renting car in france, leaving it in italy?
Dec 7th, 2008, 04:06 PM
#1
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renting car in france, leaving it in italy?
Planning a trip to France for July of next year, planning on arriving in Marseille and driving down to Spain for the running of the bulls, then heading back up the French Riviera to Florence, and ultimately flying out of Rome.
I have a few questions for anyone who has attempted something like this.
1) We are planning on renting a car for the whole stretch, renting it in marseille and dropping it off in Florence. Any good car companies? So far sixt (http://www.sixt.com/) is quoting the best prices. For anyone who has rented a car for travelling between these countries which insurance is absolutely necessary vs. the ones that are not pertinent.
2) The EURAIL site is very confusing in terms of maps and showing routes between countries. Has anyone taken a train from the French Riviera to Florence Italy? Is there such a route without a multitude of stops?
3) Must see's on the French Rivieira? We were thinking of doing Cannes, Nice, and Menton. Is there anything else that shouldn't be missed?
4) How much should we be budgeting for food per day in each of the three countries, assuming a breakfast, lunch, snacks inbetween and a decent dinner.
Thank you for any help!
I have a few questions for anyone who has attempted something like this.
1) We are planning on renting a car for the whole stretch, renting it in marseille and dropping it off in Florence. Any good car companies? So far sixt (http://www.sixt.com/) is quoting the best prices. For anyone who has rented a car for travelling between these countries which insurance is absolutely necessary vs. the ones that are not pertinent.
2) The EURAIL site is very confusing in terms of maps and showing routes between countries. Has anyone taken a train from the French Riviera to Florence Italy? Is there such a route without a multitude of stops?
3) Must see's on the French Rivieira? We were thinking of doing Cannes, Nice, and Menton. Is there anything else that shouldn't be missed?
4) How much should we be budgeting for food per day in each of the three countries, assuming a breakfast, lunch, snacks inbetween and a decent dinner.
Thank you for any help!
Dec 7th, 2008, 04:17 PM
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Wow--you need a ton of help.
You need to look at the French buy back program for your car---the only feasible way to keep in 3 countries and avoid a big drop charge. You would need to drop it in Rome. Look at the Kemwel site for details.
I would skip Cannes--think Ft. Lauderdale---but we love Menton.
Use www.viamichelin.com for your routes and maps. Pamplona is a LONG drive from Marseille and even longer back to Nice---I would think about that real hard. Take this one step at a time---set the itinerary first.
You need to look at the French buy back program for your car---the only feasible way to keep in 3 countries and avoid a big drop charge. You would need to drop it in Rome. Look at the Kemwel site for details.
I would skip Cannes--think Ft. Lauderdale---but we love Menton.
Use www.viamichelin.com for your routes and maps. Pamplona is a LONG drive from Marseille and even longer back to Nice---I would think about that real hard. Take this one step at a time---set the itinerary first.
Dec 7th, 2008, 04:59 PM
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1. Renting a car in France & dropping in Italy.
In France, your visa/MC gold or better provides CDW (insurance). If you pick up the car in Italy (which you are not doing), it is Italian law that you must purchase CDW. However, last time I checked (about 5 years ago), my credit cards covered CDW in Italy if I picked up the car in France & drove it into Italy & returned it there. However, some disclosure statements I've read recently said that CDW is not provided in Italy. You should call your CC issuers, and get specifics from them.
2. Lots of train stops between Nice & Florence (last time I checked in '06 it was 2-4), and it takes a long time. We actually took the train from La Spezia (Cinque Terre) to Nice with 1 stop in Genoa). Use this site for trains.
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
3. "Must sees" on the French Riveria - about 10-20 days worth. How long will you be there???
4. Budgeting. If you are on anything but a "lavish" budget, this trip will cost you a lot in transportation costs.
Do you have any idea how long the drive to Pamplona is? (I think that's where the bulls are). According to ViaMichelin, it's 7 1/2 hours, road tolls are about $70, and gas will cost you around $100 - each way. I've driven that route several times - but never all at once. It's not scenic.
Stu Dudley
In France, your visa/MC gold or better provides CDW (insurance). If you pick up the car in Italy (which you are not doing), it is Italian law that you must purchase CDW. However, last time I checked (about 5 years ago), my credit cards covered CDW in Italy if I picked up the car in France & drove it into Italy & returned it there. However, some disclosure statements I've read recently said that CDW is not provided in Italy. You should call your CC issuers, and get specifics from them.
2. Lots of train stops between Nice & Florence (last time I checked in '06 it was 2-4), and it takes a long time. We actually took the train from La Spezia (Cinque Terre) to Nice with 1 stop in Genoa). Use this site for trains.
http://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en
3. "Must sees" on the French Riveria - about 10-20 days worth. How long will you be there???
4. Budgeting. If you are on anything but a "lavish" budget, this trip will cost you a lot in transportation costs.
Do you have any idea how long the drive to Pamplona is? (I think that's where the bulls are). According to ViaMichelin, it's 7 1/2 hours, road tolls are about $70, and gas will cost you around $100 - each way. I've driven that route several times - but never all at once. It's not scenic.
