Though location-based social apps have enjoyed success on both sides of the Atlantic, it's fair to say most have a bias towards operations in the United States.

Market leader MyTown is still yet to make the leap to European shores for example, and although the likes of Foursquare, Gowalla and Brightkite are usable in the UK, too many venues have only received one or two check-ins since launch, undermined their raison d'etre.

Aiming to reset the balance, Parisian start-up Plyce is in crude terms being billed as the Foursquare of Europe, although its foundations reportedly date back to 2007.

Conquering the continent

Delivering on such a billing, the service has so far only been launched in European territories – currently available on the App Store – and its makers claim it has the potential to lead LBS apps across the continent, boldly pitching it as "like Facebook, except it's not faces but places".

As Business Insider's Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry reports, Plyce comes with a number of features its US focused rivals lack, including the ability to post pictures and videos on the wall of each location visited.

It also has the ability to create "personal places" that are only shared with friends, helping to lift the privacy concerns raised about these apps.

Gobry claims Plyce has already secured €300,000 in funding, with "big name European funds" said to be interested in the company.

[source: Plyce]