* Online mapping. . .*

yorksrabbit

Not strictly a 'techie stuff' question but. . .

Yesterday I was hunting down directions for a journey from the Ouistreham, France, ferry port down to Limoges, and Google Maps gave one set of directions but ViaMichelin another (ViaMichelin's was noticeably shorter.)

I then ran the AA route directions finder (Europe) and it came up as Google Maps: in other words, the AA seems not to be providing anything, but parading its name as a front-end for Google.

So the AA's routeing was the same as Google's and therefore not the same as ViaMichelin's.

I just wondered if anyone here knows anything about the different map providers that feature on the Internet -- and which has the best reputation for reliability / accuracy?

* PS: yes, we have a TomTom as well, plus road atlas, but the online maps should in theory be a quick and useful additional guide.

OK_Sauce

For France I use Mappy, very useful and gives toll road prices, etc, and probably another different route!

yorksrabbit

Thanks OKSauce :T -- I've never heard of Mappy so will go hunt it out!

macman

Michelin does it's own mapping (at least in France it does). The AA probably does it's own in the UK but buys it in for the rest of the world, in this case they're sourcing it from Google, who probably source it in turn from a third party. Most map publishers do this outside their own territory.
It's a bit like at satnav mapping, there are lots of hardware suppliers, but really only a couple of companies supplying the actual mapping.

yorksrabbit

Thanks macman for the info, the clarification's appreciated.

Following the tip about Mappy, I used it today to locate a village in the Dordogne and all it came up with was one of the same name east of Paris. No alternatives were offered.

Both viaMichelin and -- all credit to Google -- came up with five alternatives (including the one I wanted) and asked me to make the appropriate selection.