I fid it amusing that you are actually DRIVING in Paris at all!!! You are a brave soul, indeed, kerouac.

"find"

kerouac doesn't own a car, and doesn't rent one to drive IN Paris - only to drive OUT of Paris!

That's certainly saner. Several years ago, I had to drive in Paris - I think that's when I started to go grey!

Actually, most of my current car rentals are to take my mother out of the nursing home. One of the last things she loves is riding in a car. I'm sure that I have driven up and down every street in Paris and the suburbs by now.

About driving automatics and breaking with your left foot. I experienced this today with an american driver in front of me in Tyrol. (Don't ask. :-) ) It is unsafe, no idea if it's illegal, but it should be.

Do not use you left foot for operating the brakes in an automatic car! Danger! And you won't make friends either.

I can't even imagine braking with my left foot.

THANKS AGAIN for all the SUGGESTIONS. The "problem" has been solved by my friends.
They have an automatic that will be waiting for them in Avignon when they arrive this September. I don't know the particulars right now...rental agency etc.etc. Like I stated before,
I am NOT going on this trip....I CAN drive a manual....the 4 friends CANNOT. Thank you all again.

There are several companies in Ottawa and Toronto (Canada) which offer stick shift lessons and the company provides the car.

In Spain we were witness to the distress of a single driver obviously learning to drive a manual shift on the fly. He was trying to get out of the rental car area, and was jerking his way out of the lot as he tried to change gears. It was sad and hilarious at the same time. I don't know how to drive a manual shift myself, so I could sympathize. It's a good thing that two people in our party could drive manual shifts (one my husband and the other an old farm boy -- no problem for him). My husband, who lived briefly in France says that you never know if an automatic shift will be available when you rent a car, even if one is promised to you. As others have said, you can argue and hold your breath as long as you like, if none is available, you are out of luck.

Now it is 2011...friends sucessfully rented an automatic car thru Kemwell/Auto Europe..
it was waiting for them at the Avignon TGV station...they had a wonderful trip thru Provence
driving the automatic--Sept of 2010!