Roadtour Heritage Audio Guide – France - tested

Following the directions from a sat-nav is the most efficient way to travel through a strange country. But it can be rather dull, too – and that’s where Roadtour’s new software for Garmin or Windows-based devices comes in.

We tried the Heritage Audio Guide for France, and as the name suggests, it takes you to historical sites on the other side of the Channel. Slot in the SD card it’s presented on, and you can preview places, hear about their history and view photos – although the latter are rather blurred. Of course, there is also an option to route to the destinations directly.

Commentary was in English, often from French speakers, which added to the atmosphere. Audio clips came complete with associated background noises, and instead of a list of facts, you get the full story behind the destination.

Impressively, there are more than 600 locations included, although as France is the second-largest country in Europe – over 200,000 square miles – you can rack up long distances between sites. Still, for travellers in no hurry who don’t want a big guide book, this software is a good buy.