lpsmith

Hi-
We will be arriving in Caen, France around 8 am. We have rented a car for the days we are in Normandy, however we can't check in to our B&B outside of Caen until 4pm.

I had planned to go to the war museum and tour Caen once we got the rental car. But we would have all of our luggage with us.

I believe the car I'm renting is a hatchback from Europcar and wondered if anyone knew if the car rental places have secure storage for luggage or if it was safe to leave the luggage covered up in the car and the car locked?

Thank you!
Lin

LoriNY1

I absolutely wouldn't take the chance. Ask the B & B if they will store the luggage for you. The last thing you need is your car broken into and everything gone.

TommieG

If the luggage in the trunk is not seen from the outside, it is no problem. Most hatchbacks do have a backshelf preventing others from looking into the trunk.
If they can't see the luggage, they probably won't break into it. But make sure other people don't see the full trunk when you park and get something from the trunk.

Padraig

I have parked in Caen and many other places in northern France with luggage stowed out of sight in the car, and never had a problem. It's not something I would worry about.

One suggestion: do not be seen transferring stuff into the boot and then leaving the car. Stow everything out of sight at the start of your journey. (And, of course, it's best not to look like a tourist!)

Dukey

I would try to have the B+B store the luggage and take the time at the beginning to do this and ensure your own peace of mind.

If storage at the B+B isn't possible then i would hope you can store everything in the car and out of sight.

If that isn't possible then I would definitely try to park the car in such a way so that as little as possible can be seen through any windows and back the car up against a building or wall so that the rear cannot be jimmied and opened.

I somewhat disagree with Padraig in terms of looking like a tourist although there may very well be thieves who watch at places where cars are parking to see who looks likely to have things in the car. After you leave the car what you look like may not matter so much since I suspect you will not be the only tourists around from whatever country.

Linda431

Two of my neighbors, while travelling with another couple, did exactly what you plan on doing.

When they returned to the car, nothing seemed amiss so they went on to their hotel. When they went to take the luggage out of the trunk, the key wouldn't go in the lock. Something was stuck in it.

They ended up having to take the back seat out of the car to get to the luggage and found that the 2 smallest bags had been stolen. The other luggage was untouched.

Naturally, they had their passports & plane ticktets in the missing bags along with her jewelery. Being 40 miles away from the scene of the crime didn't help matters.

In short, if you have anything in the car that would ruin your trip if you lost it, I wouldn't do it unless it was a protected parking area.

ekscrunchy

Linda, where did this happen?

lpsmith

Thanks everyone. I guess I was leaning towards not keeping it with us. The B&B is outside of Caen, in Villers Bocage. Looks like a 20-25min dirve based on directions. So maybe we will see if we can leave it there and then drive back toward Caen to sightsee.

ira

Hi lp,

See if the rental agency will let you leave the car, with your luggage in it, at their facility while you visit Caen.

Linda431

Ekscrunchy,
Opps, sorry! It would have been nice of me to remember where this actually took place but for the life of me I cannot recall. I was so engrossed in the other details.

I will find out and post back here.