Google Map Maker is now open in France and Monaco, enabling anyone to get involved

Mar 20, 2012 14:31 GMT  ·  By

Google is expanding the Map Maker program to France and Monaco. Users there can now make their contributions to Google Maps, add their favorite places, correct errors and so on.

"Spring is in the air, carrying with it that special kind of love one feels when taking a romantic stroll along the Seine, visiting a countryside chateau, or finding an exotic garden by the sea," wrote Google.

"What better way to celebrate the season than by adding the places you love to Google Maps for the whole world to discover," it added.

Google Map Maker started out as a way for Google to crowdsource the creation of its maps for places where there isn't much map info available and where it's not financially viable to find commercial options for the data.

But it evolved into something different as well, a tool for people to correct mistakes and make changes to Google Maps almost in real time.

It's impossible to keep up with the small changes, local or temporary conditions affecting maps via traditional means, so enabling people to update the places around them ensures that you always have the latest data.

In many countries around the world, Map Maker is the source of 90 percent or more of the data in Google Maps. Entire countries have been mapped thanks to the tool.

In other places, such as the US, it ensures that things like road construction, changing one way streets and other similar changes are being updated in Google Maps.

That's the role Map Maker will play in France and Monaco as well. "Start with your local bakeries, cinemas, parks, and museums. Once approved your contributions will appear on Google Maps, Google Earth and Google Maps for mobile for all the world to see," Google explained.