data plan. I was surprised that it did not use a lot of data; however, I can’t guarantee this will be the case for you.

Two other navigation apps to consider are Waze and Citymapper.

6. Waze (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

Waze is a very popular app as it suggests the route that avoids traffic, accidents, police, etc. It’s free to download but like Google Maps, you will need a mobile data plan and be able to use GPS and GSM/3G/4G/5G connectivity.

Their website says that if you continually use it, a lot of data is used. It possibly uses more data than Google Maps due to factors such as the number of active drivers, traffic, and number of reports.

7. Citymapper (Free and Paid)

Available: IOS | Android

Many travellers who are visiting Paris really like Citymapper. (Note: It is available only for major cities, not getting from one city to another). It can be used for many cities and there is an offline feature for public transport. The app allows you to save your places, stops and lines. 

As an example I put in the Louvre Museum as the start and the Eiffel Tower as the destination. It gave me so many options (including the time and price):

  • walking (+ number of calories + distance)
  • moped
  • bike (ie. Lime, Velib, etc)
  • taxi
  • carshare (ie. Uber, Bolt, etc)
  • Metro subway or bus

** Scooters in Paris are listed for the time being; however, the city has now banned scooters for hire.

There is a free version that drives me crazy (too many ads) so if you like it you might consider paying the annual fee of $20.

8. G7 Taxi (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

G7 Taxi has 9500 affiliated taxis and is not just located in Paris, but 200 other French cities as well. It operates the same way as Uber does.

I much prefer using the G7 taxi app because the prices are legally set, including for rides to/from the airport. The only downside about G7 is that there is a 7€ dispatch fee when arranging for taxi transportation to the airport.

With G7, you don’t have to add your credit card. You can pay in cash if you prefer. And you can just click on the app to book a taxi, find out the type of car and registration, and even track its progress on a the map.

9. Uber (Free)

I will only use Uber if I can’t use the G7 app and I will NEVER use Uber to get to/from the airport. I was charged double the amount one year going to the airport because they used “dynamic pricing”. What does this mean? If there is great demand for a ride at a certain time of day AND to a certain place, the amount can change. Mine did. I fought the charge and complained, but Uber wouldn’t do anything about it.

10. Metro Paris App (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

Metro Paris Subway App
Metro Paris Subway App

[Note: there are many French apps that help you use the Paris Metro. This one is called “Metro Paris” and is developed by Alexandre Morcos. I’ve been using it for years.]  An app of the Paris metro system that lists all the stations and lines as well as an easy-to-read Metro map is invaluable. The best part is that it will determine the route you should take to get from place A to place B in Paris: what line (colour coded), the estimated duration, and the stops along the way.

I also like this Paris app because you can use it offline AND you can get real-time Paris Metro updates, especially handy if stations are closed or there are significant delays.

11. Bonjour RATP and Ile de France Mobilités Apps (Free)

Bonjour app-status of tickets
Bonjour app-buying tickets
Ile de France Mobilite app

Available: IOS | Android

There are many useful feathers on the Bonjour RATP app that are worth noting.

(a) Routes, Options, Cost

First, you enter in your starting point and destination and the app will show you different route options, a list of stops on the route, duration and cost. So it is very similar to the Metro app. It will also show you alternatives to taking the Metro, such as using a Velib or Dott bicycle.

Next, the live updates will show you if any lines are not in service. If you have questions, you will only see the answers in French initially; however, you just need to tap the translation icon at the top to show everything in English.

(b) Buy Tickets Using The Bonjour RATP App or Ile-de-France Mobilités App

  • you can see how many tickets you have left and you can purchase more tickets and passes using an iPhone (iPhone 7 and later) or Android phone.
  • I have two passes:
    •   I use the Navigo Easy for single tickets and to purchase a single trip to the airport (ie Orlybus or RoissyBus).
    • I use the Navigo Decouverte to purchase a weekly pass if I feel it is more economical for me. (Note: an account needs to be created on the Ile-de-France Mobilités Connect to purchase weekly and monthly passes).
  • The purchase is “transferred” to your physical pass via NFC (Near Field Communication—much like contactless paying via tapping). When it’s time to use a ticket, you use your physical pass or you can tap your phone against the reader at the turnstile. This validates your trip. 

(c) Two Very important Notes

  • Effective May 21, 2024, Apple iPhone and Apple Watch users can now use the Ile de France Mobilités app to add to their Navigo card. Then, tickets or passes can be purchased and added to their Apple Wallet. Android and Apple users can now use their devices to tap and go!
  • To see and top up your passes, you can use the Ile-de-France app, the Bonjour RAPT, or the SNCF app (next app in my list). They do the exact same things but personally, I’d stick with the Ile-de-France app as it will do everything (purchase and tap to go through the turnstile).

If you’re wondering if you should get the Navigo Easy or Navigo Decouverte pass, check out this post: Using The Paris Metro.

Here’s more information on how to buy your tickets: https://www.ratp.fr/en/achetez-vos-titres-de-transports-par-telephone

12. SNCF Connect And Trainline (Free)

SNCF-detecting one's pass
Using the SNCF Connect to buy tickets

Available: IOS | Android

Both SNCF Connect And Trainline allow you to book train travel in France. I used Trainline for many years and found their live train time notifications (ie. what platform the train is on) and interface were clean and easy to use. SNCF finally improved their app and now both:

  • allow me to book my train travel
  • can “hold” my Carte Advantage Senior discount card
  • provide “live” notifications on platform numbers, disruptions, problems on lines, etc.

