I don't think a one hour lesson will make most people a safe driver of a manual transmission car. Maybe you could get by, but I wouldn't want to be driving behind or in front of you during your first few days of shifting gears.

I learned to drive on a manual and also owned one for many years.

I would NOT try to learn to drive one in rural France. While Sue4 is correct that a SMALL car is easier to drive and park on the narrow village streets of France, for the same reason manoeuvrability is also important, which is hard to accomplish with an unfamiliar transmission. I still think the driving school idea is a good one - everyone should have to drive a 'stick' at least once.

Europeans who pass their driving test on an automatic are not allowed to drive a manual car. I think it would be a good rule for car rental companies to apply to visitors to Europe too.

Quite apart from the potential damage you could do to the car - making it almost undrivable for the next renter by ruining the clutch for instance, you will be a danger on the roads.
Unless you are absolutely sure you can act instinctively in an emergency in a manual car DO NOT rent one. You will be a danger to yourself, your passengers and to all other road users.

You will be more relaxed in an automatic, and that is surely part of the aim of a vacation? Is it worth the stress, never mind everything else I have said, for the sake of a few dollars?

Either learn to drive a manual before you go or rent an automatic in France.

I've driven manuals off and on for several years and recall many incidents of stalling, sometimes in traffic, which was not fun.

Have a great trip.

If you've never driven a manual before, don't do it.

hetismij says it all 2 posts up, and someone earlier says 'how are you even going to get out of the parking lot?'

Exactly. In the past 3 years I have had 4 teenagers learn to drive here in the UK, all on a manual gearbox. When I think of the screeching and clunking of the gears, the kangaroo hops down the road as they struggle with clutch control, the seemingly endless stalling at every junction (OK, that was the girls, the boys were better!), it's just not worth it. And then there's the hill starts and let's not forget the sudden and/or emergency stops.

You do need to be taught how to handle these.

There is the possibility you will manage by just riding the clutch and burning it out, thus either causing damage to the car which you cause you considerable inconvenience if it happens when you are driving the car, or considerable inconvenience to a subsequent renter of the car.

Get some lesson in first or rent an automatic. Don't think you can just turn up and it will all be perfect.

Make sure you have sufficient liability insurance in case you run over someone. Indeed it might save you some money to back up and run over them again.

<i>I think it would be a good rule for car rental companies to apply to visitors to Europe too.</i>

And how would they know since going to driving school is not mandatory in the States? There would be no record of the driver's experience. Or would you have to prove that you own a shift in your country of origin?

Michael, in that case maybe rental companies should just refuse manual cars to those with US driving licences.
It would make the roads a lot safer for the rest of us, who have had to have considerable training in driving before being allowed out on our own.

Aother vote for practise in US. Think about jet lag and learing in europe at the same time, nasty.

Thanks for the responses!!!

I called all of the local driving schools -- no one offers manual driving lessons.

I called all of the local car rental agencies -- one of the guys didn't even know what I meant when I said, "manual transmission."

In the end, it's looking like I'm going to see if I can get an automatic in Montbard, but the chances are slim. The good thing is that the people who we will be house-sitting for will be there the first few days...so we might get a couple of days of practice in with them, and that area is truly rural and flat. If we don't feel comfortable on our own, then we may just hike back up to a larger town for an automatic.

>>>>>hetismij >>>>>
Michael, in that case maybe rental companies should just refuse manual cars to those with US driving licences.
It would make the roads a lot safer for the rest of us, who have had to have considerable training in driving before being allowed out on our own. >>>>>

wow ! somebody drank a large cup of snarky tea.

<<<considerable training in driving before being allowed out on our own>>>

Considerable training is no guarantee of driving ability. Cant remember how many lessons and tests I took but I think they passed me because there were no more driving examiners prepared to get into my car.

I work on the abandonment principal of parking which is fine until you return to your car and the adjacent vehicles have gone leaving my utterly appalling cockeyed attempt utterly exposed.

<i>It would make the roads a lot safer for the rest of us, who have had to have considerable training in driving before being allowed out on our own.</i>

Any official statistics to back up this statement?

Hills! How I hated any dreaded hills! There is nothing scarier than moving backwards while you find the clutch and Europeans don't have the same comfort zone issues that Americans do. They get right on your ***

European drivers are well trained and expect the other driver to be as well. They will not be understanding when you stall the car in front of their car; you might actually get rear-ended because who is expecting stall at a simple light?

It takes more than an hour or two to safely learn the coordination and skills of the clutch. I personally think this an ill-advised plan. Know before you go! For your safety and that of other drivers.

I'm sure you will have seen this before but its worth another airing! 'difference between europe and italy' by Bruno Bozzetto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZ10QTIXlEA

rvieyra-

Perhaps you can find somebody on Craigslist that is trying to sell a cheap manual car for say $3-$400 (they do exist- I have bought them!) Offer them $50 or so to drive it around a quiet neighborhood for an afternoon. Email a few of them- you may get a taker. Just a thought if you can't think of a friend (that you don't want to lose). Good luck

hetismij: I am an American and when my family learned to drive my dad said we had to learn to drive a manual first. I did the same with my daughter. She has been driving for 20 years now and has not owned an automatic yet. As far as only renting manuals to Americans who took the test on a manual... not possible. It doesn't say on our licenses what type of car we took the test on.

rvieyra: How sad is that that the driving schools don't offer manual? Wow! Yes, your friends can teach you easily to drive a manual in a couple of days. Just make sure they include starting on hills. It would be a smart idea to learn now so you don't run into this again.

I've found a place that can rent a semi-automatic to me for a reasonable price -- is this a better choice than an automatic? Could someone explain how this is different?

I think what that would mean is that you do not have a clutch but need to select gears by hand...at least in the 60s or 70s versions that would be the case. Does the rental agency have an example of the car you might get? Find out, then look it up on the manufacturer's website and see if you can deal with it.

As with anything else in Europe, you can never be certain they will have it when you want it and will be "stuck" with a manual car.

Yes, a semi automatic needs to be shifted manually but there is no clutch. Some Smartcars are like that.

As long as the car is otherwise suitable for you this would be a good compromise and easy for you to drive... no clutch to worry about.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/ is a handy site to look up European cars not familiar to North Americans.

Rob