car rental in Paris

Hello, while I cannot be much help on telling where is a good spot to get your rental car, I can tell you that Gare du Nord is NOT a good spot lol! Thats where we picked ours up and it was extremely confusing trying to get out of the city! My husband said he thought it was worse than driving in Manhattan:)

Next time we will take a train to an outlying town and get our car farther out:)

We took the train to Rouen, stayed overnight to see something of the city, and got our car in the morning to continue on to Normandy. The train was just over an hour as I remember.

Avis and Europcar are at the Porte Maillot, on the #1 Metro line between the Etoile and La Defense. It's also on the Peripherique to get you out of the city.

Edit -- Above post has another good idea, train to Rouen from Gare St-Lazaire.

We've gone twice from Paris to Normandy and both times we took the train out of the city to pick up a car, once to Rouen and another time to Caen. We found it just easier, less stress, a little more time to relax for the driver.

Nord is easy. Turn west from the car place, hit the first wide road going north, get on the peripherique going counter-clockwise and follow the signs toward Rouen until you're well established on the A-14. No street names to remember, no map or gps needed.

Porte Maillot is even easier. If you're cityward of the traffic circle get to it or Grande Armee (the closest fat road headed northwest). Grande Armee becomes Charles de Gaulle which becomes the A-14. If you can see the circle or are already on Grande Armee, do the foregoing and keep going northwest. You're on one wide road with no turns, but the road changes names. Follow the signs toward Rouen . . . . No street names to remember.........

Take the train to Caen. There are four car rental agencies across the street from the train station. Paris can be very stressful for American drivers.

You need to read all the posts carefully and think about them.

Ckpt states two trips and taking the train was easier, less stress - - but both trips were by train, so there's no basis for comparison.

Those that advocate trains have their points - - but you're going to be paying for a car anyway that day, so why not use it instead of paying for train tickets as well? And, no, gas and tolls don't come close for making it a wash.

No dog in the fight. I just answer questions and think about logic.

@Ed, I will memorize those directions for the next time we rent a car at Gare du Nord!!! Why weren't you in our car when we needed you two years ago :)??????