13. TripIt (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

I use TripIt for every trip I take. It’s a great app to organize all your trip details (flight, hotel, car rentals, etc). When you email your trip confirmations to a personalized email address (after registering), Tripit creates daily itineraries. You can also access your itinerary through your smartphone, tablet, and laptop and you can email your itinerary to family/friends.

14. Hopper

Hopper app
Hopper app

Available: IOS | Android

This app enables you to check on the price of airfare, hotels, and cars and see when prices are typically high/low. In the photo above, the days with the red circle are more expensive than days with the green circles, so this does help if you are flexible with your travel plans.

After selecting a route and dates, Hopper, comes up with a list of flights and whether you’d be wise to book now or wait for a better price.  They have the option to “Freeze and wait” for a fee (ie. $52-$122). This means that you are basically locking in a price with the hope that it will drop. When I looked at this option, you could lock in the price for 1 day at a cost of $52 or for 21 days at a cost of $122. You’re basically using this to protect yourself from price increases. You’ll either pay today’s price or a lower price if it drops. It’s a gamble.

How do I use it? I just use the free option: getting some indication of whether I should book now or later and helping me choose the cheapest date possible.

15. FlightAware Flight Tracker

IOS | Android

This app is particularly helpful when you are trying to find out the flight status, gate/terminal information and even if your flight has been cancelled. Alerts on the app can often be faster than what is announced at the airport.

16. Tripadvisor

Available: IOS | Android

I like to read comments on the forums more than the site and restaurant reviews. The travel forums are good for picking up travel tips and seeing the questions and answers that other travellers have. I’ve used it a number of times to ask about driving conditions in a part of France in the springtime or to find out about areas to stay in a city. I’ve also used it to find out about tours that are worth taking.

17. Google Translate (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

While not perfect, Google Translate is pretty good and you can quickly switch back and forth between English and French (or any language that you choose). You can also use the camera function to take a picture of say, a French sign, and it will translate the sign for you—-either hold your camera at the sign and the translation appears on the image, or, take a photo and the French is translated to your chose of language in text.

Note: English/French Dictionary (Some free, some paid)

Google Translate doesn’t provide the French that you might need if you are looking for more insight into French grammar. When looking for an English/French dictionary, be sure the one you choose provides conjugations of verbs in all tenses, examples where the word is used, and the option to hear pronunciations.  The Larousse English/French Dictionary app that I’ve been using for years has been great when I am taking French classes, but it hasn’t been updated in 4 years.

18. Skype (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

Most people know about Skype and how you can have free video calls; however, I have also used it as my “phone”, especially when my smartphone could not call 1-800 numbers due to the French Sim card’s restrictions.

I used Skype many times when I had to change my flights during Coronavirus. The cost for many minutes, long distance, was only cents! not even dollars! It was much cheaper than using my cellphone plan as well.

I just load up my Skype account with a small amount of credit (ie. $5.00) and as long as I have data, I can make a phone call as if I had cellular service. It is a great backup in case your smartphone doesn’t work. I can also make calls using the Skype app on my tablet and laptop.

19. Duolingo (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

I really love this app for learning French and helping me improve my French.  It’s interactive where you earn points for correct answers and it involves reading, writing, listening and, to my surprise, speaking (although at times it’s wonky. Sometimes I am positive I’m saying something right but Duolingo doesn’t agree).

I am very impressed with this app and use it often for just 10-15 minutes per day. Be sure to check out Duolingo French Podcast as well. There are really interesting stories and it’s a great way to improve your French comprehension.

20. Xe Currency And Money Transfer

Available: IOS | Android

I just use this app to see how the dollar is trading at against the Euro. It shows the trends daily, weekly, monthly, and longer and can be useful if I want to buy more Euros before a trip.

21. WISE

Available: IOS | Android

Wise was formally known as Transferwise and I use it to hold a small amount of Euros. It was extremely convenient rather than carrying a lot of cash. I can convert dollars into Euros in an instant and the fees are much lower than if I went to a currency exchange. It’s like using a Debit card.

22. Michelin Guide

Available: IOS | Android

As the app says, you can discover the best restaurants and hotels with this guide. You can read up about each restaurant and see which ones have Michelin stars and Bib Gourmand (no stars, but highly rated restaurants that have good food at decent prices). Searches can be done for places all over the world and in Paris, you can search by arrondissement.

Each restaurant listing shows the type of food (ie. traditional) and how expensive (number of €€€€) it is. You can also sort by price, number of stars, whether they take online reservations, and many other filters.

23. The Fork

Available: IOS | Android

Great restaurant app (much like the Open Table app) to make reservations and check reviews. It also has promotions from time to time.

24. Flush – Toilet Finder & Map (Free)

Available: IOS | Android

Over 200,000 public washrooms can be found on this app. When you open the app, it shows you the nearest toilets to where you are. Just tap on the marker and it will give the location and open the smartphone’s app. It even gives directions on how to get there! (Note: it also indicates which ones have disabled access).

25. France24

Available: IOS | Android

The news channel France24 is available as an app in English, French, Spanish, and Arabic. It’s a nice way to stay on top of French news. Some reports are live.

In addition to the apps I’ve listed, don’t forget that many of the major museums in France have their own apps and built-in audio guides, so it’s worth downloading them in advance.

Do you have some best apps for France travel? Please share!

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Best apps for traveling in France