Car rental in france
Are you consumed with the planning of your next Great Vacation Is your mind buzzing with too many options Do you enjoy driving Do you want to cut travel costs Then heres what you could do. Let France be your destination. And no, this need not be a flying visit from airport to airport and back to airport. Probably the best way to experience France is by road. That way you will not miss out on the Travelers Delights that this wonderful country has to offer.
FIRST OF ALL
You must be 18 years of age or more to be able to lease/rent and drive a car in France. A young driver surcharge will be levied if the driver is below 25 yrs. The driver must have held the driving license for not less than 1 year. An International Drivers License is greatly recommended. The driving license in possession must be recently updated. Be well acquainted with all rules and regulations pertaining to traffic and driving in France. Careful planning will take you a long way.
PLANNING
Armed with considerable prior research and an itinerary chalked out, featuring a basic plan, you could drive leisurely to regions of your choice, make as many halts as you like at places that grab your interest, make spur of the moment detours in your itinerary if you want, extend or cut short your stay at places if you would wish to. Moreover, there is no train nor plane schedule to keep so go ahead and indulge yourself a few times paint a town red into the wee hours of the morning and then sleep in late the next day. Time devoted to research on France from a travelers point of view is certainly time well spent. Based on this research you are now able to decide on the places you would like to visit. If you are traveling with your partner, family or friends don t be surprised if the final itinerary takes time to unfold ! Their inputs need to be considered too. Its a collective effort and all in the game. Gas prices, distance to be traveled, time of the year should be considered to steer your plans.
RENTING OR LEASING YOUR VEHICLE
Once the plans have taken shape and have met with universal approval, car rental companies enter your purview. There are a large number of companies, as well as offers, at your disposal. Once again, it is time well spent if you examine your options carefully, weighing all pros and cons. When renting a car, you can opt for the pick up to be located at the airport where you land in France, the hotel at which you are booked, or any other point as preferred by you. At the end of your trip you can either leave the vehicle at the point of pick up or opt for the one-way car rental scheme, which allows you a flexibility of returning the car to any other location. However, this scheme comes with additional fees and a restriction on type of vehicle for international travelers .
Some companies provide a full fuel tank at the point of pick up and you are expected to top up the tank at the time of return while other companies may not provide this facility at all. Either way fuel is at your expense. It must be kept in mind that 24 hr gas stations can be found only in the larger cities, so keeping track of the status of your fuel tank is surely more comfortable than being stranded with no gasoline at the wrong time and place. The gasoline sold in the hypermarkets and on the outskirts of the cities is cheaper than that sold at regular gas stations. The gas stations located along the highways are always costlier than any other locations. It may be worthwhile to note that diesel prices in France (Europe) are lower than gasoline prices; hence, probably it would be a good idea to look into the renting of a diesel vehicle rather than a gas one.
When negotiating with a car rental company you should be able to make a choice in cars best suited to you with regard to intended itinerary, cutting fuel costs, size to suit the group that is traveling, insurance, number of drivers, and one-way rental. It is important to note that certain types of luxury cars are not allowed into Italy - just in case you decide to stray across the border in defiance of your itinerary! Bookings, reservations, payments etc. can be safely done online from the convenience of your home. Alternately, if you have only a few days to kill in France and you want to drive through places, then you dont need much planning. You simply decide on a couple or more of destinations, get off the plane and head towards the nearest car rental counter.
Once there you will need to fill a number of tedious forms, hand over to them your credit card, You are on your way. If your trip is going to last for more than a fortnight, then leasing a vehicle would be more economical for you. Again everything is done online, and the car, fitted out as per your specifications, will be delivered to you at the airport or the train station where you alight. Some careful explanations, instructions and cautions later, and you hit les routes de la France ! While renting your car the insurance will cover fire and third party liability. This is mandatory. Also you should apply for Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection, thus reducing the deductible.
DRIVING IN FRANCE
Get familiar with the unfamiliar. Remember; traffic in France travels to the right. Adhere strictly to all traffic rules and speed limits. Parking etiquette is peculiar to every country and must be honored. Most road signage will be very different from those that you are used to and a printed guide on how to read French road signs should help you out initially till you know them by sight. Its always nice to be able to spout a language other than your own, so learn up those little French phrases to get by with, and soon you may even reach the fluency you had hoped for.
Traffic violators will be fined on the spot and will have to pay in Euros or Traveler s checks. Your driving holiday may not take you down all of the 25,000 miles/40,000 km of national highways or four-lane superhighways (autoroutes) in France, but you will surely pack in as much as you can, to make the most of your trip. Most of the superhighways are toll roads or as they say it in France, des routes page. The large network of secondary national highways are denoted on the map by the initials RN (Route Nationale) followed by a number. The extremely scenic local roads (Routes D partementales) are indicated by a D followed by a route number. Late July/early August and late August/early September are peak vacation times when these roads are jammed; a point to be considered in the planning of trips to France.
To sum up a travelers impressions on France and its people.
In Francecountry-region cooking is a serious art form and a national sport . Julia Child, famous American cook, author, and TV personality.
I like to be in France, but I have no facility for languages. British actor, Sean Connery.
Paris is always a good idea. From the film, Sabrina.
We also have a favorite place in France called Charlot Premier in Nice, which does excellent oysters. Roger Moore, aka Bond, James Bond.
Yet, who could help loving the land that has taught us 685 ways to dress eggs Thomas Moore, Irish poet.
France is synonymous with a host of delights. The 22 regions of France, and add to it 4 overseas territories, collectively offer a great experience in gastronomy. Pariscity is a must-see with its art, culture, history, monuments and of course its night-life. The little nooks and corners of France, off the beaten track quickly become travelers favorite hang-outs. Then there are the superb beaches and picturesque ports along the coast of Bretagne and Nomandie; the playground of the rich and famous- the Cte dAzur; the mustard fields of Dijon; the vineyards-a part of the beautiful countryside..
All this and much more with satisfaction guaranteed when you drive through at leisure in a rented car.
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