A Guide to Renting a Car in France (as an American)

One thing that I love about France is that you can easily get around by train.  Everywhere in the country is pretty accessible with public transportation so if you don’t feel comfortable renting a car or driving, you don’t need to!  However, there is really nothing better than picking up your rental car, rolling down your windows, and taking in the French countryside in from your windshield.  Quaint villages, upscale gas stations (seriously), and vines allow for a picturesque and relaxing drive.  So, if you’re brave enough to rent a car in France (I hope you are!), here is everything you need to know about renting a car in France – as an American.

 

If you’re planning a trip to France, don’t miss…

• Everything You Need to Know About Planning a Trip to France
• The Best France Packing List

 

READY TO RENT?  GET YOUR RENTAL CAR HERE!

 

How to Rent a Car in France

Renting a car in France is pretty straightforward, with your main concern being where to pick-up and drop-off your rental.  As an American, I’ve rented cars in France, Spain, Montenegro, Albania, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, England, and Romania, and each time I use Discover Cars.  With Discover Cars, you can filter through every rental agency in the city and also filter choices like “automatic” or “manual”.  Plus you can compare prices and choose the best rental for you.

Please know, you do not need a rental car in Paris.  If you’re visiting France and staying in Paris before heading out on your road trip, wait until you leave Paris to rent your car.  And, if it’s your first time driving in a foreign country or you aren’t the most advanced driver – I would highly recommend picking up your rental car outside of Paris (at one of the airports) instead of in the city so that you can avoid the heavy Paris traffic (both pedestrians and vehicles).

One more thing to consider when renting a car is whether you want to pick-up and drop-off in the same or different locations.  If you choose to drop off your rental car in different locations (for example you pick your car up in Paris and drop off in Bordeaux) it will cost more money, but it might be more practical depending on your trip.

 

 

If you’re staying in Paris, don’t miss…

• The Ultimate Paris Travel Guide
• How to Spend 4 Days in Paris
• 12 of the Best Hotels in Montmartre, Paris
• How to Spend the Day in Montmartre – Paris’s Cutest Neighborhood!
• 15 of the Best Hotels in Le Marais, Paris
• The Ultimate Guide to Le Marais in Paris
• Is Paris Overrated?  The Most Overrated Activities (and What to do Instead)
• The Best Boulangeries & Patisseries in Paris
• The Best Restaurants in Paris
• The Best Food Market in Paris – Marche des Enfants Rouges
• Taking a Taxi in Paris – What You Need to Know
• The Best Cocktail Bars in Paris
• 9 Best Food Tours in Paris

 

GET YOUR RENTAL CAR HERE!

 

Requirements of Renting a Car in France

Renting a car in France is pretty straightforward.  Here are the requirements to keep in mind if you’re renting a car as an American…

• Valid passport (3 months before expiration)
• Valid US drivers license (if your drivers license is not in the Roman alphabet, you will need an international drivers license)
• Credit/debit card in the name of the primary driver
• Must be at least 18 years old (some companies require 21+ but when you use Discover Cars you will know what the age requirement is from the company you’re renting from)
• If you rent a car in Paris you’re required to have a special vignette for environmental reasons (this already comes with cars registered in France)
• Proof of insurance (discussed below)

 

BOOK YOUR RENTAL CAR IN FRANCE HERE!

 

Car Insurance & Travel Insurance in France

If you’re going to rent a car in France, you are required to have car insurance.  (However, I have rented a car more than once and have never been asked to provide proof of insurance).  Luckily, car insurance is easy to obtain – it just costs a little bit more money in certain instances.  Here are three ways to get car insurance…

1. If you have a travel rewards credit card, your credit card might automatically come with car insurance as long as you book your rental WITH the credit card that has insurance – call your credit card company to see if you have this perk; if you do, you do not need to purchase any supplemental insurance
2. If you rent from Discover Cars, you can opt in to their car insurance which will be shown to you before check-out
3. You can purchase car insurance directly from the rental agency when you pick up your car (in my experience, this is the most expensive)

While not required, I would also strongly recommend purchasing travel-medical insurance when traveling, but especially when road tripping.  This way, you’re covered if you were to get in an accident and need to go to the hospital or if travel plans change and you need a refund for a cancelled rental car.  I personally use SafetyWing and would recommend it.

 

GET YOUR TRAVEL INSURANCE HERE!

 

Read why I recommend travel insurance here…

• Why You Need Travel Insurance – From a Nurse’s Perspective
• 9 Most Important Things to Know About Travel Medical Insurance

 

Cost of Renting a Car in France

Renting a car in France is pretty affordable.  The things to keep in mind are that tolls and gas prices are about double of that in the US, purchasing car insurance will bring your cost up, and automatics are generally more expensive to rent than manual cars.  In my experience, the cheapest way to rent a car is to search through Discover Cars.  They pull all information from every rental agency in the area so you can ensure you’re getting the cheapest price.

 

BOOK YOUR RENTAL CAR HERE!

 

Road Rules/Car Rules in France

Here are some of the main road rules and car rules to keep in mind when you’re driving in France…

• Everyone in the car must wear their seatbelts
• Children under 10 are not allowed to sit up front
• Each car must have a safety jacket or triangle in it at all times
• Cell phone use (for drivers) is prohibited
• You are required to carry a breathalyzer (however there is no punishment if you don’t have one); the tolerated blood alcohol level for drivers in France is 0.5 mg/ml – less than in the US where the legal level is 0.8 mg/ml
• There are speed cameras throughout France and if you’re caught speeding, you will be sent a ticket
• If you’re involved in an accident (even if it is not your fault), you’re required to stay at the scene until the police arrive

 

BOOK YOUR RENTAL CAR IN FRANCE HERE!

 

Is it Worth Renting a Car in France?

In my opinion, yes I think that it is well worth it to rent a car in France.  With a rental car comes freedom – explore at your own pace, stop when you see something interesting, move on when you’re tired of a destination.  While train travel in France is easy, you aren’t able to get to the smaller villages, drive through vineyards, see the beauty of the lavender fields in Provence!  Each time I’ve rented a car in France, I have not been disappointed with my decision.

 

France Essentials – What You Need & Need to Know About Visiting France

 

I hope that this guide to renting a car in France as an American was helpful!  If you have any questions about visiting France or renting a car in France, let me know in a comment below!

 

Planning a road trip in France?  Don’t miss these road trip guides to help plan your trip…

• The Perfect 4 Day Normandy Road Trip Itinerary
• A Guide to Christmas in the Alsace
• From Paris:  A Weekend Trip to Mont Saint-Michel
• A Relaxing Weekend in the Loire Valley:  Where to Stay & Unwind in France’s Charming Countryside
• 8 Things to See & Do in Aisne, France
• How to Spend 2 Days in Aisne, France:  Castles, Champagne, & History

 

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For more information on things to see and do in France, make sure to check out my Instagram page/highlight reel by searching “#ppinfrance” or under my highlights for “France 1″, “France 2”, & “France 3”; alternatively, head to my TikTok and search for the saved “France” highlight

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