Car rental Paris

[chiaro di Luna]

I'm considering a car rental before or after a week in Paris. I fly into CDG - 2A, in April. Please offer me advice on easiest way to do this - rent at/near airport or in Paris city centre. And rental locations. Any help will be appreciated. I've only used a train, bus and taxis in Paris areas.

 

[Pauline]

I would fly into Paris and have your week (so you don't have to drive while jet lagged), then do your week with the car. We have done this in other cities and the choice is to pickup the car in town (make sure it will be easy to drive out of town - pick a location on the side of town where you will be driving out), take transportation back to the airport and pickup there (this may be more expensive because of the airport tax, so compare prices - but you may save by returning the car to the same place you picked up) or take the train to where you are going and get your rental car at the train station (to avoid driving out of Paris and a long drive to wherever you are going).

The location of car rental offices depends on who you end up booking with. AutoEurope's pricing seems to change frequently by car rental company. I used to always pick their Europcar locations, but now other companies they represent might be much cheaper.

Where are you thinking of going after Paris?

We have never driven in the center of Paris, but we have driven from the airport to the Loire Valley and it was very busy around Paris.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

No plans made. Just grabbed those business class seats in a 2 day air canada seat sale. I am not the driver. Sunday mornings in Paris seem like a good time to avoid the traffic, from my experiences there. I was thinking Roissey bus from CDG to Paris on arrival; can take a taxi to car rental office anywhere in Paris. Driver does not mind traffic. Give me ideas for 1 week French countryside and I will fly out of CDG - returning car at airport.

 

[Pauline]

In April you would be more likely to find good weather in the south. You could take the fast train to Avignon in Provence, pickup a car there (the TGV station is outside the town), and have a week in the south of France. I like Uzes in the Languedoc (an hour drive west of Avignon). The town is delightful and you can do interesting day trips - Nimes, Pont du Gard, Avignon.

Or stay in Aix-en-Provence (take the train there instead of Avignon) and use that as a base to see the Luberon, Arles.

But maybe you want to be closer to Paris. Southern Normandy and Brittany might be interesting. Have you been to the Loire Valley?

Where have you traveled in France? What type of holiday are you thinking of?

 

[chiaro di Luna]

In April you would be more likely to find good weather in the south. You could take the fast train to Avignon in Provence, pickup a car there (the TGV station is outside the town), and have a week in the south of France. I like Uzes in the Languedoc (an hour drive west of Avignon). The town is delightful and you can do interesting day trips - Nimes, Pont du Gard, Avignon.

Or stay in Aix-en-Provence (take the train there instead of Avignon) and use that as a base to see the Luberon, Arles.

But maybe you want to be closer to Paris. Southern Normandy and Brittany might be interesting. Have you been to the Loire Valley?

Where have you traveled in France? What type of holiday are you thinking of?

Thanks for ideas,
I've spent some time in the south of France on a couple of trips, so not this time.
I'm thinking a week in Paris. Use train or car rental for a base to explore countryside----closer to Paris.
I've been to Lyon, Rouen, Le Havre, so I am open to all possibilities within 3-4 hours drive from Paris.

I have not had time to research yet---bought the tickets on a whim---guess what? price went down $151 today--I called and agent cancelled my flight and rebooked me at lower fare.
Please suggest a base for a week---There are 3 holidays in May during my trip- 1st, 5th & 8th!
And Paris public school holidays are April 16 to May 2/16.

Lots to consider.

 

[Pauline]

The Loire Valley is not far from Paris and it won't be crowded in April. When I visited a few years ago in the summer it was crowded and I did not love it as much as I thought I would. But everyone I talk to loves the area. Stay close to the river in one of the towns.

Another option is Normandy but I don't have a recommendation for a base. Somewhere in Lower Normandy.

Or Brittany. I am interested in staying in St Malo on the north coast.

And, of course, you have the option of spending the whole time in Paris, which might be nice.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

The Loire Valley is not far from Paris and it won't be crowded in April. When I visited a few years ago in the summer it was crowded and I did not love it as much as I thought I would. But everyone I talk to loves the area. Stay close to the river in one of the towns.

Another option is Normandy but I don't have a recommendation for a base. Somewhere in Lower Normandy.

Or Brittany. I am interested in staying in St Malo on the north coast.

And, of course, you have the option of spending the whole time in Paris, which might be nice.

I just checked car rentals with your autoeurope click thru and prices for a week are reasonable, but I could see us wasting our 1st day staying in a hotel to sleep before driving, so I think we'll go into Paris on arrival by roissey bus. Possibly stay in Paris 2 weeks with day trips by van/train, or split the time up: Paris 2 nights/car & countryside 7 nights/remaining days in Paris. I will look up your suggestions: Loire Valley, St. Malo, Lower Normandy.

Loire Valley might fit the bill-I can train there. Orleans? which base would be interesting, easy for car rental?

