My husband and I are planning a trip to France in the next few weeks, in which we will be taking care of our friends' house in the relatively rural area of the Morvan (central Burgundy). We want to rent a car, but I want us to avoid the traffic by taking a train out of Paris to Montbard. We'd like to pick up a rental car in Montbard, and then we plan on driving around only in the rural areas...Saulieu, Vezalay, etc.

Here's my question: We want to minimize the cost by renting a manual -- in fact, in the small rental towns, that's all they have! We don't think we know anyone here in the states who drives a manual transmission. Is this a silly idea for us? Should we just rent an automatic in Paris? Not only do I want to avoid this for the cost, but if we rent locally, we don't have to hang onto the car for the whole 2 weeks we are there.

I'm really pushing just to get a manual because we'll literally only be on the smaller roads, and I'm hoping that this will be a safe situation in which to learn how to drive a stick. Any thoughts?

rvieyra
I am a really bad driver and have absolutely no problem with a manual. You will be fine with a bit of practice.

How about hiring a cheap car in the US and having a practice?

Its just about confidence. Once you are out of first its a doddle. If you are on country lanes who cares if you stall every now and then - only the cows and sheep will see!

Most people in France drive manuals because they are cheaper to buy and are also more fuel efficient but even more so because people like the feel of driving and being in contact with the road that only a manual can provide. Even those who can afford an automatic will generally buy a manual just for this reason.

I think your plan is a good one for the reasons you state. My only suggestion might be to rent a manual in the US just for a day and give yourself some practice before coming here. Driving in rural areas you won't have much traffic to deal with although in high season in touristy villages there will be traffic but nothing like a traffic jam you might find on the Peripherique around Paris. I think you'll feel quite comfortable in a manual.

Both good suggestiond. Driving a manual will end up being fun. The rural roads are in good condition and easy to drive. Richard

Make sure you know how to get it into reverse gear before leaving ther rental agency!

ther = the

Although in general the roads you will be driving will be forgiving, I would NOT attempt trying to learn cold turkey in France. IMO you must somehow get at least a few hours driving at home. Driving in the roundabouts is a bit of an art and stopping on hills will require practice. If you can do that I would encourage renting a stick, but to think that you can learn it on the spot would be foolish, IMO.

Rick

I agree that leaving it until you are in France to learn is not the best idea.

Driving schools near where you live probably offer courses in manual transmissions. Near me is at least one with a course specifically for people who already drive but want to learn a stick shift.

Have a look online for tutorials... you'll find them... so you'll understand the theory before taking the shifter in hand.

Last resort... there are car rental agencies who do rent standard transmission cars in North America. You could practice on home turf before you leave. The 'Rent a Wreck' chain does in Canada. Regular contributor Guenmai has recently posted links to such places in California.

If you decide you really can't handle a stick shift rent a car at Orly. It's on your way anyway and airports usually have the best chances of getting a slush box transmission.
It will only be about 3 hours or a bit more to Montbard.

Good luck!

Rob

Re hill starts: just pile on the revs and welly it.

I've been driving a manual all my life, here and all over Europe, including every summer in France. Delightful experience. However, don't wait until you arrive in France to learn how to drive a stick - you'll never make it out of the rental car parking lot. Rent one or borrow one and get up to speed with it before you go.

<<Re hill starts: just pile on the revs and welly it.>>

Yes, that works ( especially when it's not your clutch) but for the beginner probably better to hold the car on the hill by applying the handbrake (or emergency brake) , slipping the clutch and releasing the handbrake when the car starts to move forward (hopefully...before you crash into that Ferrari behind you)

If you have never driven a manual before, it might be best to rent an automatic. Borrowing a friend's car to practice is putting the friendship at risk unless you plan to pay for the clutch replacement, if necessary. It is unlikely that you will find a manual shift to rent in the States to practice. Taking lessons might be possible, but then the total cost of the rental in France should include the cost of the lessons in the States: does that make the manual rental worthwhile? Bite the bullet, rent from CDG and take the autoroute to Burgundy. That will be no different than driving on a limited access road in the States.

Rvieyia. Honestly don't be put off giving this a go. The only difficult bit is pulling awey in first, you may kangaroo around a bit to begin with but you will soon get there. All other gears are genuinely easy to master. My guess is you will spend most of your time in third on country roads. I was not joking when I said I am a bad driver - but if I can get through central London, in a Transit van during rush hour - you can get around a few back lanes in France. Besides have you SEEN how the French drive? You will be fine.

what Fashionista says...just be sure you are drunk when you do this for full effect.

Seems pretty risky to be playing with an expensive toy and your ( and someone else's) lives when you don't have a backup and are trying to get stay out of someone's way. I can tell you that I have been driving small manual underpowered cars in the US for 30 odd years and it was a bit off-putting for me to get my bearings driving in rural France the first few hours. It's up to you...

I don't mean to discourage you from renting a manual , in fact , I seriously think everyone universally should know BY LAW how to drive one. But what you are considering is virtually certain to earn you a multitude of "bras d'honneur" in the first few minutes ( if you can even get out of the parking lot). How would you like it if a Frenchman decided to learn to drive right in front of you?

RS do you think I am being over optimistic?

I'm thinking back to when I learnt to drive and its true there was quite a lot of stalling in the first half hour, but ok after that.

Perhaps they should ignore my comments. Damn. I thought I was being helpful.

One thing I do know, take your high heels off

Fashionista-

Yes, it seems to me you are forgetting your first fumbling moments with it, unless you are Superwoman with reflexes of steel or something. It just seems implausible that 2 (forgive me) probably clueless people can pull this off without any help. I suppose if the rental agency was in the midst of a cow pasture, perhaps, but its likely to be in the middle of a town, with some traffic. Not Paris , to be sure, but, there going to be quite a lot of revving and stalling , smoke etc. As you say, apart from first gear or reverse, not a huge deal. Sounds a bit too thrilling for me..

Rick

I'm one of those people who think everyone should know how to drive a stick. I have an automatic but my DH has a stick so I float between both cars so I never have a problem when we have a stick in France, including in the Alps.

The idea that you are going to arrive in France rent your car then somehow magically learn how to drive it immediately is totally crazy. How do you plan to maneuver out of the small usually crowded rental parking lot, through the narrow streets of the town where you rent your car, while learning how to shift at the same time?

What do you expect to do if the first red light is on top of a hill? Even a slight incline will have to rolling into the car behind you.

If you want the convenience of renting anywhere or to save money by renting a stick, you have to somehow learn to drive one before you get to France.

Please do not rent a manual transmission car without knowing how to drive it. I would suggest you contact a local driving school in France to have them give you at least an hour's lesson on starting in first, reversing, starting on a hill, etc. They can meet you at the car rental location and drive the car to a quiet spot for the lesson.

A crazy idea to rent a manual in France without first learning to drive one in the US! As a teenager (I'm old!) I first learned on a manual, and drove them for years. Even so, a few years ago when I first rented a car to drive in France (manual) and drove it off the lot, I stopped somewhere and couldn't get it in reverse. I had to ask a nice man walking down the street to show me how to reverse! Also, I wasn't used to the hills in Provence (I'm from Miami) and that took some getting used to. Especially when you are stopped at a light at the top of a hill, with a car close behind in back. Scary stuff if you're not used to it.

Having said that, the small manual cars are much easier to drive and park on the narrow village streets of France.