Assuming you rented the car through Hertz, they should have the drop off point listed on their rental agreement. There is a airport shuttle to get you around.

Since we haven't dropped off any rental cars at CGD in the last dozen or so years, I can't be of any help regarding filling stations nearby. We usually take the RER, Roissybus, taxi or do a private transfer.

Yes, there will be a lot of traffic around the airport on a Friday afternoon.

I hope someone will correct this if it is not accurate, but I believe the rental car return sign says something like "voiture du locacion."

We had a terrible time trying to return our car to CDG because we didn't know the French for "car rental return." We finally got a policeman to lead us to the right place.

Thanks Peg. That is good to know. Did you use Hertz?

CPG; The first time returning a car at CDG, we went by the opening for car rental return. Not a good thing. When entering the airport, If it is still the same rental car return area, just follow the signs Peg suggested. Keep in mind, eventually you will be on a curve and you must stay in the left lane and be ready to enter the 'car rental area' for all companies. Just go slow and you will find the entrance.

iris - do you mean that initially, it won't say Hertz; that it's an area for all rental companies?

What is making me anxious is that I read of someone's experience where they were told to leave the car unattended, then went into a terminal to give someone keys without having the car inspected. When these people got home, they found that they were billed an extra amount on their cc.

I am always very surprised when I hear people say they had difficulties dropping off a car at CDG because they did not speak French. All of the signs pointing to the drop off points are in English as well as in French.

Hertz is found at Door 2 or Porte 2 at the arrival level. The auto return is on the lowest level just in front of the terminal.

The signs were absolutely not in English when we were there in 2000. We drove all over that d*mned place trying to figure out where to turn over the car.

I don't think our car was a Hertz rental. It was a Peugeot, and it was so cheap the windows didn't roll down.

We had so much fun on that trip!

CPG; It looks like CDG has changed their location for car return. Our return was outdoors, not in a garage with multi levels. My info looks to be outdated.

1. Unfortunately I cannot confirm what CDG may or may not have had 12 years ago. Today however, the car rental signs are in English.

2. It is unlikely that CDG has changed its rental car locations. As I read all of the posts of this thread, no one has said anything about a garage. The area between 2A and 2B, 2C and 2D, and 2E and 2F is an open courtyard style, the exteriors of which are multi layered, the lowest level of which is the car rental return.

A copy of the airport layout may be downloaded here:

http://www.aeroportsdeparis.fr/ADP/Resources/3fdff8fb-5939-4b12-b655-1f99da4f0ac8-plangencdg.jpg

Centralparkgirl,

We just returned home a week ago from our trip to Europe and did return a car to CDG. Hopefully some of this will be of help to you.

First, we rented three cars in three different countries, and all of them had the rental car return location programmed into the GPS/SatNav system in the car.

Second, as Iris mentioned, the rental car return is clearly marked - just stay to the left. All the cars are returned to the same place, so initially it is just a sign for car returns, not specific agencies. While I would call it a garage, it is a multi-storied area with open sides, like we have at malls in here in San Diego. I can't remember if we went up or down, but I do remember the ramp going around and around and around, lol. At some point, you stop going around and enter the floor and then signs will point to where each company wants you to park the car - again, just follow the signs for Hertz and park in an open space.

Third, not sure if this was because we returned it on a Sat (mid-day), but there was no one in any of the offices for any company in the drop off area. There were signs in the windows of these offices saying to take the elevator (which was in the middle of the area) to a specifc floor in the terminal (again, sorry, can't remember which one). As soon as you walk out of the elevator, you see the desks for the rental car companies.

So yes, indeed, we had to leave the car without anyone checking it over. When we got to the return desk, the woman simply asked us what space it was parked in and if there was any damage, then took the keys from us.

We haven't received a bill for any damage, although our credit card was charged for the supplemental charges (taxes, airport drop-off, and gas) about a week after we dropped it off.

PS

Couple more things I remembered that may be helpful:

Despite my planning notes saying the signs were in English, I do not remember them in English, at least not before we got onto the actual ramp into the parking building. Initially you are going to the arrivals (and my DH kept saying, we are going to the wrong place!), but then quickly saw the yellow Location de Voitures sign and just kept following it (plus what the SatNav said to do).

It sounds more complicated than it is, it truly was easy.

Also, there is a gas station close to this area. We pre-paid for gas so we could return it empty and not have to worry about filling it up, but I remember seeing a station very close to the area.

HTH!

voiture = car

location = rental

locataire = renter (person)

retour = return

eg "location de voitures" would be the car rental place

the place to return rental cars would probably have a sign saying something like "retour de voitures de location"

Cars may be returned to both terminals 1 and 2. The international pictogram for rental cars shows a little car with a key over it. Most of the signs at CDG say "voitures de location" and some also say "rental cars". The first signs to follow when returning a rental car are the "P" parking signs in any case.

http://www.icône.com/images/icones/1/2/pictographs-car_rental_inv_t.png

Sorry, link not working, but just go to Google images for "international rental car icon" and you will see what you need to see.

Okay. Now I get it. Thank you!!!

I never would have known to follow "P" parking signs first.

