I'm contemplating a trip to Normandy. Would I be better off picking up and dropping off my rental car at Charles de Gaulle or in Rouen (of course, then I'd have to figure out how to get to/from Rouen)?<BR><BR>I will be driving alone. I read French, but haven't ever driven in France.<BR><BR>

Tahl,<BR><BR>I did this trip a month ago. No reason not to rent at CDG. It's very easy driving from CDG (which is well outside of Paris) and heading northwest to Normandy. You pay a slight airport tax/fee ($10 or so, I think) for renting from an airport location. But, the flexibility (e.g. to stop along the way to see Giverny or Les Andeleys/Chateau Gaillard) and ease of driving make CDG a good place to commence the rental.<BR><BR>Happy travels.<BR><BR>John H

I strongly agree for all the same reasons.

Thanks to you both -- very helpful advice!

I asked about this a while back, also, and as I understand it, if you don't rent at CDG, you have to go into Paris to get a train to Rouen,which is backtracking and a waste of time, in my book.

This past May, I picked up a rental at CDG and drove to Rouen, then onto Honfleur. A pick up at CDG is quite easy. Once you pick up the car, leave the Paris city limits and hop onto the A13 which rolls thru the Ile-de-France and onto Seine-Maritime to which Rouen belongs..<BR><BR>Happy Motoring!

What about dropping the car off? I'll be doing this same trip next year, but at the end of the Normandy portion of the trip I will be going to Paris. Should I drop the car off at CDG and take Paris Shuttle to my Paris hotel, or drive into Paris and drop the car off there?<BR><BR>Anyone who would share their previous experience with this?<BR><BR>Thank you.

If you are willing to drop off the car in Paris, you save the cost of the shuttle. I've done it several times, and when dealing with a rental agency, you often have the choice of location. There are two ways of choosing the drop-off location: 1. most convenient after you deposit your luggage at your hotel. 2.Easiest driving coming in from the west. But negotiating one way streets in Paris can be tricky.

Perhaps you could drop the car off in Rouen and take the train into Paris from there.

One of the many reasons this is such a wonderful site. How would I know that comming in from the west is preferable unless an experienced traveler shared this with me. Thank you.<BR><BR>Does it make any difference if we are staying in the St. Germain area, or on the Champs-Elyses (Sp?)?

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