Stu Dudley
Dec 7th, 2008, 05:27 PM
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Stu,
That website for the trains is great! We were going to go with the car because I wasn't having any luck finding connections between these places through eurail, or any other site I was finding. I found that trainstop from Nice to Florence, but am not having any luck finding connections from france to spain. It would be nice to eliminate the car rental to just getting around the French Riviera.
For the question about the duration of the time on the French Riviera, we are planning approx 4 full days!
This is my first trip that I'm planning wholly by myself so any more help is appreciate.
That website for the trains is great! We were going to go with the car because I wasn't having any luck finding connections between these places through eurail, or any other site I was finding. I found that trainstop from Nice to Florence, but am not having any luck finding connections from france to spain. It would be nice to eliminate the car rental to just getting around the French Riviera.
For the question about the duration of the time on the French Riviera, we are planning approx 4 full days!
This is my first trip that I'm planning wholly by myself so any more help is appreciate.
Dec 7th, 2008, 05:48 PM
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I have a 27 page itinerary for the Cote d'Azur & Provence. I also have one for Italy. I've sent each to well over 500 people on Fodors & aol. They're free. E-mail me at [email protected] & I'll attach each to the reply e-mail.
Can I talk you into eliminating the bull run???
Stu Dudley
Can I talk you into eliminating the bull run???
Stu Dudley
Dec 7th, 2008, 10:02 PM
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Re. trains from Nice-Ville to Firenze: No direct ones - they are not on the same main line.
You either choose to follow the coast and change trains in Ventimiglia (border) and then in either Genova or La Spezia and again in Pisa, or you choose to go via Milano which then becomes your only station with a change of trains. Your call.
Don't use Eurail or such websites, use either the German one Stu gave you (which is pretty amazing for much of Europe), or the ones from the actual national rail systems that will transport you:
French - www.voyages-sncf.fr
Italian - www.ferroviedellostato.it
Spain - www.renfe.es
On Dec. 14 the new timetables for 2009 come into force, until then some websites may not display 2009 schedules correctly - give it a few days.
You either choose to follow the coast and change trains in Ventimiglia (border) and then in either Genova or La Spezia and again in Pisa, or you choose to go via Milano which then becomes your only station with a change of trains. Your call.
Don't use Eurail or such websites, use either the German one Stu gave you (which is pretty amazing for much of Europe), or the ones from the actual national rail systems that will transport you:
French - www.voyages-sncf.fr
Italian - www.ferroviedellostato.it
Spain - www.renfe.es
On Dec. 14 the new timetables for 2009 come into force, until then some websites may not display 2009 schedules correctly - give it a few days.
Dec 7th, 2008, 11:58 PM
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Thank you for all the advice so far.
I'm sorry I forgot to mention the dates.
The trip will be from July 4th to July 21st!
I think we're officially giving up on the car idea and just sticking to it while we're in France. I will def check out those websites for the train schedules.
I'm sorry I forgot to mention the dates.
The trip will be from July 4th to July 21st!
I think we're officially giving up on the car idea and just sticking to it while we're in France. I will def check out those websites for the train schedules.
Dec 8th, 2008, 04:48 AM
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If Pamplona is a must see for you, what about flying into Toulouse?
That would eliminate a long drive from Marseille (Google Maps says 7.5 hours but that is highly optimistic I think) and the need to retrace that route back to the Riviera...
Don't know who you are planning to fly but AirTransat flies out of Montreal into Toulouse and has flights out of Rome. You may not be able to get an open jaw with them but it might be worth phoning ... their website is airtransat.com
Rob
Dec 8th, 2008, 05:19 AM
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While you are playing around with train schedules you may also want to check www.whichbudget.com and play around with the idea of flying between some locations. Local carriers run specials during the summer and this could end of saving you loads of time as well as money.
Dec 8th, 2008, 05:23 AM
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Hi TC,
If you are planning to go to Pamplona, you will be taking 2 of your days just going back and forth.
Why not fly into Spain and then proceed to France and Italy?
Spanish trains are at http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html
See www.kayak.com for airfare.
If you are planning to go to Pamplona, you will be taking 2 of your days just going back and forth.
Why not fly into Spain and then proceed to France and Italy?
Spanish trains are at http://horarios.renfe.es/hir/ingles.html
See www.kayak.com for airfare.
Dec 8th, 2008, 09:44 AM
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<i>You need to look at the French buy back program for your car---the only feasible way to keep in 3 countries and avoid a big drop charge.</i>
Not quite. There is a US $150 to $175 drop off fee when leaving the leased car in a foreign country. There is a similar pick up fee for a non-France pick up.
It may be best to drop off the car in Menton and take the train to Florence and then to Rome. That would avoid the hefty drop-off fee.
Not quite. There is a US $150 to $175 drop off fee when leaving the leased car in a foreign country. There is a similar pick up fee for a non-France pick up.
It may be best to drop off the car in Menton and take the train to Florence and then to Rome. That would avoid the hefty drop-off fee.
