Overview
Accommodations
Food
Sights And Activities
Museums
Shopping
Entertainment
Nightlife
Daytrips
Gay and Lesbian Paris
Beyond Tourism
Cars offer speed, freedom, access to the countryside, and an escape from the town-to-town mentality of trains. Many places in France—especially the most popular tourist attractions, like the Loire châteaux or the D-Day beaches—are best reached by car. Other attractions can be reached in no other way. Although a single traveler won’t save by renting a car, two to four usually will.
Before setting off, become acquainted with French driving laws (e.g., motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear helmets in France). For an informal primer on French and European road signs and conventions, check out www.travlang.com/signs. The Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT), 11769 Gainsborough Rd., Potomac, MD 20854, USA (☎+1-301-983-5252; www.asirt.org), can provide more specific information about road conditions. ASIRT considers road travel (by car or bus) to be relatively safe in France. French drivers, along with other Western Europeans, use unleaded gas almost exclusively.
If you plan to drive a car while in France, you must be over 18 and have a recognized driver’s license. French law allows travelers to drive with a valid American or Canadian license for a year, but an International Driving Permit (IDP) is also sufficient. It is helpful to have an IDP in case you’re in a situation (e.g., an accident or stranded in a small town) where the police do not speak English; information on the IDP is printed in 11 languages, including French. To apply, contact your home country’s automobile association.
Most credit cards cover standard insurance. If you rent, lease, or borrow a car, you will need a green card, or International Insurance Certificate, to certify that you have liability insurance and that it applies abroad. Green cards can be obtained at car-rental agencies, car dealers (for those leasing cars), some travel agents, and some border crossings. Rental agencies may require you to purchase theft insurance in countries that they consider to have a high risk of auto theft.
If you are driving a conventional rental vehicle on an unpaved road in a rental car, you are almost never covered by insurance; ask about this before leaving the rental agency. Be aware that cars rented on an American Express or Visa/MasterCard Gold or Platinum credit card in France might not carry the automatic insurance that they would in some other countries; check with your credit-card company. Insurance plans from rental companies almost always come with an excess of around US$5-15 per day for conventional vehicles. This means that the insurance bought from the rental company only applies to damages over the excess; damages up to that amount must be covered by your existing insurance plan. Many rental companies in France require you to buy a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which will waive the excess in the case of a collision. Loss Damage Waivers (LDWs) do the same in the case of theft or vandalism.
National chains often allow one-way rentals (picking up in one city and dropping off in another). There is usually a minimum hire period and sometimes an extra dropoff charge of several hundred dollars. Car rental in France is available through the following agencies:
Driving 101. Seat-belt use is mandatory in cars, and motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear helmets. Children under 10 years old are not permitted to sit in the front passenger seat. French police can fine anyone who does not comply with these laws. Always carry your driver’s license, a vehicle registration document, and proof of auto insurance on the road.
Resources. For directions, driving time estimates, and toll and gas costs, visit www.iti.fr or www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr. L’essence (gasoline) prices vary, but average about €1.60 per liter in cities and €1.40 per liter in outlying areas. L’essence tends to be cheaper than l’essence sans plomb (unleaded fuel). Ask at a French Government Tourist Office for la carte de l’essence moins chère —a map of supermarkets near highway exits, where gas is cheaper. For info on driving conditions in France, see the website of Bison Futé (www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr.), an organization geared toward reducing road congestion.
Car Assistance. Many car rentals include 24hr. roadside assistance. If you find yourself in trouble on the Autoroute without such service, go to a nearby orange SOS phone. Dial ☎15 for an ambulance and ☎17 for the police.
 |
 |
 |
 |
For 52 years, we have published the world’s favorite budget travel guides, written entirely by students and updated every year. With pen and notebook in hand and a few changes of underwear stuffed in our backpacks, we spend months roaming the globe in search of travel bargains.
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube
Foursquare
Newsletter
RSS Feed
