dendleju

CDG airport before fying home to Dallas.
When I first looked at cars and put in GVA for the pick up airport, the price was carzy.
Then I read on these forums about the airport having a french side. When I put that in the price normalised.
Since we will be in Lausanne, is it still possible to rent a car from the french exit of the airport so that we are effectively doing a straight forward rental within France?
What is the process? Arriving on the train from Lausanne, where do we go?
Are we allowed to pick up the car at the french part of the airport, drive for a couple of weeks in CH then cross into France, or do you have to exit to France immediately upon renting?
Any issues crossing border? We all have European passports.
Anyone know the car seat laws for kids in CH and FR?
Thanks so very much
Julie

dendleju

OOPS first part got "lost"
We are staying in Lausanne July 2010, we are wanting to rent a car and cross to France to visit family in Brittany, returing said car to Paris Charels de Gaulle......

kerouac

If you are in Lausanne, you could take the ferry to Evian and pick up a car there.

ParisAmsterdam

Here's a link to the Geneva Airport website page dealing with car rental on the Swiss and French sides.

In your French car you can go anywhere you like in Switzerland but will need a pass for autoroutes. If the rental desk can't sell you one they'll tell you where you can get one.

Child seats etc can usually be rented along with the car. Here's a link to what's needed in France:

http://www.childcarseats.org.uk/countries/france.htm

Check with autoeurope.com and their sister company kemwel.com They are brokers and say they will match a lower price should you find one. They also offer specials such as zero deductible insurance from time to time etc. I have used them and was happy with the price and the service.

Bon voyage!

Rob

joannyc

You'll pay more for renting at the airport. Try finding a close off-airport location. Then take a train, bus or taxi to that location.

I always get the best prices through kemwel.com

Underhill

The last time we rented at the Geneva airport we used the Swiss side, as Switzerland didn't charge the high VAT that was the case for France. That might be worth looking into.

StuDudley

Last year we landed at GVA, picked up a Swiss car, stayed for 5 weeks in Gites in France, took day-trips into Switzerland, then spent about a week in Switzerland - returning the car at GVA.

The French car rental offices at GVA are well marked.

If you are returning the car in France, you really can't pick up a car at a non-airport location because you'll get a Swiss car. We actually did that because we were renting longer than the max 31 days allowed for Credit Card CDW coverage - so we exchanged cars mid-way through our trip at a non-airport location - which was very difficult to find.

Like ParisAmsterdam noted, you may need a Swiss autoroute pass - hopefully the person who rented the car before you purchased one. I think they are purchased & "afixed" to the car by Swiss offices for all Swiss rental cars (our 2 cars had them).

Stu Dudley

yildy

Frech car makers "Peugeot" and others offer barnd new cars at special rates. No intermediaries, go direct to their sites. Perfect for long rentals. Make sure of their car return policies.