I'm not happy about returning the car without a human checking it while we're there. I will probably take a photo or two and let them know that I did.

amamax2 - I just checked my reservation. It already lists the amounts for VAT as well as VLF (licensing fee and road tax). And it says, 'Rate is guaranteed. Taxes, fees and extras, if not included in rate, are subject to change.' It looks like it's all included. The only thing not explicitly mentioned is a drop off fee. I hate surprises!

Yes, we weren't too happy about dropping it off like that either, but c'est la vie!

FYI: the supplemental fees we were charged, luckily, weren't a surprise - we knew they weren't included in the original pre-paid rate and would be added when we got the car, so sounds like you are good to go! Have a great time!!

It's a good idea to check for signs of damage and take photos of all four sides of the car and front and back windshields before you leave the airport, and again when you return it. That way if there's nobody to check you in, you have before-and-after photos.

Returning our car, we always had trouble finding a sign for Europcar. We learned to look for the Hertz sign as we spiraled down to the ground level between 2E and 2F. Hertz seemed to be the only car company to put up a sign, but no problem since all the companies park their cars in the same area.

From the new map of CDG it looks like they found a new home for the car rental desks, so you won't have to cope with disappearing rental desks, as we did last fall. We returned our car to the Europcar lot between 2E-2F but didn't find any Europcar employees in the lot, so we went to where the rental desks had been on our arrival--and had been for the five previous years--and found the whole building closed. There was no sign telling where the desks had gone. Eventually we found a place to return our key but it took time. I'd say to allow plenty of time for returning your car.

I'm glad to hear the signs are now in English as well as French. In 2007 they were only in French.

When we go back later this year, I plan to:
1. Re-learn the French words for: a)car parking lot; b)rental car return,, and
2. Try to find on the web the CDG sign-icons for the above, since in 2007 their pictograph/icons for both looked extremely similar. Imagine how similar the icons in Excel or Word look, for printer/fax/save. Then imagine similar icons for car-related things, cluttered with French, surrounded by drivers who KNOW where THEY want to go. Better to plan ahead.

It looks like it's all included. The only thing not explicitly mentioned is a drop off fee.

Is the location surcharge included? It's typically around 40€ for CDG pickups. Environmental fees (on automatics) or additional driver fees or one way fees are typically invoiced at drop off.

I have never heard of a drop off fee unless you are referring to a one way fee.

I meant one way fee. We are picking up in Paris and dropping off at CDG. It is an automatic. I will probably call Hertz to find out what the extras may be.

A couple of links to Google Streetview...

Gas station at CDG: http://g.co/maps/g9ntt

Sign for rental car returns: http://g.co/maps/3bfdf

Getting closer: http://g.co/maps/t9fam

Further down the ramp: http://g.co/maps/zzwby You can see the cars parked to the left and down a level

Depending on which terminal you leave from you could co left at the previous link and continue the virtual drive right to the car park.

As you can see, Streetview is really useful for this type of thing. You'll also note the signs clearly say "Car rental".
Hope this helps.

Hope this helps.

ParisAmsterdam - Your links embody, 'One picture is worth a thousand words!'
Thank you so much for posting!

Excellent, ParisAmsterdam! I have not yet mastered those sorts of links.

ParisAmesterdam,

Your links are great! However, and please do not think I am trying to be a contrarian, because I am not, they didn't look familiar at all from our experience. So I went a just street-viewed it, also, and I'm not sure where the SatNav system took us, but it wasn't to that open-air parking area that is clearly marked with each rental car agency.

Hmmm, very strange, and I think an explanation for why different things are being said in this thread. It seems there are two different places people are talking about returning cars.

All I can say is we were coming from Rouen, plugged in Charles de Gaulle airport and it came up immediately with rental car return as a pre-prgrammed destination. We followed it to the airport, and when we got close, saw yellow location de voiture signs, and ended up in a multi-storied building that had signs at each level with pictures for all the rental car agencies and arrows to keep following the curving ramp.

Update:

OK, just went and checked our tickets - we were flying out of Terminal 1, so I am pretty sure that is where we returned the car because we did not have to take a shuttle within the airport to get to our gate.

Now it is all much clearer - we are all talking about different places.

So ParisAmesterdam, brilliant links for Terminal 2 car return.

PS I apologize to Centralparkgirl and others I confused with my earlier postings. Now that I know our experience was for Terminal 1 and she is returning to Terminal 2, I realize shouldn't have posted on this thread.

Centralparkgirl, you say you're flying out of 2E, so you'll want to follow signs to 2E-2F, not 2C-2D.

Those short links are easier than you think... got to where you want with Streetview. In the left menu at the top is a button with 2 links of a chain... click that. A box comes up with links in it... tick the "Short URL" button then copy and paste.
Easier than finding a car rental lot in real life! ;^) LOL

All's well that ends well. No need for apologies.

Coquelicot - thank you for that clarification!

ParisAmsterdam - every thing is easy when you know what you're doing!

You can't find this help in any guidebook, that's for sure. I'm returning on the 11th and will report back here. If I don't, please assume that I am still circling CDG.
Au revoir, mes amis et merci.

Bon voyage!