Dec 8th, 2008, 09:53 AM
#15
since they have only 16 days days "on the ground" - the buy back program probably isn't an option anyway.
travellingcanuck: I'd really thinks about cutting back on some many distant destinations. You have less than 2.5 weeks for the French Riviera, Spain, Florence and Rome. I'd personally choose places closer to each other to maximize your limited time.
The Riviera and a bit of Italy would totally fill your time.
travellingcanuck: I'd really thinks about cutting back on some many distant destinations. You have less than 2.5 weeks for the French Riviera, Spain, Florence and Rome. I'd personally choose places closer to each other to maximize your limited time.
The Riviera and a bit of Italy would totally fill your time.
Dec 8th, 2008, 10:14 PM
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Thank you for all the good suggestions. The railway sites were very helpful.
We're planning on doing all three countries mainly because we may not have another chance in the near future to do so. We are energizer bunnies, requiring very little sleep!
With all your comments, we've decided to forego the car in crossing the border. We will only be using the car during the part of our trip in France, and I have found a decent rate for this. (30 euro per day)
I've also found train or flight connections to all my destinations, minus Marseille to Pamplona.
There is a train that runs between the two, but it does not run on weekends and there is no way around not going on the weekend due to the festival!
This is the only problem hindering my planning at the moment.
Any genius suggestions?
p.s. Has anyone ever been to the running of the bulls? Tips? Comments? Thoughts?
We're planning on doing all three countries mainly because we may not have another chance in the near future to do so. We are energizer bunnies, requiring very little sleep!
With all your comments, we've decided to forego the car in crossing the border. We will only be using the car during the part of our trip in France, and I have found a decent rate for this. (30 euro per day)
I've also found train or flight connections to all my destinations, minus Marseille to Pamplona.
There is a train that runs between the two, but it does not run on weekends and there is no way around not going on the weekend due to the festival!
This is the only problem hindering my planning at the moment.
Any genius suggestions?
p.s. Has anyone ever been to the running of the bulls? Tips? Comments? Thoughts?
Dec 9th, 2008, 07:41 AM
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>>Has anyone ever been to the running of the bulls? Tips? Comments? Thoughts?<<<
I would open this question up as a seperate post. This thread is already 18 "answers" long, and many people won't even look at posts that have had that many responses.
Seems to me, you really don't have much of an idea of what this "run" is all about - other than the stuff we see in the paper once-in-a-while when someone gets trampelled. I would want to know:
- Can you really see anything exciting - or are you just going to find yourself in a mass of 50,000 people trying to get a glimpse of a 30 second spectacle? Do most visitors really see that much of the run?
- are all hotels going to be already booked up for 50 miles in every direction - and are the hotel prices jacked up for that weekend.
Like me & several others have stated - this trip to Spain will consume 3 full days - 2 to get there & back & 1 to watch the run. I assume you're not doing something foolish like taking off on a 8-10 hr drive to Spain the same day, or the day after you fly from Canada to France (Have you ever experienced jet lag?).
I know if I wanted to do something like going to a bull run in Spain, my wife would try to talk me into spending several days experiencing the topless beaches on the French Riveria instead.
Stu Dudley
I would open this question up as a seperate post. This thread is already 18 "answers" long, and many people won't even look at posts that have had that many responses.
Seems to me, you really don't have much of an idea of what this "run" is all about - other than the stuff we see in the paper once-in-a-while when someone gets trampelled. I would want to know:
- Can you really see anything exciting - or are you just going to find yourself in a mass of 50,000 people trying to get a glimpse of a 30 second spectacle? Do most visitors really see that much of the run?
- are all hotels going to be already booked up for 50 miles in every direction - and are the hotel prices jacked up for that weekend.
Like me & several others have stated - this trip to Spain will consume 3 full days - 2 to get there & back & 1 to watch the run. I assume you're not doing something foolish like taking off on a 8-10 hr drive to Spain the same day, or the day after you fly from Canada to France (Have you ever experienced jet lag?).
I know if I wanted to do something like going to a bull run in Spain, my wife would try to talk me into spending several days experiencing the topless beaches on the French Riveria instead.
Stu Dudley
Dec 9th, 2008, 08:26 AM
#20
sorry - but being energizer bunnies or not doesn't make the plan any more workable. No matter how much endurance/energy you have - just the trains and flights will eat up about 4 days of your trip.
I'd really, REALLY consider dropping Spain. Squeezing in more destinations doesn't always end up w/ seeing more. You spend so much time in transit, checking in/checking out etc that you lose lots of your sightseeing time. Southern France and Italy is more than enough for 16 days. Pamplona will be hot, unbelievably crowded, totally booked up, and expensive. Plus eat up at least 4 days of your limited time.
It sounds like you are set on the plan - but I was just going to give it another try
I'd really, REALLY consider dropping Spain. Squeezing in more destinations doesn't always end up w/ seeing more. You spend so much time in transit, checking in/checking out etc that you lose lots of your sightseeing time. Southern France and Italy is more than enough for 16 days. Pamplona will be hot, unbelievably crowded, totally booked up, and expensive. Plus eat up at least 4 days of your limited time.
It sounds like you are set on the plan - but I was just going to give it another try
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