renting a car in tours
Feb 19th, 2016, 11:05 AM
#1
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renting a car in tours
I have learned a great deal from this list about car rentals in france. I am planning to rent a car in france in a few weeks at the TGV station in Tours. I have a letter from my credit card company summarizing their policy regarding providing insurance coverage when I use the card and refuse the insurance offered by the rental company. has anyone tried to use such a letter in connection with a car rental in france?
I understand that I need to rent a manual transmission to avoid an extra fee on the rental, which is fine.
I am going to be driving with my partner we are both average size and I believe we will each have a suitcase. any suggestions about the size of car we need, and what the words are for the various sizes?..
do you have rental companies or web sites you like to use in connection with renting/reserving cars in France?
thank for any help.
Tom O.
I understand that I need to rent a manual transmission to avoid an extra fee on the rental, which is fine.
I am going to be driving with my partner we are both average size and I believe we will each have a suitcase. any suggestions about the size of car we need, and what the words are for the various sizes?..
do you have rental companies or web sites you like to use in connection with renting/reserving cars in France?
thank for any help.
Tom O.
Feb 19th, 2016, 11:59 AM
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Check AutoEurope or Kemwel regarding your rental options. If you're from the States or Canada, your credit card should cover your insurance requirements, not letter required.
Depending on your budget, I would go with a mid-size car. They perform better on the highway and are more comfortable for longer rentals.
Note that Tours has a limited choices in rental cars.
Depending on your budget, I would go with a mid-size car. They perform better on the highway and are more comfortable for longer rentals.
Note that Tours has a limited choices in rental cars.
Feb 19th, 2016, 12:02 PM
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Many of us use autoeurope. Their rates are very reasonable.
www.autoeurope.com
Read anyone quote fully to understand what it includes and what it doesn't.
If you have an American Express card, I would seriously check their auto rental coverage at only $25 per rental period. It is primary coverage which means it covers virtually any eventuality.
www.autoeurope.com
Read anyone quote fully to understand what it includes and what it doesn't.
If you have an American Express card, I would seriously check their auto rental coverage at only $25 per rental period. It is primary coverage which means it covers virtually any eventuality.
Feb 19th, 2016, 01:40 PM
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I use Autoeurope also but no one ever asked to see a letter from my credit card company anyway. It's your problem, after all. I haven't always taken the insurance from Autoeurope/the car company when renting in France, they don't require you show then a letter.
There is a small sum due for legally required insurance in France when you rent a car, liability I guess, but they don't make you show letters if you decline collision. They don't do that in the US, either. You cannot decline the legally mandated insurance in France.
As for car sizes, just look at a car rental website, you should recognize the models/makes of cars and the sizes are typical. In France, they may be mini, economy, compact, intermediate and maybe standard for cars, in size order.
AutoEurope isn't a rental car company, it's a consolidator/broker or whatever you call it, they have deals with various car companies and you can choose among them. Europcar is one they have in France. I can't remember if you know the name of the company when booking or not, but it's easy to figure out by the address and location.
There is a small sum due for legally required insurance in France when you rent a car, liability I guess, but they don't make you show letters if you decline collision. They don't do that in the US, either. You cannot decline the legally mandated insurance in France.
As for car sizes, just look at a car rental website, you should recognize the models/makes of cars and the sizes are typical. In France, they may be mini, economy, compact, intermediate and maybe standard for cars, in size order.
AutoEurope isn't a rental car company, it's a consolidator/broker or whatever you call it, they have deals with various car companies and you can choose among them. Europcar is one they have in France. I can't remember if you know the name of the company when booking or not, but it's easy to figure out by the address and location.
Feb 19th, 2016, 01:48 PM
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that station is called Saint-Pierre-des-Corps and all the main car rentals are just opposite and along the road the station is on - it is on the edge of Tours itself - Tours has horrendous traffic weekdays at rush hours - but SPC is still easy to get out of to nearby Amboise for example.
OP knows all this but for others thinking of renting in Tours use SPC not Tours in town dead-end terminus with some car rentals but much harder to get out of town at many times of day.
OP knows all this but for others thinking of renting in Tours use SPC not Tours in town dead-end terminus with some car rentals but much harder to get out of town at many times of day.
Feb 20th, 2016, 01:56 AM
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Effectively, St Pierre des Corps IS Tours. St Pierre des Corps station is about a mile or so to the east from the Tours Centre station. The difference in traffic between these two stations is negligible. If you are driving to the east, for say Blois or Amboise, starting from St Pierre des Corps is indeed closer by at least a mile.
However, driving almost any other direction, departing from St Pierre des Corps is no easier than departing from Tours Centre, in fact you drive will be at least a mile longer.
When the SNCF wanted to expand TGV service and bypass end-of-line stations, in many locations the SNCF simply built a new TGV station outside of town. However, because the old rail yard of St Pierre des Corps was an easy way to bypass Tours Centre without building a new station, the SNCF simply adapted their existing facility there for TGV service.
The idea that St Pierre des Corps is as far away from Tours as Aix-en-Provence TGV is from Aix-en-Provence or Avignon TGV is from Avignon, is simply not true.
However, driving almost any other direction, departing from St Pierre des Corps is no easier than departing from Tours Centre, in fact you drive will be at least a mile longer.
When the SNCF wanted to expand TGV service and bypass end-of-line stations, in many locations the SNCF simply built a new TGV station outside of town. However, because the old rail yard of St Pierre des Corps was an easy way to bypass Tours Centre without building a new station, the SNCF simply adapted their existing facility there for TGV service.
The idea that St Pierre des Corps is as far away from Tours as Aix-en-Provence TGV is from Aix-en-Provence or Avignon TGV is from Avignon, is simply not true.
Feb 20th, 2016, 06:53 AM
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I've never heard of anyone showing up at a rental agency in France with a letter from a credit card company. No one will care, and they may not even be able to read it, if it's in English. You accept, and pay for, the insurance, or you sign a waiver saying you decline it, or you buy your own primary insurance. The AMEX full-cover insurance Sarastro mentioned is the best deal around. The rental company doesn't care one bit what your choice is, as they have nothing to lose.
Mar 11th, 2016, 01:00 AM
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Yes,
Once I had the experience to visit France on one of my cousin's wedding.
I rented a car from Atlantic Choice.
and found them really professional.
they are offering discounts and some special offers for France and they best thing is they do not charge for any cancellation or amendment fee. Their customer care is all the time active.
Once I had the experience to visit France on one of my cousin's wedding.
I rented a car from Atlantic Choice.
and found them really professional.
they are offering discounts and some special offers for France and they best thing is they do not charge for any cancellation or amendment fee. Their customer care is all the time active.
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