7 Apps to download for your next trip to Paris
Are you and your phone connected at the hip (well at hand)? Coming to Paris soon, and want to make sure you are connected while you are in town. Lucky for you there is practically an app for everything these days, and there are a number of apps that will make it easier to navigate, eat, and explore the city. Below you will find 7 of our top picks of apps to help you during your next trip to Paris beyond the classics apps like Google Translate, XE currency exchange, or Mapstr.
CityMapper- For the navigation challenged
Citymapper gives you a number of different itinerary transport options that will get you where you need to go via metro, bus, walking, taxi, bike, or even Uber. The great thing about this app is its accuracy and updates on service delays, it even tells you the nearest exit to use when you arrive at your outlined destination address which comes in handy in Paris.
RATP- Paris public Transport
Paris’s Public Transport is operated by RATP. They have an app that provides you itinerary options for all of Paris public transportation including the Suburb Trains (RER) that take you outside of the city to Versaille or the airport for example. The application is good for looking up route itineraries and up to date information on service delays.
Detour- Self-guide audio guide for the wanderer
This app Is perfect for the self-guided wanderer. Detour was created by the founder of Groupon, Andrew Mason and it provides you with guided walking tours in 19 cities across the globe including Paris, hosted by the people who know the city best—from renowned architects to former activists, to artists.
Kapten (formerly known as Chauffer Privé) - French take on Uber
When Uber came on the scene in Paris there was quite the push back from Taxi’s here in Paris. Chauffer Privé is the French take on Uber that prides itself on providing premium service with several categories of service ( eco, mid-size cars, and vans) with competitive prices.
*Le Cab is also another great Uber alternative which used to offer 5 euro flat rate prices within Paris. The only downfall with this app is that they don’t have so many drivers available so the pickup times may be a little longer. But I always recommend comparing the price between Uber, Chauffer Privée and Le Cab and to choose the one with the best rate.
La Fourchette- Foodies on a budget
Also known as “The Fork”, this app is perfect for people to eat well without breaking the ban. La Fourchette, can be used to find and book a restaurant, providing offers of up to 50% off when you book through the app, making dining in the city quite a bit more affordable. Each option comes with a link to TripAdvisor reviews and a menu, so you can be sure you are making the right choice.
Secret de Paris- Insider guide to Paris
If you’re looking for the unique, the off-the-beaten-path, the truly Parisian things to do in Paris, this app is a great start! Not everything suggested on Secret Paris is a winner, but there are enough gems in the app that it totally makes up for it.
Dojo- Latest trends
Dojo is a great app for finding out about the latest trends in food, art and culture in Paris. You can find out about hidden gardens, rooftops, cocktail bars and performances that will make you feel like you have your very own local best friend here with you while you're on the go. Something to note is that when you first download the app, the default city is London, but just click on Categories, scroll down to Settings and change the country to France.
BONUS:
INSIDR- Swiss army knife- Smartphone rental + Paris Insider Tips
Raise hands if you are worried about roaming fees when you travel? Do you want to make sure you have access to Wifi to keep in touch with your family, look up things to do, navigate the city, and of course post pictures on the ‘Gram. I’ve discovered the perfect alternative to stay connected during your next trip through Insidr. Instead of carrying a swiss army knife, Insidr has everything covered for your connection needs. They offer smartphone rental services that provides you with Full connectivity, the Best app for navigation and Paris exploration, as well as Insidr travel assistants from a team of 10 Paris experts that you can access right from your pocket. The best part is you have everything you need in one place, you can even use the phone a hotspot to connect to your other devices, and it only costs you 3€ per day compared to your existing service providers like Sprint or Verizon that charge around $10/day. To order your Insidr smartphone rental for your next here, tell them LaVieLocale sent you.