A trip to France is one that every person should make in life because of the beautiful places the country has to offer tourists. While Paris is the most famous city in France, there are other locations that will make your visit worthwhile. Nice, Montpellier, Strasbourg, and Aix-en-Provence are just a few of these locations.
While there are different ways to travel around the country, one of the best ways is driving yourself. You can click here to see some locations you need to visit when you go to France. But since you are a tourist, you most likely didn’t come with your car. In such a case, you’ll need to hire one from a car rental company.
Many people are usually afraid to do this because they don’t know what it entails to hire a car in a foreign country. Therefore, we’ve written this article just for people like you. In this piece, we’ll guide you on how to hire a cheap vehicle in France.
Should You Hire a Car?
Before you even begin the process of hiring a car, you need to determine if it’s something you should do. Obviously, a car will offer you better mobility. Yet, if you’ll be visiting only popular locations that are accessible by public transportation or train, then hiring a vehicle might not be necessary.
On the other hand, if you want to visit the countryside and less popular attractions, you need to hire a vehicle. For instance, locations such as Brittany, Normandy, and some areas in Provenance cannot be accessed by public transportation or train. In such situations, renting a car is a very good idea.
Basic Driving Requirements
Just like any other place in the world, there are certain requirements you must meet to be allowed to drive in France. While you can drive a vehicle at age 18 in France, you need to be 21 years old to rent a vehicle. If you are less than 25 years old, you might be forced to abide by certain restrictions and pay certain fees.
Some car rental companies sometimes require that your driver’s license is at least a year old. In addition, you’ll need to show them your credit card and license when you want to pick up the car. While any license will work, it’s best if you present an international driving permit and not just a license approved by a country.
You can get an international driving permit at the nearest Norwegian Automobile Federation (NAF). You’ll need to have a valid Norwegian driving license, be 18 years old, then fill out and submit the form. You’ll also have to pay the stipulated fee.
Tips to Renting a Car in France
To get a cheap vehicle for hire, you need to know how the rental system in France works. To save you research time, we’ve compiled tips that will help you. Let’s get into it.
Determining Where to Hire From
The season you visit France influences the price of vehicle rental. If you travel during summer vacation, you’re bound to pay more. The simple reason is that the demand is high, and the rental companies try to cash out as much as possible during this high season.
In addition, the company you choose is another crucial factor that determines price. So, it’s best to compare the prices of different companies before picking one. Given that you don’t know much about the country, your best bet is to visit leiebilguiden.no/frankrike/ where you can easily compare prices from different companies. Such price comparison sites will help you determine whom to rent from.
Type of Vehicle You Should Choose
Manual cars are more common in France than their automatic counterparts. Therefore, traveling from Norway and seeing that might not be much of a shock. Manual vehicles are cheaper than automatic vehicles.
If you decide you want to rent an automatic car, be prepared to pay more. Furthermore, you might have a hard time finding one. So, instead of stressing yourself, stick to the manual drive.
In addition, don’t go for big cars such as SUVs. One thing you will notice in France is that their provincial town roads and parking lots are designed for smaller cars. Therefore, it’s best you stick with the country’s car culture and get a small car. Doing this will save you money since larger cars cost more to hire.
Use a Buyback Program
If you plan to stay in the country for a couple of months, the best option is to use a buyback program. What is a buyback program you might wonder? It simply involves buying the vehicle rather than renting it, while enjoying no deductible, full insurance coverage, and a round-the-clock emergency hotline. But this is not renting you might complain.
Well, it isn’t but the truth this using this buyback program saves you money, especially if you plan to rent a vehicle for three months or more. Moreover, the insurance coverage protects you from accidents, which renting does not. Therefore, it is a cheaper deal, which is why it is a tip you need to consider.
Always Inspect the Car
When you go to pick up the car, ensure that you walk around it to inspect if everything is in order. If you visited during winter, confirm that the vehicle has snow tires or snow chains stored in the trunk.
When you are given the form to fill out and check out the vehicle, confirm that there is no damage to the car. If you found any confirm that it is outlined on the checkout form. If it is not listed, then inform the rental company about it so that they can include it before you sign the form.
In addition, the form will outline the car’s mileage and the quantity of gas in it during pickup. Confirm that what they’ve told you is true as you’re expected to return the vehicle with the same gas quantity once you are done using it. You can even take pictures to serve as evidence you can use later in case of any issue.
Cost of Renting a Vehicle in France
We’ve mentioned that the season and the company you hire from determines the price you pay to rent a vehicle in France. However, there are other factors that influence the price. This section will discuss these factors in detail.
Pickup and Dropoff
If you’re picking up the vehicle right from the train station or airport as soon as you arrive, get ready to pay more. You can reduce the cost by picking up the vehicle yourself from the car rental office. Conversely, where you leave the car to be collected by the company influences the final price you’ll be slammed with.
Don’t drop off the vehicle in another city from the pickup location. You might get charged a whopping 130 Euros. Therefore, take the car back to the rental office when you are done using it.
Hidden Fees and Taxes
Some companies do not reveal the total cost of hiring a vehicle from them. Many times, they might just inform potential customers about the base price. It is only after the person comes for pickup do they realize they have to pay for insurance fees and other sort. Some even include taxes, which is a shady practice.
Gas
You might be wondering how this is a part of the cost of renting a vehicle. Don’t worry, we’ll explain. Although the cost of gas isn’t a direct cost, when you calculate how much you spent on the car in the end, gas price will be included. Therefore, you need to ensure that you choose a vehicle that uses less gas.
You also need to know the type of gas the vehicle you are renting uses by checking the tag sticker on the car. It is worth noting that Sans Plomb 95 is more expensive than Sans Plomb (unleaded). We advise that you buy gas from supermarket chains instead of big filling stations to save money on gas.
Conclusion
France is a beautiful country to visit with so many amazing locations to thrill you. One way to ensure you enjoy your vacation is to drive to these locations yourself. This is necessary given that some of these locations are not accessible by train or public transport.
Since it’s unlikely you traveled with your car, the option available is to rent one. The article above is a detailed guide not only on how to rent a car in France but how to get a cheap hire. So, what are you waiting for, get that vehicle and enjoy your much-needed vacation.