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Ideas keep changing:

3 nights Paris;
train Paris to Orleans or another base in Loire Valley for a week;
rent car at base in Loire Valley for a few day trips;
train back to Paris for remainder of trip.

So, I need ideas for a base in Loire Valley---easy to reach by train from Paris.

 

[Chris]

I suggest Tours, at least to pick up a car. If you're planning on staying a few days, I think Amboise would be a good base, centrally located to see all the chateaus, easy to get in and out of (downtown Tours is not especially easy to navigate), yet big enough to have plenty of choices of restaurants, etc. The Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station is the one you want, on the outskirts of Tours. I love this part of the Loire Valley. If you're looking for a weekly rental, at least check out http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1619, my favorite rental of all time. It's out in the countryside between Amboise and Montrichard, but an easy drive to wherever you want to go. It is often available for less than a week, especially off season.

 

[Chris]

P.S. I'm one of those who disagree with Pauline about the Loire Valley.

 

[Pauline]

P.S. I'm one of those who disagree with Pauline about the Loire Valley.

Everyone disagrees with me. I think it was too crowded in July and I got bored visiting the chateaux. I liked the tapestries in Angers. And we saw two wonderful Dolmen.

 

[Chris]

I think I would hate it in July too.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

Thanks Chris and Pauline. I am exploring the towns now: Amboise, Blois, Tours, and Orleans seem to be ones suggested elsewhere, as well.
I have decided on a hotel in the Opera area of Paris for the first 3 nights upon arrival. And the same for my last 3 nights before my flight home.

Need to decide: Car rental-pick up/drop off near my Paris hotel or train to and from my base in Loire Valley.
This would be a Sat. to Sat. car rental. I see no need to rent at CDG. Paris car rental place is open Sat. at 8 am.

Chris, have you rented a car in Paris and driven to the Loire Valleyor do you take train and pick up car at base?

Off to check train to Tours.

 

[Chris]

We always took the train to Tours and picked up the car there. On our first trip to Paris, we (me mostly, Frank was totally calm as always) were traumatized when we tried to return our car to the rental facility in Paris and got caught up in the roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe.

 

[chiaro di Luna]

We always took the train to Tours and picked up the car there. On our first trip to Paris, we (me mostly, Frank was totally calm as always) were traumatized when we tried to return our car to the rental facility in Paris and got caught up in the roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe.

I'm sure I'd feel the same. It looks like it will be train. Is the Tours car rental at the train station? Is there only 1 train stauon in Tours?

 

[chiaro di Luna]

I suggest Tours, at least to pick up a car. If you're planning on staying a few days, I think Amboise would be a good base, centrally located to see all the chateaus, easy to get in and out of (downtown Tours is not especially easy to navigate), yet big enough to have plenty of choices of restaurants, etc. The Saint-Pierre-des-Corps train station is the one you want, on the outskirts of Tours. I love this part of the Loire Valley. If you're looking for a weekly rental, at least check out http://www.slowtrav.com/cl/detail.asp?l=1619, my favorite rental of all time. It's out in the countryside between Amboise and Montrichard, but an easy drive to wherever you want to go. It is often available for less than a week, especially off season.

Ok, I see you've named train station here. My dates are too far off to book train but I will keep an eye on it because of the several holidays during my trip. It could be very busy.

 

[Chris]

Yes, there are car rentals right at the train station. Unless things have changed, they are open ONLY Monday-Friday and close at 5:30 pm or so. The same is true of the car rental offices in downtown Tours. Working through AutoEurope, we were able to arrange for our keys to be waiting for us at the hotel next door on one trip. On another trip, we missed our train connection in Paris on a Friday (coming from Amsterdam) and AutoEurope found us a car at a gas station about 10 miles out of Tours and had a taxi waiting to take us there when our train arrived. I love AutoEurope.

 

[Ann]

I second Chris' recommendation of La Barauderie. The cottage is sparkling clean with Karen's clever artistic touches everywhere, and the bathroom is wonderful, with a huge walk-in shower. And the location is perfect -- it's right in the middle of everything you'll want to see in the Loire. Like Chris, we've always taken the train to Tours and rented our car there. Be sure not to miss the wonderful market in Amboise on Sunday morning. I think it's time for us to go back!

 

[chiaro di Luna]

I second Chris' recommendation of La Barauderie. The cottage is sparkling clean with Karen's clever artistic touches everywhere, and the bathroom is wonderful, with a huge walk-in shower. And the location is perfect -- it's right in the middle of everything you'll want to see in the Loire. Like Chris, we've always taken the train to Tours and rented our car there. Be sure not to miss the wonderful market in Amboise on Sunday morning. I think it's time for us to go back!

What type of bed/s?
2 double are preferred
or twins

 

[Chris]

It's one bed. Queen or king -- I don't remember.