If you are bringing children with you to France, you must be aware of the child car seat rules. Children under the age of 10 must ride in a car seat or restraint. If they are under 13 kg (28 lbs.), they must be placed in a rear-facing seat in either the front passenger seat or one of the back seats. For children up 18 kg (39 lbs.), a child seat with a harness or protection tray is required. For children between 18 kg (39 lbs.) and 36 kg (79 lbs.), they must sit in a booster seat secured with an adult seatbelt.
The biggest advantage of renting a car in France is that it is an efficient and affordable way to travel. Having a car will allow you to do a road trip cross-country or to take the historic Route Napoléon in the Alpes-Maritimes.
When you drive on French roads, you will find several toll highways, also known as "autoroutes péages." These highways are marked by blue signs with the letter "A" before the number. You will need to collect a ticket when you enter the toll road and pay according to your distance traveled when you exit. The current cost is about €1 ($1.13) per 10 mi.
When it comes to renting the right car, it all depends on what sort of driving you intend to do on your French vacation. If you are heading down to the French Riviera, a convertible is ideal for cruising around in the sunshine, while if you are planning a family holiday in the Alps, a station wagon or a large sedan is suitable. If you are visiting Paris, then a city car or compact car is best; or if you opt for the countryside, four-wheel drives are perfect.
25% of our users found rental cars in France for C$ 56 or less
Book your rental car in France at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
Off-airport rental car locations in France are around 41% more expensive than airport locations on average
Compact rental cars in France are around 56% cheaper than other car types, on average
FAQs about renting a car in France
On average a rental car in France costs C$ 74 per day.
Compact (Fiat 500X or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in France.
In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at Goldcar Rental SP (C$ 36/day), SICILY BY CAR (C$ 38/day) and Europcar (C$ 48/day).
Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car rental companies in France are Hertz (7.6, 60 reviews), and Sixt (7.4, 135 reviews).
Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to rent a car in France are Nice (60% of total searches of users looking to rent a car in France), Marseille (36%) and Annecy (1%).
On average a rental car in France costs C$ 503 per week (C$ 72 per day).
On average a rental car in France costs C$ 2,155 per month (C$ 72 per day).
Before you rent a car in France, you need to remember to drive on the right-hand side of the road and overtake on the left. Seatbelts are mandatory, and the use of mobile phones (even with hands-free systems) when driving is prohibited. You must give way to traffic coming from the right if there is no road sign at a crossing.
When you rent a car in France, you’ll have to be at least 21 years old, and you must have held a valid driving license for at least two years. For drivers under the age of 25, a daily surcharge will be added to your car rental. When you go to rent your car, you will need either an EU driver’s license or you can present your non-EU driver’s license if you have been in Europe for less than six months. You must also always carry a valid driver’s license, registration, and insurance documents when you’re driving your rental car.
You will find that the average price of gas in France is around €1.57 ($1.78) per liter (around $6.43 per gallon). You will find a good selection of gas stations in most cities, which usually stay open for 24h; however, gas tends to be more expensive at stations along highways.
The speed limits on French roads are as follows: in urban areas and towns, the maximum speed limit is 50 km/h (31 mph), and on national roads you can drive up to 90 km/h (56 mph). When you drive on dual carriageways or inner-city highways, the speed limit is 110 km/h (68 mph). On highways the maximum speed limit is 130 km/h (80 mph).
The rates displayed include all taxes and fees for car rentals for the class listed and were found by KAYAK users in the last 48 hours. Offers are subject to change and may not be available on all car rentals listed or dates of travel. Some car rental providers charge additional fees for other services (GPS, infant car seats, etc.). Please check the car rental providers' sites.