Car Rentals near Paris
 

A couple of years ago, I got great advice when we were renting a car to tour Tuscany. It was suggested that we rent the car in Chiusi since this is both a major train intersection and has easy car rentals. Worked great. We then returned the car to Florence airport, thus avoiding the traffic cameras which have devastated people trying to drive into Florence.

This year, we're planning several weeks in France, part of which we want to use traveling around Normandy. We would also like to drive from Honfleur to Belgium, probably staying in Bruge or Antwerp prior to going on to Amsterdam. We're thinking we'd really only need the rental car in Normandy since it seems that trains in this area use a hub and spoke system requiring way too long to get between even neighboring towns.

Suggestions would be appreciated. Is a car really required to see Normandy, and if so, where should we rent it?

Thanks in advance. Great advice is so appreciated.

Yes, IMO a car is the best option for touring Normandy. I would take the train from Paris to Caen and pick up your car there - lots of car rental outfits at the station. BUT don't stay in Caen; stay in Bayeux, about 20 minutes away.

You definitely don't want to rent the car in France and drop it off in another country (major drop-off fees for that), so make your way to Belgium by train after you're done with Normandy.

I think a car highly desireable for visiting Normandy. Most of us recommend taking the train from Paris to Bayeux and picking up a car there. That assumes you're interested in the WWII sites as well as the Bayeux Tapestry and maybe some more of the coast as well as Honfleur.

When we did this, there was a significant fee for dropping the car in a different country. So we dropped the car at the train station in Lille and took the train into Belgium from there.

Yes, you will need a car to tour around Normandy. You will save airport fees if you don't rent at an airport, but there is a tradeoff between price and convenience.

Choosing a car rental company depends on your needs, the insurance your CC has, and if it can fit your luggage.

Most car rental companies have multiple locations around Paris. I checked Hertz, my personal favorite, and there are over 30 locations in/near Paris to rent a car. Each locale will have a different assortment of cars available, as well as different operating hours.

Do some research on car rentals.

If you can, spend a night at Mont-St.-Michel. That's about the southern end of Normandy.

But Bayeux has only one car rental pickup place as I understand it, and it's not at the train station - it's a gas station down the road. In Caen you have lots of car rental options, and it's easy peasy to drive to Bayeux from there.

Are you flying into Paris and spending a few days there? Your post does not say so, but I'll take a leap of faith. If so, a good bet is to stay in Paris, rent from Hertz at the Carousel d Louvre location (in the garage below)....drive to Bayeaux (orMont St. Michelle then Bayeaux), work your way to Honfleur. Then back to Paris via Rouen and drop off at rental location (all fees avoided). Then take the train from Paris to the Benelux city of your choice