Rental cars with automatic transmission
 

Does anyone know any rental car companies in France which don't charge an arm and a leg for automatic transmissions? I've gone through all the local ones I know of here in Tours with not much luck, but I could possibly take a train and pick one up somewhere else. I've been thinking of seeing a little bit of Normandy one of these days and it's a bit of a hassle by train, especially since I'm not great at planning things in advance.

I don't know how much difference this makes to French rental agencies, but I have a French driver's licence and am over 25, although I've still got a couple of years of the 'probationary' period left on my licence (because I got the licence in the last couple of years, not because I've committed any infractions). I don't suppose anyone knows if agencies don't like renting to people in that case?

I actually took manual transmission driving lessons in preparation for moving here, but I'm still hopeless at it :( Put that together with driving on the other side of the road and in a foreign country and I think I'd be a nervous wreck!

Cheers :)

Something is not clear : the probationary period of French licences is 3 years (it used to be 5). If you find an agency willing to rent a car (which I doubt, even if you are over 25) it will be at a very steep price.

Thanks. Yes, sorry, I was vague with the 'couple of years' each way. It lasts until August 2012, so I'm about halfway through. Okay, well if it would be difficult/pricey I suppose I'll just forget then.

Automatics ar steep most everywhere. We were given one once in Germany when we had ordered the simplest stick shift and it was all they had left. No problem.

Many people go to Normandy by train and then take a tour once there, if driving is going to be an issue for numerous reasons.

You can find numerous posts on how to arrange everything by doing an advanced search going back a couple years, as you will have more posts to look through that way

PS a bit frustrating because I've actually been driving for 9 years already! But hey, I'm happy to have a French licence, so whatever! :)

Thanks lincasanova - the Normandy thing is just a vague 'thing that would be nice to do' rather than a burning desire. It's more just that I live here and it would be nice from time to time to hire a car for a day or two for the odd weekend away or even just the occasional mundane task. Unfortunately no-one I know here has a car either!
But anyway, I've survived this long without driving so I can probably do without.

You might try posting your query on www.angloinfo.com for your region, someone might have a suggestion. Automatic transmission cars tend to be the larger ones which also drives up the price. In looking at automatics for friends, I've found three-day packages over weekends and of course discounts for a full week, same with manuals, these were through Avis and autoeurope.

You are less than 3 hours from Bayeux by train so even if you like to do things on the fly, you should be able to grab a cheap fare if you watch the sncf web site. Combining the train with picking up a car in Bayeux or Caen might save money in the long run.

Good idea to check on your license, was it an exchange for a UK license? I don't think there would be an issue but agencies can make their own restrictions and you don't want to find out on the day.

Thanks for the advice Cathinjoetown. Exchange for a NZ license yeah.
I am in the (fabulous) position of having a *lot* of holiday time, but that leads to me often deciding to take a day or two off work just a few days in advance, so every time I think "might be nice to..." it's too late to get any deals on SNCF. The answer might just be to get my act together and plan something properly!

If you've been driving for 9 years why don't you use your UK licence instead of the French probationary one? Do you know that speed limits are not the same for probationary and "real" licences? Do you know that if you commit an infraction with a probationary licence you're good for another 3-year probation?

"I don't think there would be an issue"
There would definitely be an issue with a probationary licence.

New Zealand licence. They take it away when you exchange your licence, so I only have a French one. The reason I am back on a probationary one here is because NZ has a graduated licence system which means you have to pass two practical driving tests, in between you can actually drive alone but you can't take passengers or drive at night. So anyway, I only passed my final test shortly before leaving NZ, which is why in the eyes of the French govt I have only held a licence for a couple of years.

Yep, I know the rules, thanks.

Europcar has a certain number of Smarts in the cheap category -- they are all automatic.

Automatics are always more - often they don;t have utomatic in the smalles size cars. And the best chance of being sure of getting on eis to pick up the car at an airport or a major city center. The smaller the town/rentla office the less likely they are tohave the choce of cars you want.

And I wish the US had rules like that - to keep some of the really bad drivers off the road. Here it's a 20 question (multiple choice) writen test for apermit and then a 3 minute "road test". If you can pull out, make a left turn, a right turn and parallel park without hitting something you get a license. period. Noting else required (except for minors in a few states). It's really scary

I should mention that a Smart is possible only if you have little or no baggage. Even when I just go to the hypermarket for shopping, I generally need to put stuff in the passenger seat because there is so little room in back (there is no trunk at all).

Strangely enough, in front it is incredibly spacious. (If you only have small bags, some of them can be placed in front of the passenger seat even if there is a passenger.)