mjnx

Hi,
Staying at Marriott Champs Elysses and need to rent car to drive to Amboise.
What's closest car rental agency, and will it be open Mon. 5/24 (a holiday) ?
How easy to get out of city from there, and approx. how long a drive to Amboise?
Thank you.

ParisAmsterdam

There's an Avis and a Citer (National) depot at Porte Maillot. Have a look at a map and follow up
the Champs Elysee where you'll be staying. It turns into Avenue de la Grande Armee past the Arc de Triomphe. Porte Maillot is where Grande Armee meets the Peripherique. Handy, as you need to get on the ring road to head out of town.

Try using the http://autoeurope.com site. It asks where you want to pick up a car ... you'll see 82 Avenue De La Grande Armee as one of the choices. It appears to be open that day although many other locations are closed.

AutoEurope are brokers and say they will beat any other deals you might find. You can also phone them easily as they are based in Maine and have a toll free number.

Figure on close to 3 hours to Amboise... use http://maps.google.com and/or Viamichelin.com to plan. Their times are optimistic though.

If you are feeling adventurous there is another rental agency very close to your hotel, almost next door in fact... http://karscom.com They'll rent you a Ferrari, Lamborghini etc. ;^)

Have fun!

Rob

mjnx

Thank you, Rob. We are 4 adults w/ 4 large suitcases, so the "fun" cars are out!

avalon

Personally I would not bother renting a car in Paris to go to the Loire. I'd take the train to Tours-St Pierre and get the car there. you will be in Amboise in half an hour and no worries about traffic and the peripherique

mjnx

That was my original plan to go by train Mon morning,and arrive late morning. But the car rental agencies are closed on Mon 5/24 (a holiday.) Our lodging is already booked in Amboise, from Mon til 2:30pm TGV train time on Wed, and we'd have no transportation for 3/4 of the day Mon, and then have to get transport back to train station Tues a.m. to get a car.
Any thoughts?
How could I double check to be sure ALL car agencies at St Pierre des Corps are closed? (I was told this by a travel agent who is helping me a bit.) Thanks!

avalon

Europocar rental gencies are open on the 24th

mjnx

Checked again with autoeurope. Since we require an automatic, all they could POSSIBLY get is a Mercedes (or similar type), thru europecar, if they put in a special "need car" (or some such phrase) request. The cost was quite high, on top of train fare from Paris. So I think we may just rent car in Paris and drive.

ParisAmsterdam

The drive from Paris is not onerous, if not that exciting, and you thus save the train fare as well.

Pity you won't be able to do the Ferrari thing! ;^)


Rob