I want to pick up a rental car the morning we leave Paris to spend 4 days in Normandy. We will be flying home from Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport so would like to drop off the car there. Any suggestions on a convenient location to pick up the rental car? We are staying at the Best Western Trianon Rive Gauche which is on rue de Vaugirard, right by Jardin du Luxembourg. We don't mind driving the city streets on the way out. No preference on rental company-just a reliable one! Thanks!

I wouldn't bother picking up the car in Paris. I'd train to somewhere near where you are staying. Then return the car to CDG on return. It will be a lot faster. Have you ever driven the Paris city streets! You might get stuck in Etoile forever!

Id say that your two choices are: pick up at CDG, or take train to Normandy and pick up car there. Preference?

I don't think you are going to have that many choices of companies and places, so you should find the company you want first and then where it has locations. For example, all the major ones have locations at Gare Montparnasse rail station, and probably there are several at Gare Austerlitz. A couple are around Place d'Italie, but only one is in the 6th that I know of (Avis at St Sulpice). I don't know of any in the 5th. Getting to St Sulpice isn't going to be any easier than Gare Montparnssse IMO. I presume you don't want to walk there from your hotel. IF you do, I imagine it's the closest. It's pretty easy to get out of town on the major arteries down to the peripherique at both Montparnasse and place d'Italie.

Thanks!

Gare Montparnasse is a 20 minute walk from the hotel according to mapquest. We will have carry-on wheeled bags only. Is this practical?

I prefer picking cars up in the main train stations (Montparnasse, Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon...) because they have massive numbers of cars, so there is a generally a variety available from which to select. Also, they're open 6:30 to 23:30 seven days a week. All of the smaller agencies around town have much more limited hours.

Driving in Paris is quite simple if you know how to follow the signs, and it is good training for driving in the rest of France. Taking a train somewhere to pick up a car is just stupid, because not only is it an added expense, but you have to lug all of your baggage all over the place when it could already be in the trunk of your car.

I'd go with Montparnasse. That location will have plenty of cars available and it is not far from your hotel.

Thanks for everyone's input!
I agree about taking a train out of the city to get the car-unnecessary expense.
Well I ended up with a reservation for a car thru Alamo picking it up at the Paris 8 (villiers) location on 78 Rue Du Rocher. This is right next to a metro station. Turned out it was less expensive to get the car here instead of Montparnasse. It's further, but according to Google Maps, it's a 55 min walk, going right past the Louvre and up Ave de l'Opera. Since we don't need to pickup until 10 am, we may just walk it-or if don't feel like it will take metro. We will turn it in at the airport.

BTW, Google maps it amazing-you can get overhead satellite view AND Street views!

I basically agree with the comments here about the gares instead of Saint Sulpice. We have used that particular Avis a lot and it is fine but we NEVER get a choice of cars. Sometimes that is good-you get an upgrade but sometimes you can get a smelly smoke filled car with no recourse. The other place to consider is my favorite pick up spot Which is Hertz at the Louvre. Is is convenient because you aren't so far south as Montparnasse when you are headed north towards Normandy plus you get to drive through the Louvre courtyard if you want, which is kind of fun

Hertz Carrousel - Louvre
Address: 99 Rue de Rivoli Musée du Louvre
Paris
Phone : 01 47034912

<<We have used that particular Avis a lot and it is fine but we NEVER get a choice of cars. Sometimes that is good-you get an upgrade but sometimes you can get a smelly smoke filled car with no recourse. Sometimes that is good-you get an upgrade but sometimes you can get a smelly smoke filled car with no recourse.>>
This has me worried-is this just an Avis thing or true for all companies?

nanthompson,

We have always picked-up our car at Gard du Nord for reasons that kerouac stated. I love driving in and out of Paris.

Hi Nan-looks like I was posting just as you were so I didn't see your post til after. I would actually be a little nervous about the villiers location. If you really want to rent there-try to see if it is an actual agency (versus a gas station that Alamo sub-contracts with), and that their opening hours are okay for you guys. And you could always hedge your bets by reserving at one of the gares or the Louvre. You also could stop by ahead of time and get a feel for the agency and your confidence in them. But I guess you sense that I am with kerouac and cafegoddess on this. I too prefer the larger agency branches.

Keep in mind that "Alamo" does not really exist in France. There will be a small Alamo sign, but what you really have to look for is "National".

I now have 3 car reservations! I decided the Alamo one at villiers was too far any way when there was Montparnasse with more cars and much closer. I've reserved a midsize for the 3 of us at both Hertz (thru Priceline) and Avis (through USAA). Maybe we'll swing by there beforehand and see which car will have more room. My husband and son are both 6'2" so unless I want to sit in the back the whole time, we need to see if any of the "midsize" cars have room in back!
Guess I should cancel the Alamo reservation.
THanks for your help!