Renting a car in France? Help!
 

I'm flying into Paris this May, but want to rent a car somewhere in the Loire Valley, then head south to the Dordogne.

Which city would be a good starting point...accessible by train from Paris, but large enough to rent cars, and worth seeing in its own right?

Poitiers? Tours?

Has anyone out there already done the leg work with regards to rental companies? I'll be renting for two weeks.

Please -- I'm looking for suggestions!

Hi OG,

>Has anyone out there already done the leg work with regards to rental companies?<

Of course. That's why you are here isn't it?

How much time do you want to spend in the Loire?

See www.novarentacar.com and www.autoeurope.com

((I))

Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com) lists cars being available in both Poitiers and Tours. (AE is a consolidator that finds you the best rate among several companies and promises to either match or beat any rate you find by contacting a company directly.) Based solely on looking at a map, it seems to me that Tours would be a better starting point if you wish to drive through more of the Loire Valley. However, I'll leave it to someone who has been there to speak from experience.

If you could use the car for 17 days, I'd suggest a lease plan with Peugeot via AutoFrance. If not, I'd stick with AutoEurope.

Incidentally we used to take a train out and pick up our cars -- once in Reims, once in Rouen. But since then, we've decided to get them right in Paris. Getting out of Paris is not difficult from most rental agencies, particularly those around Gare de Lyon or Montarnasse station. Plus it saves the complications of getting to a train station, getting from the train station to a car rental place, and of course saving on the cost as well.

I don't recommend driving and circling the Arch or Concorde, but heading straight out of Paris is really not a big deal.

If 14+ days, have a look at www.renaultusa.com. They operate a "lease" (actually, "buy-back") program that is all-inclusive of insurance and taxes. Usually around 14-17 days it works out cheaper than any of the conventional agencies. Always a new car, too.

Important that you count all taxes and insurance charges when booking cars, especially through intermediaries. Do NOT assume your credit card will cover your CDW-type losses in Europe.

We rented a car in Tours, and actually dropped the car in the Dordogne after stops in Amboise, Les Ezyies du Tayac and Brantome before taking the train from Angouleme back to Paris. Driving in and out of Paris is no fun, the train from Paris to Tours is just one hour, so that worked just fine for us. And Tours is worth a visit in its own right.

We used Auto Europe, and they found a company (Europcar) which didn't charge us a drop fee. We've also used Europe By Car (another consolidator). Consolidators are the way to go unless you stretch your rental out to 17 days and do the Purchase/guaranteed buy-back deal with Peugeot Open Europe or Renault. The two main advantages of the latter are (i) you get a brand new car, with exactly the specifications you want and (ii) insurance is included in the price. You're close enough to 17 days with two weeks that it would be worth requesting a quote on both options.

We took a tour through the Loire last year, rented a car in Tours. I have a lot of photos at: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/91d62/1c/

WE USED KEMWEL AUTOS.http://www.kemwel.com/

Gardyloo, where can you get such a lease program for only 14 days? I thought they were all a minimum of 17 days? I was even told that if you paid for 17 days, there is no way you can turn it in a day earlier than that. The site you mention only mentions 17 day minimum also.

That's why I was suggesting the same thing, but only IF Ottawa Gal could use it for 17 days.

The base rate is for a 17-day rental but you don't have to use all 17 days. Typically the breakeven point (i.e. lease v. major agency rental) is around 14-15 days, depending on model. The virtue of the lease plans is that you get a brand new car and can pick from a much wider range of models than you will get from the majors.

I believe the Renault site also says they do shorter-term rates but I don't know what they are.

One advantage of the lease plans for travel throughout Europe is that they don't restrict their cars from the former east bloc countries. So if you want to drive to Slovenia or Romania, you can without having your contract turn into a pumpkin.