We're renting a car in France and driving to Venice and back. But what to do with the car while in Venice? Any suggestions, horror stories?

There is a huge parking lot across the lagoon from where you get a ferry ride to Venice. Once you entered the area, there will be a number of people offering tours and all kinds of things. I suggest you ignore those and try to park down towards the ferry launch areas. Like in any other place, don't leave valuables in your car. We didn't had any problems, just a bit of traffic getting in/out of the parking lot. There is a daily fee. My advice is when you returned from Venice, go directly to one of the attendants and pay the parking ticket (with a credit card preferably). This should save you some time getting out of the lot.

If you are staying on the Lido, take your car on the ferry and park it in front of your hotel and leave it there. <BR>When I did this, it was cheaper than the garage, there were fewer people around, and I could keep an eye on it.

HI Marcia, <BR> <BR>Why not try leaving it in the charge of the rental company at the airport. You could then get the water bus to <BR>San Marco (not the taxi - it's very expensive) The "bus" stops right at the door to the terminal. Nothing easier, and it is delightful arriving in Venice by water. <BR> <BR>Don't actually know that this will work at the airport, but what better way than to leave someone's car in their own hands for a few days. Denise <BR>

<BR>We solved this by staying in Padua and taking the train into Venice. We found a nice room about 2 blocks behind the train station and left our car there. The train leaves about every half hour, takes about 30 minutes and costs $5 each for a round trip. So handy. The train station in Venice is just across the canal. You can take a water taxi or walk easily most places. We felt this was simpler than fighting traffic and also paying a parking fee. The car was safely locked iside a fence at the motel all day.

but, you really should stay in Venice. You will be missing out if you don't.

In Venice, stay in the city and park in the Tronchetto parking garage. Why travel back and forth and have no place to go and rest during the day? Venice is an island reached by a causeway from the mainland city of Mestre. Since there are no vehicles in the city, you must park your car at the end of the causeway and then go by ferry boat to your hotel. As you approach Mestre, watch for direction signs to Venice rather carefully. The route is not as well marked as you would expect. Once you get on the causeway, look carefully for signs to the "Tronchetto" parking area. The Tronchetto parking garage is very large, clean and well organized. You take a ticket from a machine on entrance and pay at a payment office on departure. After you enter the Tronchetto garage go as close as you can to the far end, because that is where the ferry boats depart. Just park your car (of course lock it and don't leave anything in sight) and then walk out the end of the garage. You will see a one story building in front of you (this is where you pay on departure) and the ferry boat dock is just beyond it to the left. There are signs in English for just about everything. <BR> <BR>

Bob, is right. Stay on the Lido and take your car with you. This avoids daily parking fees. This also avoids having to empty your car and carry everything with you on the pedestrian ferrys. You can drive around the Lido and you can take water taxis to other parts of Venice.