Data SIM in France for iPad

[mvrandery]

Off to France for 2 weeks early next month.

Going to Provence, via Normandy, the Loire and the Massif Central and them back via Burgundy and Champagne

Lots of great tips from this forum to plan it.

So I figured this would be a good place to ask -

Id like to use my iPad while there, email, mapping, etc.

ANyone have a reccomendation for a SIM card I can get for data there?

Either pick one up before I leave or at Le Havre (taking the ferry from Portsmouth)

Needs no phone service, just data.

Thanks

Mehul

 

[Poshtosser]

Off to France for 2 weeks early next month.

Going to Provence, via Normandy, the Loire and the Massif Central and them back via Burgundy and Champagne

Lots of great tips from this forum to plan it.

So I figured this would be a good place to ask -

Id like to use my iPad while there, email, mapping, etc.

ANyone have a reccomendation for a SIM card I can get for data there?

Either pick one up before I leave or at Le Havre (taking the ferry from Portsmouth)

Needs no phone service, just data.

Thanks

Mehul

I used mine throughout France last month without any SIM card at all - just using WiFi which pretty much everywhere has free of charge.

 

[Buz]

Your iPad could well be locked to the Service Provider you purchased it through, if it is unlocked and you put a foreign SIM in it you may need to update the Data/APN settings in the iPad.

 

[mvrandery]

Your iPad could well be locked to the Service Provider you purchased it through, if it is unlocked and you put a foreign SIM in it you may need to update the Data/APN settings in the iPad.

Thanks for that, but it's not locked. Got it from Apple directly.

The APN settings for just about all the worlds carriers are stored on the ipad by Apple and are automatically set based on the SIM card that's inserted.

 

[mvrandery]

I used mine throughout France last month without any SIM card at all - just using WiFi which pretty much everywhere has free of charge.

Do the small villages and towns also have wifi? Public ones or are you talking about hotels? If so, I may bypass getting a SIM

 

[cookie]

i've nearly always found wi-fi.

i have a 3G ipad, but never used the SIM connection anywhere.

edit: generally free wi-fi in hotels.

 

[johnnyrep]

French mcdonalds free wifi,easy to join.you can sit in a corner and no one bothers you.

 

[mvrandery]

French mcdonalds free wifi,easy to join.you can sit in a corner and no one bothers you.

I don't think I would be caught dead ina McDonalds in France. However, if they have free wifi... As long as I don't have to purchase anything.

Thanks for that, I wouldn't have considered a McDonalds. And they're evrywhere in France now.

 

[johnnyrep]

I don't think I would be caught dead ina McDonalds in France. However, if they have free wifi... As long as I don't have to purchase anything.

Thanks for that, I wouldn't have considered a McDonalds. And they're evrywhere in France now.

quite a few have pastry concessions and little tea/coffee concessions

i had a great cup of tea in a proper cup with saucer and a little biccy at a few.

the French consider their Mcdonalds to be a step above everone elses in the world almost fine dining.
they are wrong they just have less staff and slower service.
but the wifi is the best anywhere i have been including hotels.

 

[Buz]

Thanks for that, but it's not locked. Got it from Apple directly.

The APN settings for just about all the worlds carriers are stored on the ipad by Apple and are automatically set based on the SIM card that's inserted.

SWMBO has the iPad 1 and that needs APN's added manually, or at least it did for BT Mobile

You've probably got a more recent one!

 

[Riders Rest]

Most towns now have broadband in Cafe's and pretty much all B&B's will have a connection. Rural places off the beaten track may struggle though.

 

[thornley]

Very few places fail to provide wi fi . I don't know where you are staying in Provence but in my part of it I never fail to get free connections. I'm writing this now from a local bar sat on the terrace.

 

[Green Boy]

+1 for French McDonald's expresso in a proper cup and free wifi in France. They're in all the usual places (interections, towns etc) and the wi-fi is very good. Top tip: The McD's signs are green and yellow and not red and yellow in France.

quite a few have pastry concessions and little tea/coffee concessions

i had a great cup of tea in a proper cup with saucer and a little biccy at a few.

the French consider their Mcdonalds to be a step above everone elses in the world almost fine dining.
they are wrong they just have less staff and slower service.
but the wifi is the best anywhere i have been including hotels.

 

[johnnyrep]

i even loaded the App to help find them

 

[Poshtosser]

Do the small villages and towns also have wifi? Public ones or are you talking about hotels? If so, I may bypass getting a SIM

We did b roads the whole way and never failed to find wifi at the local cafes and bars. Have a good trip.

 

[tuldav]

just returned from two weeks+ in France - started in Tours, up to Honfleur, west to St Mere Eglise, St Malo, Chinon, Loches, Treignac, Sarlat, Millau, Nimes, and Avignon. Found wi-fi plentiful and restaurants and hotels. Had an Organge SIM for iPhone 4, but found them expensive and difficult. If you need it, other and better options available.