Car rental in Paris

Where to pick up your car in Paris

Paris has two main airports: Charles de Gaulle (CDG) to the north and Orly (ORY) to the south. Both have desks for the major rental companies, and you collect the car from the rental company's parking area. Your voucher shows the terminal and the exact spot.

If you're spending your first days in the city, don't pick up the car when you land. It's easier to collect it on the day you leave, at a train station like Gare de Lyon or Montparnasse: they have rental offices and quick access to the highways.

There are offices in central Paris, but leaving from there means crossing the city in heavy traffic. Airports and stations are almost always the better choice.

Something we're often asked: we don't offer a meet-and-greet service at the terminal door. We work only with official rental companies. That's what guarantees the car is there, the contract is right, and you have backup if anything happens.

What you need to pick up the car

Three things, and all three are mandatory. Without any one of them, the rental company won't hand over the car.

A credit card in the main driver's name. The rental company places the security hold on it. Debit cards, cash and a family member's card are not accepted.

A physical, valid driver's license. Digital licenses, photos and copies are not accepted. It has to be the card itself, valid for the whole rental.

A valid passport. The minimum age is usually 19, though it can vary by rental company and car category. Drivers under 25 usually pay a young driver surcharge. There's no maximum age.

International Driving Permit: in France it may be mandatory. If the rental company asks for it and you don't have it, they may refuse to give you the car. It's best to get one in your home country before you travel.

About the price: insurance, taxes and unlimited mileage are almost always included. If a rate doesn't include them, we'll tell you before you book. You can pay CarzRental by bank transfer in pesos or dollars, or with a card payment link.

Inside Paris, you're better off without a car

Driving in Paris isn't worth it. Traffic is heavy, roundabouts like the one at the Arc de Triomphe are chaotic, there are lots of one-way streets and bus and bike lanes, and parking is hard to find and expensive. The metro gets you everywhere faster.

Paris also has a low-emission zone and, on high-pollution days, driving restrictions based on the Crit'Air vignette, the environmental sticker on the windshield. The rules keep changing, but rental cars are new and usually already have it. If you plan to drive in the city, ask them to confirm at pickup.

If your hotel is in Paris and you have the car, ask whether it has a garage. If not, leave the car in a public parking garage and use the metro.

Manual or automatic: decide before you book

Most rental cars in France are manual. Automatics exist, but there are few of them, they cost more and they sell out first in high season.

If you don't drive stick, ask for an automatic in your very first message. At the desk they can't switch you if none are available.

Toll highways (péage)

Almost all French highways, the ones starting with A, are toll roads. On most of them you take a ticket when you get on and pay at the booth when you get off, by card. Don't use the lanes marked with an orange "t": they're only for cars with an electronic toll tag.

On some stretches, including part of the highway to Normandy, there are no booths anymore: a system reads the license plate and you pay the toll online within the next few days on the highway's website. If it isn't paid, a fine follows.

National (N) and departmental (D) roads are free and slower, but they pass through lovely villages. For long distances, the highway saves a lot of time.

Speed cameras: France checks a lot

France has a huge number of speed cameras: fixed, mobile, average-speed sections and unmarked cars that check while driving. Limits drop when it rains and as you enter each town.

Radar detectors are illegal. Fines reach the rental company weeks later, and the company charges them to your card with a handling fee, even after you're home. The same goes for unpaid tolls.

Day trips and road trips from Paris

Versailles is very close, and you can combine it with Giverny, Monet's house. Both make great day trips.

Normandy is the most popular road trip: Honfleur, Étretat, the D-Day beaches and Mont-Saint-Michel. It's worth staying at least one or two nights.

The Loire Valley is the other classic: the châteaux of Chambord, Chenonceau and Amboise, among vineyards. You can also head to Champagne, to Reims and Épernay.

If you want to end your trip in another city, or another country, you can drop the car off there. The rental company charges a fee for that, higher for another country. We include it in your quote.

Which category suits your trip

For two people, a compact is ideal: easy to park and a good fit for the villages of Normandy and the Loire.

For four people with large suitcases, ask for a midsize or a station wagon. European cars have smaller trunks than most people expect.

For groups, a 7- or 9-seat minivan. We guarantee the category, not the exact model: the rental company assigns that at pickup.

The most expensive mistakes

Putting in the wrong fuel. In France diesel is called gazole, which confuses a lot of people. Gasoline is labeled SP95, SP98 or E10. Check the fuel cap to see which one your car takes. If you get it wrong, the repair is on you.

Returning the car without a full tank. The rental company charges for missing fuel at a much higher price than a gas station. Fill up near the drop-off point and keep the receipt.

Picking up the car in central Paris. You lose time in traffic and pay parking for days you don't use it.

Signing without reading. At the desk you'll be offered extras like roadside assistance, GPS, a toll tag or a child seat. Whatever you sign is paid there and isn't refunded. If something doesn't match your booking, message us before you sign.