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Digital Topo Maps
Posted: 21 March 2013 09:26 PM  
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With the touring season about to kick off (my first) i am looking for decent way to navigate. I am sure many of you will tell me that there is no substitute for a compass and a paper map but humour me. I am looking for an digital topo map of the Alps (mainly France and Italy) from which i could print off the required grids/sections that i could then laminate and use on the day. Ideally this would be compatible with Mac OS. I note that the last time this was discussed on this forum there was nothing suitable but that was three years ago. I am hoping someone has found a reasonable product.

 
 
Posted: 21 March 2013 11:45 PM   [ # 1 ]  
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The French IGN maps are published in digital by an English company (the IGN were impressed by their OS product at an outdoor show, apparently) : http://shop.memory-map.co.uk/acatalog/maps-france.html - PC and Android versions, no mention of Macs. (Android version will give gps interaction). You get map 1:25000 plus 3D. A poorly thought out business model at the OS means some odd issues about licensing for the UK maps but fine for France.  I use this for UK and was delighted when they took over the French maps. 

Switzerland has the excellecent free online topo map: http://map.geo.admin.ch/ for which I think there is a paid version with 3D info. Free is has zoomable map, and blend from map to satelite view slider.
This one: http://www.mapplus.ch has a street map, too.

Austria - http://bergfex.de (click on Karte Einblenden top right to get the map). They map most of Europe, plus satelite and 3D. The Austrian map are proper map maps (click on the bergfex tab, top left of map). The 3D covers Europe wide and compares very well against google earth on speed; resolution; access from web browser; switching between map and 3d view. (Strange, as it uses a google earth plugin).

Italy - I’d love to know!

[ Edited: 22 March 2013 12:19 AM by mattski]
 
 
Posted: 22 March 2013 02:03 PM   [ # 2 ]  
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I have used Memory Map a lot in the UK for cycling-related stuff, and found it pretty good.  Done exactly what ace1 wants to do and laminated the bit I want; you can then tuck that away in jersey pocket, shorts, etc for quick access.  Still works after you have dropped it, even from height into a puddle… wink

I also have a friend who uses Memory Maps with IGN French 1:25,000 maps to very good effect.  He just plans routes, and logs with a GPS logger.  Great to compare what ski route you planned with what you actually did!  Can be a shock occasionally to see how much you deviated.  One word of warning, I have gotten used to making a reasonably OK judgement of slope angles from a glance at the map countours.  If you print off a section that is blown up, take care not to misjudge this.

And finally… not having bought the IGN maps for my own laptop, I still rely on good ol’ paper for French day tours.  But have re-drawn in red all the lifts (actual lifts, adding new ones and not red-tracing the ones that have gone; easy to do in memory-map too).  And then copied (double-sided) and laminated the sections I want to use any given day.  Great to have that with your compass in an accessible pocket, A3 sized (rather than A0 and able to parapente with!) and waterproof.  I still have the full map in the backpack, as now and again you want to take bearings on reference points further away.  There is a laminating service for full-sized maps btw, if you google.

Keep us posted ace1 on what tours you plan. If France, there may be a chance to hook up (though I’m counting the days I have left available to ski: 5 to be precise!)

[ Edited: 25 March 2013 10:51 PM by BobSki]
 
 
Posted: 22 March 2013 08:21 PM   [ # 3 ]  
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I have both Swiss and French premium mapping on ViewRanger and find it excellent.I run it on a Google Nexus tablet and love the fact I can increase the size of the onscreen mapping - great if you wear contact lenses to ski and can’t read maps! I also have the complete Rhone Alps 1:25k on an SD card in my sat map active 10.

 
 
Posted: 25 March 2013 04:08 PM   [ # 4 ]  
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I too use Memory Map in both the UK with Landranger mapping and France with IGM Top 25 Alpes Region B.

I find it very good on PC. It also allows me to plot proposed routes then click to produce an Altitude profile. Useful for me as a snowboarder to make sure it’s all down hill! (after my initial hike)

I also at one point found a website that produced IGN looking topographic maps from free sourced materials. I used this in Pyrenees for cycling. I no longer have the link but would love to find it again if anyone knows of it.

 
 
Posted: 25 March 2013 05:10 PM   [ # 5 ]  
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Lots of links here incl ign France.

http://cycloclimbing.com/onlinemaps.html

 
 
Posted: 26 March 2013 11:06 PM   [ # 6 ]  
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Thanks all, keep them coming.

 
 
Posted: 10 April 2013 01:54 PM   [ # 7 ]  
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Slope gradient layer by mapplus over the Swiss topographic maps: http://map.geo.admin.ch/?selectedNode=LT1_1&Y=660747.499472&X=182434.615763&zoom=1&bgLayer=ch.swisstopo.pixelkarte-farbe&layers=WMS||Slope||http://www2.mapplus.ch/slope/mapserv||Slope&layers_opacity=0.5&layers_visibility=true&lang=en

And the legend explaining the slope gradient layer: http://www.mapplus.ch/sites/mapplus/help/neapoljs_help_en.htm